HOW WE WORK TOGETHER

Voice lessons in New York City

My studio is on the upper west side of Manhattan near Lincoln Center, where I live with my husband, Jonathan Baker. I also teach online and at the National Opera Center.

How do you begin?

Complete the New Client Application to enter the Shigo Voice Studio.

  • Once your application is accepted, I will send you instructions on scheduling a Discovery Session or give you a referral. Either way, you will start your journey.

  • During your Discovery Session, you will experience my teaching style; I will discover your learning style and learn more about you, your goals, and your aspirations. Be prepared to sing. We will dive into Bel Canto vocal technique; you will receive feedback on your current skill level and a detailed overview of how to proceed to the next level. A proposal for your review will follow after the session.

  • Your Discovery Session will be in person unless you prefer to meet online, do not live in Manhattan, or cannot travel to Manhattan. Online sessions are conducted via FarPlay. Evening sessions are online unless scheduled at the National Opera Center.

  • After completing your Discovery Session, we will know if we are a good fit. Then, you can proceed with Drop-In Sessions, a Semester, or a Project-Oriented Package. It usually takes a few days to process all the information. I am deeply invested in my students and know you will also want to think things over.

Your investment?

Your experience in the studio is tailored to you. As a result, your investment may not be the same as someone else's.

  • The Discovery Session [$175] is pivotal in determining your path.

  • Semester plans involve a 9-month commitment and begin at $600 each month.

  • Project-oriented packages involve 3-6 months and begin at $1800.

  • Semester plans and project-oriented packages include weekly synchronous and asynchronous instruction, masterclasses, and workshops.

  • Drop-in Sessions [$175] are available on a first-come-first-serve basis once you have completed your Discovery Session.

Who do I work with?

I work with singers of high school age to mature singers in their 60s and 70s: professional and non-professional singers representing classical, musical theatre, and popular genres, as well as actors, executives, and public speakers.

I do not discriminate based on race, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, religious beliefs, or other protected status.

I offer limited tuition discounts to underrepresented and in-need artists.

What is a lesson like?

Voice lessons, both online and in NYC, focus on developing and applying your vocal technique to your repertoire and unique abilities.

Two-hour sessions with another student accelerate the learning process.

I will give you a protocol to follow involving tailormade vocal exercises within a graduated course of study and show you how to practice, solve problems, and advance toward your goal.

I aim to give you the tools to find your voice, fulfill your dream of being a singer, and help you become your teacher.

Ertinger, Franz, 1640-ca. 1710. A scene from André Campra's opera-ballet L'Europe Galante premiered at the Paris Opéra on October 24, 1697. The setting for the final entrée: a seraglio with characters Zayde, Zuliman, and Roxane in the foreground.

  • "I had lost the joy of singing after a severe family tragedy. You listened to me sing, were non-judgmental, and refused to let me feel defeated, patiently applying your skill week after week to the wounded instrument that was my voice until I could sing again. You helped me regain my joy. You are the best teacher I have ever had. Everything you teach works! I am so glad I found you."

    SHIRLEY BEYAH, MEZZO-SOPRANO, ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK

  • Daniel is an exradordinary voice teacher with an uncanny ability to hear your true voice.

    M BURCH, SOPRANO, NEW YORK CHORAL SOCIETY

  • “I have had a big voice since I was a kid. This made singing in the choir and school chorus very challenging. Daniel taught me how to stabilize and control my voice, and also to sing operatically with emotion and real beauty.”

    CHARLES RICHARDS, BARITONE, ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK

  • “I was actually good enough to earn a living as a singer before I met Daniel. But my vocal tone was all over the place, a little dull and nasal, and my breathing needed work. Daniel gave me a technique to correct my breathing and create a pure beautiful tone, singing with lift and feeling. Now, when I’m onstage my voice is right where it needs to be.”

    LARRY STEPHEN HINES, BARITONE

  • “Daniel is a very passionate and gifted voice teacher. His enthusiasm is as unbounded as his knowledge. He brings his scholastic knowledge of voice history and the great teachers of the past into the present making it easily understandable and practicable. He's really wonderful and I'm thrilled with the progress I've made with him. He goes that extra mile.”

    JEFF MACAULEY, TENOR, MAC AWARD WINNER

  • Daniel came and worked with our students at Pennsbury High School in a master-class setting. I found his teaching to be enlightening to our young singers, and offering great insight, depth and thought provoking ideas for them to build upon in their study of singing.  I would welcome him back anytime!

    JAMES D. MOYER, DIRECTOR OF CHORAL ACTIVITIES, PENNSBURY, HS, FAIRLESS HILLS, PA

  • Daniel's teaching is a wonderful marriage of science and art. Who could ask for anything more?

    JOSEPHINE MONGIARDO, BARNARD COLLEGE

What about practice?

Your practice involves multiple 10 to 15-minute sessions. Students complete three 10-minute technique practice sessions before working on repertoire.

Online study

I use FarPlay for online lessons. FarPlay is a low-latency platform with superior sound quality. With an Ethernet cable, a good external microphone, and open-back headphones, singing and accompanying in sync across thousands of miles is a reality. Once you experience FarPlay, you won’t look back.

Check your tech and set-up at FarPlay. You need not upgrade from a free account unless you plan to record your lessons. When connected, you must disable any VPN network if enabled.

The better the equipment, the better the sound quality; the better the sound quality, the better the lesson. My setup includes an Ethernet cable, Sennheiser open-back headphones, a Focusrite solo (audio processor), an Audio-Technica AT2050 condenser microphone, a standard XLR male-to-female mic cable, an onstage DS7200B adjustable microphone stand, and cable adapters.

Policy

Voice lessons in New York City and online lessons are non-refundable. You are reserving time to access my brain, extensive knowledge base, and experience. Showing up for yourself is the first step.

There is a 48-hour cancellation policy. The full fee will be charged for all lessons canceled within 48 hours before the lesson time. You are welcome to schedule the next lesson for the full fee.

There are no refunds for lessons that are canceled.

Lesson fees are not transferable and must be used within the allotted time.

The Shigo Voice Studio reserves the right to refuse or not continue lessons.

The art of Bel Canto

Learn the art of Bel Canto with Garcia and Lamperti's vocal technique. Apply for voice lessons in New York City and online lessons.

Ertinger, Franz, 1640-ca. 1710. A scene from Lully's opera Bellerophon premiered at the Paris Opéra on January 31, 1697. Depicts Bellerophon riding Pegasus on a cloud, the Chimera below.

voice lessons new york city

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

—ARISTOLE