Blog/News
Welcome to the First-Ever Zona Studio LLC Newsletter!
Back in 1988, when I first started teaching private voice and piano lessons (yes, that long ago!), I used to write, design, and mail—with actual stamps—newsletters to my students. It was my way of keeping everyone in the loop, celebrating achievements, and offering...
The Art of Vocalizing: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Let’s be honest—vocalizing isn’t exactly the sexiest part of being a singer.In fact, for many of us, it feels repetitive, maybe even a little boring. But here’s the truth: Vocalizing is one of the most important tools in your entire vocal toolkit. In the golden age of...
Why Every Singer Should Stop Avoiding Scales (And What to Do Instead)
Let’s get real about something most singers secretly avoid…Scales. 😬 I know. They’re not glamorous. They’re not flashy. But here’s the truth: If you want to feel confident at the keyboard—whether you’re warming up, learning new music, or supporting your...
How do you really know if you are with the right voice teacher?
Nope. That's not me in the picture! I've never been blond! Let’s be honest—finding the right voice teacher can feel like finding the perfect pair of shoes for a red carpet performance. They need to fit you, support you, and help you walk with confidence. So how do you...
Your Summer Strategy for Audition Prep
Stepping Into Your Role as CEO: A Summer Strategy for Singing Success Welcome to a pivotal moment in your journey as a singer. You're not just an artist; you're the CEO of your singing career. This summer, as you gear up for the audition season, it's crucial to lay...
How to Effectively Communicate a Character
When you are auditioning, you have a very limited amount of time to make an impression. In 10 minutes or 16 bars (!), you have to: Show who you are Show that you can sing Show that you can communicate a character In this excerpt from Audacious Auditioning, I give you...
The Quickest Way to Master Sight Singing
Hands down, when I ask any singer what scares them most regarding musicianship skills, the most frequent answer is SIGHT SINGING! And I get it. There are few times singers feel more vulnerable than when they have to pick up a piece of music they've never seen before...
How to Quickly Learn Every Major Scale
You know what's SEXY? PIANO SKILLS! OK, maybe not George Clooney sexy. I am going to say something controversial here. If you are a singer, you MUST have piano skills. (I guess that's not so controversial.) And if you want to develop those piano skills, you MUST play...
Great Singers and Great Acting
One of the greatest parts of being a singer is that we get to tell stories. There are words, character, emotion that drive us to communicate the truth of the moment. There have been (and currently are) magnificent performers who are so "in the moment" in their...
A Scat Singing Playlist
If you've ever wanted to scat, I've got you covered! If you don't know, scat is a style of improvised singing in jazz in which you use syllables to make your voice sound like an instrument. Some masters of scat are Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, and Mel Tormè. Check out...
