Teaching Philosophy: "As a teacher, musician, and individual, I strive to be an embodiment of the three “E’s”: encouragement, empathy, and experience. Much of my beliefs as a teacher fall in line with these ideals, and they are something that I try to instill in my students as well. In my teaching, I aspire to be a bridge and model for my students on their way to becoming exceptional independent musicians. As a result of my instruction, my goal is that my students will gain an understanding and appreciation of their voice and the gift they have been given."
As a voice teacher specifically, I want my students to feel comfort and confidence in sharing their singing with others in auditions and performance settings. Part of the process of creating confident, informed, and independent singers requires that I impart to them the diction skills needed to sing music in different styles and languages. Additionally, I emphasize the incorporation of ear training, sight-reading, and piano skills to develop well-rounded musicianship. Overall, my aspiration for my students is for them to sing with their truest voice in a way that they can sustain consistently and with healthy technique.
In my teaching, I prioritize healthy vocal techniques that will allow them to sing robustly for the rest of their lives. Through my instruction, I encourage a natural approach to singing with close ties to speech. I place emphasis on understanding breath support while singing and promote a true comprehension of the breathing process unique to vocalization. Through an understanding of anatomy and body mapping, as well as analogy and visualization, it is imperative to me in my teaching that I build a solid foundational awareness of students supporting their phonation. In developing their ears as budding musicians, I believe it is necessary to commit time to focusing on ear training exercises and vocalizations. This may be in the form of weekly Italian Vaccai exercises, or through sight singing, during which I endeavor to be simultaneously supportive and scrupulous in my feedback. As a vocalist, only when I developed my ear could I produce beautiful music as well as appreciate the intricacy of it in other musicians, and therefore I hold it as an essential component of my teaching.
I prefer a frequent informal assessment when it comes to gauging my students' growth. I feel strongly about listening to a student’s unique goals and building a teaching plan that seeks to achieve goals through an individualized approach. While it is important to have overall objectives, it is also crucial to have benchmarks along the way so that problems can be addressed and achievements can be recognized. Seeing my students’ growth during our time working together is the ultimate reward as a teacher. Growth can come in many different forms, and I believe it is imperative to acknowledge it along the way toward musical prowess. My hope for my students is that they become not only confident in their singing abilities but also confident in who they are as an individual. Singing is something that is so personal for many of us. We can use singing to bring light and fulfillment to our lives in so many ways."
Biography: Nicholas Saxton, tenor, is originally from Tiffin, Ohio. Nick earned a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with renowned tenor and teacher Robert Swensen, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music from Heidelberg University. During his tenure at Heidelberg, he was president of the Heidelberg Concert Choir and Tau Mu Sigma music honor society. Nicholas has been recently seen in roles including Marco and Il Notaro in Gianni Schicchi and The Reader in Tibetan Book of the Dead by Ricky Ian Gordan. He is frequently seen as a concert soloist, feeling most comfortable as a singer of Bach’s canatas. He was also a member of the Voices Chamber Choir and the Eastman Chorale. He was also a winner of the 2019 NATS New York Regional Competition. He currently serves as a tenor section leader at All Saints Parish in Brookline, MA.
Nicholas’ teaching emphasizes vocal health, flexibility, and the fulfillment of long-term goals. His students have won top honors at state music contests, pursued music education in undergraduate institutions, and have been cast numerous times in primary and secondary school productions as well as in community theater.
Nick has been teaching since 2015 and has been teaching voice and piano lessons for Note-worthy Experiences since March 2022. He teaches in-person lessons as well as long-term online lessons.
As a voice teacher specifically, I want my students to feel comfort and confidence in sharing their singing with others in auditions and performance settings. Part of the process of creating confident, informed, and independent singers requires that I impart to them the diction skills needed to sing music in different styles and languages. Additionally, I emphasize the incorporation of ear training, sight-reading, and piano skills to develop well-rounded musicianship. Overall, my aspiration for my students is for them to sing with their truest voice in a way that they can sustain consistently and with healthy technique.
In my teaching, I prioritize healthy vocal techniques that will allow them to sing robustly for the rest of their lives. Through my instruction, I encourage a natural approach to singing with close ties to speech. I place emphasis on understanding breath support while singing and promote a true comprehension of the breathing process unique to vocalization. Through an understanding of anatomy and body mapping, as well as analogy and visualization, it is imperative to me in my teaching that I build a solid foundational awareness of students supporting their phonation. In developing their ears as budding musicians, I believe it is necessary to commit time to focusing on ear training exercises and vocalizations. This may be in the form of weekly Italian Vaccai exercises, or through sight singing, during which I endeavor to be simultaneously supportive and scrupulous in my feedback. As a vocalist, only when I developed my ear could I produce beautiful music as well as appreciate the intricacy of it in other musicians, and therefore I hold it as an essential component of my teaching.
I prefer a frequent informal assessment when it comes to gauging my students' growth. I feel strongly about listening to a student’s unique goals and building a teaching plan that seeks to achieve goals through an individualized approach. While it is important to have overall objectives, it is also crucial to have benchmarks along the way so that problems can be addressed and achievements can be recognized. Seeing my students’ growth during our time working together is the ultimate reward as a teacher. Growth can come in many different forms, and I believe it is imperative to acknowledge it along the way toward musical prowess. My hope for my students is that they become not only confident in their singing abilities but also confident in who they are as an individual. Singing is something that is so personal for many of us. We can use singing to bring light and fulfillment to our lives in so many ways."
Biography: Nicholas Saxton, tenor, is originally from Tiffin, Ohio. Nick earned a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with renowned tenor and teacher Robert Swensen, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music from Heidelberg University. During his tenure at Heidelberg, he was president of the Heidelberg Concert Choir and Tau Mu Sigma music honor society. Nicholas has been recently seen in roles including Marco and Il Notaro in Gianni Schicchi and The Reader in Tibetan Book of the Dead by Ricky Ian Gordan. He is frequently seen as a concert soloist, feeling most comfortable as a singer of Bach’s canatas. He was also a member of the Voices Chamber Choir and the Eastman Chorale. He was also a winner of the 2019 NATS New York Regional Competition. He currently serves as a tenor section leader at All Saints Parish in Brookline, MA.
Nicholas’ teaching emphasizes vocal health, flexibility, and the fulfillment of long-term goals. His students have won top honors at state music contests, pursued music education in undergraduate institutions, and have been cast numerous times in primary and secondary school productions as well as in community theater.
Nick has been teaching since 2015 and has been teaching voice and piano lessons for Note-worthy Experiences since March 2022. He teaches in-person lessons as well as long-term online lessons.