singing lessons with

Sven
edward
olbash

+ Are singing lessons right for me?

Do you love to sing? Want to singer higher, louder, faster, or more beautifully? I help singers learn how to sing better.

+ What's different about lessons with Sven?

Maybe your school music teacher told you to “sing from your diaphragm.” Or your vocal coach wants you to “bring the sound forward.” Or your choir director asks you to make a “taller vowel.” Do those images work for some singers? Sure. But they are literally impossible to do. So if it's not working, don't worry—it isn't you.

If you’re not making the progress you want with your singing—or you're struggling with tension, vocal fatigue, or hoarseness—you might benefit from a more functional approach to singing. One that is rooted in physical reality. That's what I teach when you take lessons with me through Voice Science Studio.

+ How can science help me sing better?

You can't learn how to sing from reading a book or by using an app. But if you want to improve the quality of your singing, it helps to understand how the voice works.

First, your breath causes your vocal cords to vibrate. Those vibrations move through the air to the listener’s ear. Then the ear sends a signal to the brain, where it is perceived as sound. If you know how the brain perceives sound (psychoacoustics) and how sound moves through the air (physics), then you can optimize the function of vocal organ (anatomy). The result is efficient singing that is free from unnecessary tension, allowing you to focus on artistic expression—and that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

+ What can I expect to learn in lessons?

We start by eliminating unnecessary tension. Tension that is either habitual (e.g. from staring at a screen all day) or compensatory (straining to sing a high note). Then we establish healthy baseline function of the vocal cords through a series of six simple daily exercises.

Once we have a healthy baseline function, we can optimize things like breath pressure, airflow, resonator shape, and vocal cord thickness for whatever musical style (musical theater, classical, or pop) you want to sing. I also provide musical and interpretive coaching for classical and musical theater. For my pop and jazz students, I'm happy to refer you to a fabulous specialist in those areas for stylistic coaching.

Student spotlight

testimonials

Insightful, inspiring, intelligent, intuitive, incisive and sagacious teacher!

Cindy M.

I've learned more from Sven than all of my other teachers combined. I kept thinking, Why didn’t anyone tell me any of these things before!

Jim M.

Sven has a wonderful gift in being able to break down concepts and offer concrete guidance. He is without a doubt, a top-notch instructor.

Rachel F.

I’ve sung for years but this is the first time I’ve really studied classical technique, and it’s made a big difference in my confidence and enjoyment of signing.

Kenji M.

I was very impressed by how much knowledge Sven always has on hand, and because of that he makes you want to work harder and make the best out of the lesson.

Daniela R.

I asked Sven to help me find and fix problems with my singing. My technique, performance practice, enjoyment of singing keep improving. I choose more and more difficult repertoire as time goes by.

Jack M.

Sven has a very solid technical approach but is not afraid to be creative and sometimes whimsical. He tailors the information he provides to the individual student.

Maria M.

It feels sometimes as though he is giving away secrets of the voice, demystifying what had been completely obscure to me before.

Patricia S.

I’ve made huge progress from studying voice with Sven. His approach is precise, accessible and encouraging. My tone, volume, and consistency have all improved, and so has my confidence as a singer.

Janet B.

experience

Before moving to the Bay Area in 2005, I taught singing at the New England Conservatory of Music (voice class and individual lessons) and the Franklin School of Performing Arts. I have been a Teaching Artist with San Francisco Opera since 2008 and am currently a Voice Mentor for ArtSmart. I teach singing privately in my San Francisco studio as well as through Lacuna Arts.

teaching style

I studied singing with Patricia Craig and Maria Spacagna—two sopranos who enjoyed substantial careers at the Metropolitan Opera and beyond. I learned a lot from them about performing traditions, interpretation, and what it takes to build a career as an opera singer. But shortly after I finished my conservatory training and started singing full opera roles, I was in a serious car accident that kept me from performing on stage for three years. Although I had already earned a Master of Music in Voice Pedagogy (teaching) and had studied vocal anatomy and function, it was in the process of rehabilitating and rebuilding my own voice that I really started to learn how to teach singing technique. I not only studied the latest science in vocology and acoustics, but I also researched various traditional schools of singing from the Bel Canto period. Now over a decade later, I combine a somatic approach to singing ("How does it feel?") with concrete knowledge of the actual physical action that creates both the ideal sound and the accompanying sensation.