Courses
PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
I am pleased to offer private voice lessons for dedicated singers. Through the study and application of a healthy technique, singers can explore the worlds of classical music, musical theatre and other repertoire in a safe, fun, nurturing environment!
YOGA FOR THE VOICE/ THE HEART OF YOUR VOICE
It all comes down to the breath! How we breathe can change our lives. As we learn to receive the inhale and let go of the exhale, we learn to receive what is in front of us and to share it. The way we breathe sets up the freedom we can achieve as we speak and sing.
Using the power of the breath to combine vocal tools from the golden age of singing with the wisdom of yoga, I help students gain stability, focus, concentration, inner power, alertness and mental balance to bring more vocal freedom to every part of their lives: Releasing the voice from a connected and grounded place, and letting go of any blockages.
ONLINE COURSES
- Embrace the process of learning
- Discover their uniqueness, potential, and abilities
- Build a healthy vocal routine
- Become confident within a grounded, well-aligned body and speaking voice
- Allow the vocal mechanism to engage freely and unencumbered
- Foster continued growth through specific exercises and tools to build vocal freedom
- Nurture a passion for the repertoire
- Understand and connect with the text and music
- Enjoy sharing their talents openly with others
It is a common trap to find the body locked up in an effort to try too hard, or do too many things, wanting to “get it right!” I have found that discovering simple ways to gently align the body and building awareness in a game-like fashion tailored to the individual is the key to gaining freedom.
TESTIMONIALS
Lisa van der Ploeg brings a vast amount of knowledge to her teaching, not only as a master of vocal pedagogy but as a nurturer of the heart and mind. She allows singers to become their best selves, while also creating an atmosphere of serious study. Lisa is an active performer and this experience has been invaluable to her students as she guides them along their career paths.
Layna Chianakas
Voice Teacher/Mezzo-Soprano/Opera Stage Director
Lisa van der Ploeg is an outstanding singer/performer and voice teacher. She was an exceptional voice student of mine at the University of the Pacific, and was the first person I thought of when I was looking for someone to teach for me when I took my most recent sabbatical.
Lisa creates a positive, supportive and encouraging learning atmosphere in her studio. She quickly spots technical issues that need to be addressed and comes up with clear, insightful strategies to overcome those problems. She makes learning fun and is dedicated to the growth of each and every student. She is a real GEM!!!
Lynelle Wiens
Program Director and Professor of Voice, Emerita
Conservatory of Music
University of the Pacific
TESTIMONIALS
Lisa van der Ploeg brings a vast amount of knowledge to her teaching, not only as a master of vocal pedagogy but as a nurturer of the heart and mind. She allows singers to become their best selves, while also creating an atmosphere of serious study. Lisa is an active performer and this experience has been invaluable to her students as she guides them along their career paths.
Layna Chianakas
Voice Teacher/Mezzo-Soprano/Opera Stage Director
Lisa van der Ploeg is an outstanding singer/performer and voice teacher. She was an exceptional voice student of mine at the University of the Pacific, and was the first person I thought of when I was looking for someone to teach for me when I took my most recent sabbatical.
Lisa creates a positive, supportive and encouraging learning atmosphere in her studio. She quickly spots technical issues that need to be addressed and comes up with clear, insightful strategies to overcome those problems. She makes learning fun and is dedicated to the growth of each and every student. She is a real GEM!!!
Dr. Lynelle Wiens
Program Director and Professor of Voice, Emerita
Conservatory of Music
University of the Pacific
I had the distinct honor of witnessing Lisa's teaching, as well as her performing, at San Jose State University, for 5 years. As her collaborative pianist, I accompanied both Lisa's studio, as well as herself, in lessons and in recitals. She was a consummate professional who understood the physiology of vocal production, was fluent in the diction of several languages and was conversant with the vast vocal repertoire.
She had an amazing ability to create a calming atmosphere with every student, thus allowing them to free up their breath, as well as any body tightness. Her sense of serenity, as well as her passion for the music at hand, was infectious. I often played for her late in the afternoon, after a long day of teaching and accompanying. And I always left her lessons recharged, and enthused by her unique, customized vocalises or her interpretation of a Lied.
Listening and watching Lisa perform is a rarefied treat: her satiny, mellow mezzo voice sounds so natural, and rivets her audiences. Her sense of drama and passion - whether it be singing a Brahms' "Zigeunerlieder” in a staged production of "Elijah" - always communicates deeply. Even during voice lessons, when she would illustrate a particular phrase in a song, her timbre was breathtaking.
To top off her prodigious talent, Lisa's nurturing and upbeat personality make her a natural teacher. I witnessed so many success stories among her students - in terms of their vocal development and their stage presence: a true testament to her teaching. All of us in the School of Music and Dance were so saddened by her leaving ...
But California's loss is Indiana's gain! Lisa is a gem.
Sharon Brook
Lecturer/Staff Accompanist Emeritus
School of Music and Dance
San Jose State University
Yoga Class Testimonials
Joining Lisa's yoga and sound class is proving to be such a
wonderful and highly enjoyable experience ..
The sessions are so well structured with a real freedom quality
as people are gently guided to follow their own bodies and needs also.
I especially love the focus on the breath and sound
which often are guided in creative imaginative ways
making the experience have an enchanting quality .
Lisa is so kind and friendly with great wisdom and helps everyone feel
welcome to bring themselves just as they are .
After a session my body feels light, relieved and happy :)
Emma Rose, Bristol, UK
Lisa’s yoga class was perfect for me. It was the right amount of stretching both for my body and my mind. Her unique approaches to breath work really opened up not only my airways but my heart. Lisa’s gentle spiritual approach put me at ease and it set the tone for me for a calmer more purposeful day! I loved it! Thank you Lisa!!
Jeri Franz, Jacksonville, Illinois