Music Should Be Fun

Success uSing Music

04/06/2019

Voice / Piano Lessons

One physical location (Studio) in Gonzales, La. area.

MONDAY & TUESDAY   Jude Wilson, Instructor
Success uSing Music @ XCEL Gymnastics (985) 320-3757
41028 Hwy. 621 (Behind Rende’s Lebanese/Greek Deli and Gas Station)
Gonzales, LA. 70737

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY – Travel to homes in Baton Rouge / Prairieville / Livingston Parish  Please call for available times and pricing…

Jude Wilson   Work/Cell: (985) 320-3757

My Educational Degrees and Background

1967 Graduate of Fortier High School in New Orleans, Louisiana

1972 Bachelor of Music Education – Southeastern Louisiana University
1979 Master of Vocal Performance – Southeastern Louisiana University

1973 – 2000 – Choral Conductor at Ponchatoula High School, Ponchatoula, La.
1969 – 2019 – Minister of Music and/or Pianist in various churches:
First United Methodist Church, Ponchatoula, La. (1969 – 1985)
Westside Baptist Church, Ponchatoula, La. (1986 – 1987)
New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Mandeville, La. (1990 – 2000)
Unity Church of Christianity, Baton Rouge, La. (2001 – present)

I’ve been a musician since 5th grade, playing clarinet and through college.
Singing was added in 10th grade choir – but I’ve been singing since I was five years old.

Here is some information concerning voice/piano lessons

My philosophy is that  “Music Should Be Fun”

I find that an hour lesson every two weeks is much better – especially for voice students. After vocalizing using vowels, etc., for 5 minutes or longer – there is only 20 – 25 minutes of time left in a traditional 30 minute lesson. If I need to make a learning and/or accompaniment track there is not much time left for actually singing the singer’s repertoire.

Charges are:

$ 85.00 per month for 2 one hour lessons at the studio.  In-home lessons are more.

$ 160.00 per month for 4 one hour lessons

Piano students also benefit from having an hour lesson every other week, too!
They will have more time to practice (if they really do practice)….

A students’ progress is contingent on how much CORRECT practice time he/she sets aside each week. REAL practice entails practicing the measures in the music where you are having problems. The same applies to voice students. If you’re having a problem with pitch, enunciation, rhythms, dynamics, etc., try to isolate the problem. The PROBLEM with many students (voice and piano) is that they can’t always monitor themselves and many parents don’t know HOW to help them (or can’t tell whether they’re singing or playing correctly).  I try to make sure voice students have some knowledge of the keyboard and how it relates to pitch using the diatonic scale (half and whole steps and how they relate to our ‘western’ music). It helps to have a keyboard in order to establish pitch. Parents are always welcome and are encouraged to be an active participant in their child’s progress. If a parent hears what is necessary, and many do, for their child to excel – they have a better idea of how to help them. Recently, six of my 4th – 6th grade singers became members of the LA. ACDA All State Children’s Choir. All of them had their parent’s support (not just driving them to their lessons.)
They’re singer/soccer/dance/gymnastic fantastic moms.

Even on ‘American Idol’ you will hear one or more judges mention that part or ALL of a song is ‘pitchy’ by one of the contestants. Even singers making it to the top 24 finalists have moments when they are not quite accurate in pitch. If you’ve seen the initial auditions of thousands of singers hoping to be picked – you’ve surely heard many of those who even YOU knew had NO CHANCE of making it further than the first few rounds (the really BAD ones will appear just because they make for great T.V. viewing – go figure. If they only showed the great singers in the beginning – where’s the drama and audience appeal in that? Now – many really bad singers have been asked “who told you you could sing?” Most reply “my mom or dad,” who really didn’t know or just couldn’t tell their child that they were NOT a good singer.

Don’t put them in that position. You can come by for a free pre-idol audition. I’ll give you an evaluation and list things you can do to improve OR tell you up front that, at this time, you’d get nowhere at an audition anywhere at this time.

BlesSINGs,

Jude

More to come on this blog!