Voice Lessons
(offered over Zoom or in person in ChampionsGate, Florida or at Theatre Winter Haven)
Katherine Stenzel Whitworth holds a Master of Music degree in voice performance and literature, and bachelor’s degrees in both music education and voice performance. She formerly served on faculty at University of Illinois at Springfield. Katherine has almost a decade of experience teaching students of all ages and levels of experience, and offers lessons in a broad range of styles including classical, musical theatre, jazz, and contemporary. Each lesson is tailored to the individual student’s needs and includes work on repertoire, technique, and stage presence. Katherine draws on her varied experiences as a performer of opera and theater as well as her pedagogical study to help her students improve their unique voices.
Teaching Philosophy
Voice lessons are for everyone. It is never too late or too early to start voice lessons, and everyone has the potential to improve their voice. I strive to help all my students find a healthy vocal technique that will allow them to sing the music and style they love. Lessons are individualized to fit the student’s goals and learning style, and I make it a priority to keep lessons both fun and productive. The foundation of healthy vocal technique is rooted in steady breath, freedom from tension, and finding the optimal space and vowel shape for the style. It is a pleasure to help students discover new sounds, work toward technique that feels easier, and learn songs that they will both love and feel confident performing!
All State Prep
Katherine taught high school choir for four years and middle school choir for one year. She therefore has the experience necessary to prepare students for all state auditions at both the middle school and high school levels. Individual sessions follow regular studio rates.
Studio Rates
55 for an hour-long lesson
30 for a 30-minute lesson
Testimonials
“I've been working with Katherine Stenzel for about a year now through the University of Illinois and I have seen tremendous improvement in my voice. Katherine has helped me get over my fear of making mistakes in front of others, being consistent in my singing, and freeing my natural voice. I always look forward to having lessons with her because I can count on learning and improving my vocal skills every session. Katherine has a keen ear for identifying vocal problems and working patiently and diligently to fix them in a safe and healthy way. She not only identifies these problems, but makes sure you understand the source so you can identify those problems when practicing alone. When I'm practicing on my own or simply singing for fun around my apartment or in my car, I can successfully implement techniques that we work on together during lessons. Even after I've finished with her sessions for the semester, her impact on my voice will carry on, so the improvements I've made with Katherine have been sustainable and habitual.” –Greer Durham
“I had the opportunity to study voice under the instruction of Kate Stenzel this past semester. Something very important that Kate introduced to me was how necessary it is for the singer to project a strong soloistic tone. She can beautifully demonstrate the tone that she wants from her students which helped me produce a whole new, strong voice. Kate also emphasized the meaning of the text and made sure each of her students knew how to embrace the text of their piece. We also worked on performance stance and how to avoid unhealthy vocal performance tendencies. I believe that after just one semester with Kate, I’ve grown so much as a solo singer. She provided many ways to think about different musical aspects which I plan on keeping in my back pocket for the future.” – Mary Currie
“Katherine is a very amazing vocal teacher. I came to her with completely no experience in vocal training and yet she showed patience and a lot of passion in teaching. She is great at leading me to find the right voice and technique for singing, and she herself is also an amazing singer! I’d highly recommend Katherine if you’re finding a vocal teacher!” –Rachel I-Ting Hsiung
“I must say that Kate is amazing. To start with, Kate is a professional singer with years of solo experience. She gives me practical advice from a performer’s perspective. Furthermore, Kate has a unique way of communicating vocal techniques. Among all the teachers that have given me voice lessons, she is the only person who successfully helped me experience the concept of opening space and releasing tongue tension. She is also extremely patient and keeps using new methods until I am on the right track. She customizes her lessons for students with a variety of backgrounds so that they follow the pace and methods that suit them the most. I was still a beginner when I met Kate, but my passion for singing grows stronger with her support. I have benefited much more than I had expected from her valuable lessons and feel truly lucky for having Kate as my voice teacher.” –Helen Xihe Xu