Schreiner offers a full spectrum of instruction for singers – those who are new to singing, those with limited experience and those who wish to further their career as a singer.  For beginners, Voice Class starts with the fundamentals of breathing, posture and good vocal production, as well as music theory, the mechanics of music.  Non-music majors or those students majoring in other areas of music can take intermediate half-hour private lessons, where repertoire includes songs in foreign languages and performance opportunities in monthly departmental recitals.  Students wishing to major in voice have weekly one-hour lessons, where multiple languages and challenging vocal literature are studied. All lessons include a pianist who will accompany students both in lessons and at a regularly scheduled rehearsal once a week.

Applied voice emphasizes the development of good vocal technique and practice habits. Concepts introduced in class or in private lessons are introduced and built upon to guide students in preparing music for performances.  All students are evaluated on their individual progress throughout the semester, so all have the opportunity to succeed at their own pace.

Departmental student recitals are a showcase for all music students, regardless of experience or skill level, to practice the art of performance.  This supportive environment gives all students the chance to share their music with their fellow students and faculty and to learn from other student performers.  All students enrolled in private lessons are required to attend monthly recitals and participate in one or more as a performer.

Students enrolled in lessons work one on one with faculty each week and cover the fundamental aspects of their instrument as well as prepare solo literature that is presented in performance on campus throughout the semester.

LouAnne Smith
Adjunct Voice Instructor
lsmith@schreiner.edu

LouAnne Smith joined the Schreiner Music Department in Fall 2017. She holds a B.A. in Music Education from Dallas Baptist University and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Southern Methodist University. A native of Dallas, she began her career as a high school choral director and voice coach, then was a professor of voice and music theory on three campuses of the Dallas County Community College District. As a vocalist, LouAnne was a founding member of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, sang with Dr. Lloyd Pfautsch’s Dallas Civic Chorale, the Dallas Summer Musicals cast and was a member of Dallas Vocal Arts Ensemble, a professional madrigal quintet. She has held several church music positions in Dallas and has taught privately for almost 40 years. LouAnne currently sings with the Hill Country Chorale in Kerrville and maintains a voice studio in Hunt, as well as teaching her students here at Schreiner.

Haley Montoya
Adjunct Voice Instructor
HMontoya@schreiner.edu

Haley Dove Montoya, lyric soprano, has been performing classical music since 2000. A native of Seattle, WA, Haley received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music/Vocal Performance from Whitworth University in Spokane, WA, in 2004, and her Master of Music degree in Music/Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2012. She has had the honor of performing operatic and Music Theater roles on the main stage and in scenes programs with CU Opera, CU NOW, and in the Boulder and surrounding areas, and in large solo works with symphony orchestras in Washington, Colorado, and Texas. She has also performed solos with master choruses in Colorado and Texas, as a featured artist in the Colorado Peak to Peak concert series, as a recitalist, and as a church soloist.

Haley has taught voice privately since 2003 and has developed studios in Washington, Colorado, and now in her new home of Texas. Haley is passionate about expressing character and emotion in song and has a drive for teaching these elements to students at Schreiner University and in her private voice studio. She cares deeply about teaching healthy singing techniques and the differences between technique and style so that her students can sing many genres of music with an authentic and stable sound. She also emphasizes the art of performance and delights in seeing her students express their music in front of others.

The City of Kerrville is a wonderful hub for music and performance. It has been a privilege for Haley to perform in this musically savvy town in different churches, concerts, and with the Symphony of the Hills. She is currently on staff at First United Methodist Church and assists with the choirs as well as leads a bluegrass-ish band. She has recently taken up guitar and likes to explore other musical instruments such as the Irish whistle and the autoharp. She enjoys writing music for her band and even gets to perform with her musically talented husband, Dr. Benjamin Montoya, who is a stellar rock drummer. She loves spending time with her husband and two young children and thrives in rainy days.