Lyricist/Librettist/Composer
TEACHING
30+ years teaching vocal technique to both men and women
SHEILAH RAE has been teaching singing and songwriting continuously over the last thirty plus years. She is a specialist in vocal technique, having studied at well-established music conservatories here and abroad, as well as privately with such noted New York City vocal teachers as Edie Beers (current chairman of the Voice Dept. of Julliard School of Music), David Sorin Collier, Howard Ross, and the late Sue Seton. Her current roster of students has included preparing high school students for college conservatory auditions, as well as coaching recording artists for their careers at the request of Managers, Agents, and record labels. She has been a guest lecturer at several universities, and has been teaching songwriting workshops since 1982 in Northern Westchester as well as in New York City. She ran the songwriters workshops at the Singers Forum in New York City for several years, and continues to advise them on the importance of songwriting knowledge for their singing students. The Singers Forum students performed a revue, an evening of songs ‘Laughter and Tears : the songs of Sheilah Rae” in 2002.
Vocal Technique and Voice Performance
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Specialize in smoothing out “the female break”
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Avoiding hoarseness in Rock ‘n Roll performers
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Teach healthy legitimate technique to recording artists (referrals by Recording Companies, Producers, Managers)
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Prepare high school seniors for college music school auditions
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Recruit and audition voice students for University of Michigan School of Music
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Faculty School for Singers, Katonah, NY 1981-1986. Private voice teacher
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Vocal study/coaching in NY with Edie Bers (Current Chair, Voice Dept. Julliard), Howard Ross. Sue Seton, David Sorin Collyer, Peter Howard, Rob Fisher, Barry Manilow, David Lewis, Michael Starobin.
Guest Lecturer/Master Classes
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“Performing New Work”- Shenandoah University (with Director Joe Barros)
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“Guest Artist Residency” – South Dakota State University ( with writer/director Thomas Edward West)
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“Guest Artist Residency”- Cal State Fullerton
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“Guest Artist Residency”- The Hartt School, University of Hartford
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Workshops at Oklahoma City University, Michigan State University
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”Music in Advertising”- New York University
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"Music in Advertising”- MEIEA Convention, NY 1987
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Guest Artist/Panelist, Ask-A-Pro, Songwriters Guild (ongoing)
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Music in Advertising
Inside the Record Company
Writing for the Theatre
Getting Your Musical Produced
Songwriting Workshops
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Faculty- The Singers Forum- New York, NY- 4 years. Leader of all Songwriting Workshops
Also:
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”The Hit Song Strategy”-School for Singers, Katonah, NY
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”Basic Elements of Songwriting”-School for Singers, Katonah, NY
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”Strategizing Your Demo”- Songwriters Guild
Auxiliary Music Committees
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Founding member of “Grammys In the Schools” 1988 - taught jingle writing and recording to Stuyvesant High School students.
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Music Conservatory of Westchester- Board of Trustees for 12 years
Special Skills
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Play piano, synths, guitar, violin.
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Vocal arrangements
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Musical Direction of off-Broadway play, “The House on Poe Street”​
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Education
University of Michigan School of Music, B. Mus. in Voice
Royal Academy of Music, London (Voice with Prof. Olive Groves)
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London (Voice with Pamela Woolmore)