What Students Have to Say

“Valerie is not only a voice teacher. She is an absolute mastermind, unparalleled by any other voice teacher I have encountered. Valerie is completely devoted, mind-blowingly intelligent, 100% selfless, and did I mention intelligent? Valerie has the solution for every vocal issue I have come across. When I am sick and nearly voiceless? When I am exhausted and can’t sing high notes? When I have been singing endlessly and I am vocally tired? A voice lesson with Valerie and I am suddenly back to normal and able to sing again. It may seem cliché, but I truly would NOT be where I am today without the vocal guidance of Valerie. When I came to her I was unable to sing above an E natural…. and here I am rehearsing to sing Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Opernhaus Zürich. She is absolute gold and nobody can match what she has to offer. I feel incredibly lucky to have found the best voice teacher in the world.”

-Dean Murphy

To learn more about Dean, click here.

“Valerie came on my path when the walking had become difficult and uphill in my search for specific solutions in my vocal technique. Not only did she clear those issues in a matter of a few months only, she also helped me with the mental aspect of singing just by being empathic, understanding and lots of laughs. The more the voice felt free again, so did the mind and finally unburdened, after many years I came back to making music again. With Valerie, the road gets paved towards vocal bliss and full emotional experiences. I just wished our paths could have crossed sooner.”

-Lisa Mostin

To learn more about Lisa, click here.

“Valerie Sorel’s collaboration with Venice Opera Project was as unique as it was invaluable. Having understood how sensitive singers can be to working with a new teacher for a short period of time, she crafted her message to address the physicality of singing, rather than voice lessons. This made her sessions with students non-threatening but highly effective, with the result that every one of them showed notable progress by the end of the course. She also regularly hosted dinners and informal gatherings for the students, and the group was brought much closer by her generosity.

Valerie has always been an unique teacher, in that her technique specifically addresses the requirements of that particular singer on that particular day: no formula of the same vocalises for everyone, whether or not they work. She evaluates where you are and what you need at each lesson, and proceeds accordingly, and if she doesn’t already have an exercise in her vast repertoire that will fix your issues, she makes on up on the spot! She has a tremendous capacity for empathy and understanding toward her students, which makes her an outstanding teacher. Personally, I was fortunate to have been introduced to Valerie when I was living in New York and going to 3 different voice teachers in an attempt to learn a complete technique. She became my one-stop shopping, and I have never looked back in the past 23 years of working with her. 

Venice Music Project, the non-profit concert association that I work with in Venice, Italy, has asked Valerie to be the sound advisor for our upcoming recordings, as she has proven repeatedly her immense capacity for hearing minor glitches that no one else notices. She is a relentless perfectionist, but her kindness and sense of humor balance that.”

-Liesl Odenweller

To learn more about Venice Music Project and their upcoming recordings, click here.

From the short time I’ve been working with Valerie, I know already that she has ears like no one else. This, coupled with a wealth of knowledge about the voice and the brain, has provided me with a new and fascinating approach to singing lessons, fast results, and a newfound enthusiasm for practising vocal exercises! Her sensitivity, humour, and genuineness play a part in creating a safe, judgement-free space during lessons which in turn enables me explore, try, and be vulnerable, without inhibition. So far, it has been truly liberating and exciting, and this is only the beginning.

-Catriona Morison

To learn more about Catriona, click here.

Valerie is an exceptional teacher. I have only had a handful of lessons so far, but in that time I have been able to achieve goals that have eluded me for years. In my first session, Valerie helped me to stabilise my vowels, and since then I have been able to sing with my full sound and total confidence in my instrument. Valerie teaches the elements of classical singing with clarity and ease, demystifying the language and abstaining from vague imagery or metaphor. Valerie’s approach to teaching is rooted in science and in keeping with best practice for the learning of motor skills. Valerie has extraordinary ears and performs diagnostic listening at every moment of the lesson, making sure to guide singers appropriately and in response to their vocal condition. In addition, she is kind, funny and genuinely loves using her remarkable skills to support singers. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

-Rebecca MacCallion, Speech Pathologist

“There are literally not enough superlatives to describe Valerie and her instruction. Because of her teaching, I know that no matter what I'm "feeling" like on the day of a sing - I'm equipped to deal with it. She has brought consistency to my singing that I was never sure that I'd be able to find. Valerie has helped me successfully navigate things like vocal swelling, fatigue, sinus infections, and even recovering from spinal surgery. Because of Valerie Sorel I am able to live a life without stress about what will happen when I open my mouth to sing. She has brought more freedom and lessened anxiety to my daily life simply because I know that I'll be able to handle whatever is thrown at me on the stage. In regards to singing - the difference before and after was immediately palpable. After my VERY FIRST lesson with Valerie, my agent told me that I'd never sounded better. If you're looking for the "right teacher," look no further than Valerie Sorel.”

-Andrew Potter

To learn more about Andrew, click here.

“When I first started as a young singer, I was at the same point as any beginner: completely unaware of technique, uncertain of my own abilities, and riding on instinct and raw talent. If it were not for Valerie’s technique, I would not be half the singer I am today, nor would I have had any of the musical experiences that came my way. If you are someone who is struggling or looking for that “missing piece” in your knowledge of your instrument, Valerie has the answer. Her technique showed me my true voice and continues to challenge and grow me daily. She is an endless source of knowledge and truth about vocal performing that you will find nowhere else. For those that are ready to take their singing to the next level, Valerie will guide you. Along with the best vocal coach in the business, Eric Trudel, any singer will find the growth they so desperately have been looking for.”

-Charlie Widmer

“Valerie Sorel is a force to be reckoned with. I am a very concrete person, and after fifteen-plus years of lessons, I’d had my fair share of vague imagery to explain a vocal concept. Valerie immediately met me where I was & tailored my lessons to the language I needed to grasp each concept. The environment Val has created in her studio is one of trust, challenge, support, and acceptance. With Val, I am able to challenge myself to my fullest capacity and know I will never incur vocal damage. At the start of each lesson, we discuss where I would like to see improvement or what I am feeling vocally on that particular day, and use this as a starting point for a specific trajectory tailored to meet this objective. I have never felt so fully supported and affirmed, while also challenged to create meaningful and fulfilling art. Val has renewed my love for singing, reinvigorated my purpose in opera as career path, and has given me vocal support unparalleled. I am forever grateful for Val’s role in my life, and look forward to where her teaching will take us next.”

-Alexandra Urquiola

To learn more about Alexandra, click here.

“After a long journey on the search for a new voice teacher I finally found my teacher:

Valerie Sorel is an incredibly empathetic pedagogue and understands my instrument so well. As a professional singer it is always difficult to find a new teacher as most of them want to change your entire technique. Valerie is different, she acknowledges that you already know how to sing and helps you to refine your craft. Already after the first lesson the difference was recognizable and now, after a few more lessons, I’m totally in love with my sound. My voice is much more stable, well anchored and flexible. I am very grateful to have met her and am excited to continue this journey with her.”

-Mariella Baier

To learn more about Mariella, click here.

“When I first began studying with Valerie, I was plagued with deep insecurity - as the health and longevity of my voice were always in question. My rigorous schedule demanded that I be in shape, but instead, it was leading to improper use which caused a lack of certainty in being able to deliver in rehearsals and performances. From the moment I started working with Valerie, I felt tremendous ease.  She is the "voice whisperer" and was able to identify problems and find solutions from the very first lesson. Since studying with Valerie, I have been released from worry about my vocal health, and instead, am able to focus all of my energies on performing.  I am so grateful, as she undoubtedly changed the course of my performing career and has given me the best gift, which is the ability to sing with confidence.”

-Carly Callahan

To learn more about Carly, click here.

“Before studying under Valerie’s technique, I was frustrated and confused on my journey as a singer. Ready to give up on my hopes of learning how to efficiently sing, I was lucky enough to find this gold mine of knowledge before it was too late. Within one lesson of strategic, fact-based, kinesthetic exercises that Valerie created, I was able to finally get a glimpse of my potential as a singer. Problems that other teachers tried to fix in years took only minutes with Valerie’s tools. After years of studying with Valerie, I finally feel confident in my voice giving me the ability to be an artist. I’m not only grateful for finally being able to sing, but also the ability to use everything I’ve learned from Valerie in my own studio, to prevent years of frustration and nonsensical buzzwords confusing my own students. Thank you Valerie!”

-Jeff Cregeur

"When I came to Valerie, I wanted to shake things up, but what I got was way more than that. I’m singing in a new way that also feels totally intuitive to me. I don’t have to think in physical steps or imagery to get there, it feels as natural as breathing. The mind/body connection that she trains allows me to do that, because on stage, or in an audition, there isn’t time for thinking about technique, and I can focus on what I’m singing and why I’m singing it–as it should be! Working with Valerie has brought out my true voice! I’m amazed by how she intuites what I need on that specific day, be it restorative care after a block of shows, learning new skills, or even a specific warm-up for a piece I’ll sing the next day. The technical gains I have made have allowed my musicality to truly blossom. Valerie encourages me to expand my musical ideas and to trust my instrument Not only is Valerie a wizard with the voice, but she is also incredibly caring, and supportive! I love the freedom that singing with Valerie has given me."

-Anne Elizabeth Sorbara

To learn more about Anne, click here.

“Valerie Sorel is a Guru of Vocal Fitness. With deep scientific, physiological and emotional knowledge of what it means to sing, and what it means to sing at a high operatic level, she knows better than anyone else how to create a fitness routine for your voice to help you reach your greatest potential. No subjective explanations, no obscure reasoning- just plain practical. Valerie will make you rethink and refresh your technique and have outstanding development as a result. ”

-Rebecca de Almeida

“Having studied with various voice teachers across multiple countries, even in my first lesson with Valerie, I was quickly drawn to her ability to cut through the clichés of one-size-fits-all vocal pedagogy and impart vocal technique that fits my physiological and psychological characteristics to uncover my own voice in every sense of the word.  Her training as a scientist [would like to be more specific about what field she was in - I want to say neuroscience, but am not sure - can you please check?] also means Valerie's pedagogy is grounded in the science and mechanics of the body, so I always trust her judgement on what condition my instrument is in especially when having to perform after travelling or when under the weather.  Valerie is equal measures warmth and sarcasm, always delivered with humor and most important, a nurturing demeanour.”

-Melissa Chan

To read more about Melissa, click here.

“Working with Valerie has tremendously impacted my singing and teaching over the past couple of years.  Her approach to lessons is different from any teacher I've worked with before, and exceptionally effective.  She tailors vocal exercises (seemingly on the spot) to each voice and knows exactly what each singer needs to strengthen their voice and their understanding of how to use their voices in the best possible way.  When you take those exercises home with you and work on them individually, suddenly you have figured something out and improved an area of weakness without even realizing how!  And then that new skill is factored into the repertoire that you are working on and everything is easier.  I am constantly in awe of Valerie's understanding of the voice and of her ability to help me each time I have a lesson with her.  Since working with Valerie, my singing has improved drastically, I've gotten more gigs locally, and I generally feel more confident both about my singing and my teaching.  My students have even had more success lately, as I've been able to incorporate some of the exercises that Valerie has shared with me into my work with my college age singers.  Working with her has had an unbelievable impact on my life as a singer and artist, and I've been so thankful for her help since we met!”

-Erin Nafziger

Erin Nafziger is managed by MIA Artists Management. To learn more about Erin, click here.

“I had my doubts on virtual voice lessons, until I met Valerie. She gave me a new perspective on the entire singing process. For the first time in my life I was told that my technique was good. Every single lesson with her is a new discovery for me. Valerie possess an incredible skill to detect and diagnose your singing muscles defficiency and the necessary tools to work on them. With Valerie, singing becomes the most efficient feeling you have ever experienced. Her extraordinary sense of humor makes the lessons enjoyable and beautiful. The very best virtues of her are: humanity, humbleness, drama- free, openness and caring. I have not enough words to describe how fortunate and accomplished I feel to be one of her students.”

-Guillermo Lopez

“As a young tenor, I have always had a tough time with my passaggio and high notes. Before meeting Valerie, I had troubles keeping all my vocal registers even to produce a consistent sound. Valerie helped me tremendously by developing a unique, and systematic way of training my voice. I had a huge improvement with my range, agility, flexibility and stamina in singing, and I was finally able to embrace different colors and resonances in my voice. Valerie is a magnificent vocal technician, and she is very gifted in combining the aesthetic and athletic elements of singing into her teaching to help her students to reach their full potential. She puts her student first, and she is extremely caring about her students’ vocal and mental growth. It has been a real pleasure to work with her.”

-Ricky Nan

“As I try to put into words how outstanding a teacher Valerie Sorel is, I am truly at a loss. I have never worked with someone who has left me speechless after every single lesson. You leave each one barely believing that it could’ve been better than the last, and not being able to wait until your next! 

I started working with Valerie just out of my undergraduate studies in 2014. While I left school with a solid foundation, there were many vocal issues that I wasn’t able to fix - or even touch - with others I had studied with previously. But with Valerie, I always felt assured that in each lesson we would work through each challenge as it arose. Valerie is incredibly intelligent and has endless knowledge on both the voice and how to use your entire body to see the results you want immediately. Since working with her, I feel as though my voice has grown tremendously and in her hands, I know that I will continue to grow through her challenging exercises and guidance on understanding my body and vocal mechanism. 

Valerie has the ability to express her wants, needs, and concerns through many different approaches. Where some singers might be more technically forward thinking and others more metaphorically forward thinking, she has the vocabulary and the creative mind to be able to have you understanding no matter how you learn. 

Beyond Valerie being a one-in-a-million voice teacher, she is compassionate and understanding and truly puts her all into each individual student. With Valerie’s help, I am looking forward to my graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison— Mead Witter School of Music this coming fall, 2019 under their Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for Voice Excellence Award.”

-Rachel Love

"Valerie has been the biggest lifeline for me as a singer since I met her 9 years ago. Aside from her mastery of teaching vocal technique, she sees singers as complex human beings first and not only a voice. She has guided and supported me through every major decision I’ve made in regards to my voice. As someone who has had many issues trusting his instrument, Valerie’s exercises have showed me how to connect often abstract pedagogical concepts with solutions to almost any technical issue. Her athletic approach to teaching has been an experience I have found no where else and has been indispensable throughout my growth as a musician.”    

-Brian Joy

“Before I officially met Valerie, I had heard plenty of great things about her from my coach and many of her students. After studying vocal performance for so many years, I can say that Valerie definitely offers skills that a lot of vocal teachers cannot. She recognized my vocal issues and gave me multiple exercises to work on. She patiently explained how our body, neurological system, and vocal cords worked, and assigned different vocal workouts for different muscles. In her studio, she only talks about how your body responds instead of imaginary mental pictures, which I found very useful. I like how she talks about vocal techniques by the scientific and physical facts. I’m really glad that I get to be in her studio. It’s been great working with her.”

-Mavis Hsieh

To learn more about Mavis & her group Luca Duo, click here.

“With her years of experience teaching and performing, Valerie hears everything in her acute attentiveness to her students. She is able to accurately assist whatever issue or concern is presented in each lesson while simultaneously building a warm, friendly rapport that encourages trust and comfort. Valerie helped me to not only discover a higher range in my voice, but to build a more stable, fuller, and healthier sound. This exponential growth ultimately brought me success in landing future professional performances and entry into a competitive, graduate level music program. Her wealth of knowledge and pedagogical ability is both invaluable and incomparable.”

-Maria Cook

“Valerie’s approach to singing completely changed my life. I came to her studio in vocal distress many years ago, and she fixed me up through a process of intense vocal exercises and dispelling harmful myths about singing and being a singer. I have continued to use (and teach!) her approach because for me a creates a healthy, flexible, strong, dependable voice, which has those qualities regardless of the connection to music. Thanks to Val, I know my voice and how it will respond. I know how much I can give to my performance without jeopardizing my health. I know how to recover and restore the voice with balancing exercises. I go to the “vocal gym” so that while I perform, I am able to focus on that which calls me: artistry. 

I’m an active performing musician in an original freak-folk-jazz group in Prague called “Yo Soy Indigo”. To play with incredible musicians, and be at their level on my own vocal instrument, is only possible because I rely on a rotation of health-giving and building exercises to keep me in top shape. We released our first studio album in 2018, and will continue to work on our music as long as possible, with an emphasis on live performance. In addition, I am also a private voice teacher with wonderful success seen in my students.”

-Emily Thiel

To learn more about Emily’s group Yo Soy Indigo, click here. To listen to some of their incredible work, click here and here. To follow them on facebook, click here.

“I came to Valerie initially as a new music therapist who worked with pre-school aged children. I was frequently struggling with losing my voice from fatigue in my middle range, which had not been fully developed and strengthened.  I was feeling discouraged that my voice felt overworked and less resilient. Valerie helped me to find my voice again by strengthening my resiliency, flexibility, and range. She used a resource-oriented lens, allowing me to feel confident in what I can do and further expand upon my strengths. Valerie has helped me to feel like a successful singer once again. Additionally, her extensive knowledge about neurological responses has widened my vocal perspective and aided my vocal understanding. Right from the start, Valerie understood my personal and professional needs and therefore tailored my training accordingly.  She is constantly encouraging and is a pleasure to have as a teacher and mentor.”

-Laura Biagiotti, MT-BC, MA

“Valerie is a miracle worker! I came to her, frustrated, after my voice had suffered from years of poor technique and overuse. In just a short period of time, I was able to gain stamina and range through her unique, targeted exercises. She knew how to push and challenge me while keeping lessons fun—it was like having a fitness coach for a musical workout! She made me love singing again.”

-Scott Perkins

To learn more about Scott and his compositions, click here.

“I have been so incredibly fortunate to have Valerie Sorel as my vocal instructor.  She is the epitome of an exemplary teacher.  She embodies all that vocal instructors should strive to be.  She is gifted not only with impeccable knowledge, but a true understanding of what it means to be human and how the voice and its owner are inextricably connected.

Valerie is knowledgeable beyond words in regards to the human voice.  She uses her knowledge of music, anatomy, acoustics, singing as a business, and psychology to bring out the best in her students.  Never a lesson goes by where I feel as if it was lacking.

Most importantly, Valerie gets the best out of each and every student she teaches, no matter their vocal history.  She understands that teaching voice is not a “one-size fits all” approach. She celebrates each student’s strengths and strives to turn a singer’s weakness into strengths. She moves at a comfortable but, stimulating pace for each singer.

Lessons with Valerie are the highlight of my week. She helped me to enjoy singing again, after a rough period of time.  I look forward to each lesson because I always learn something new each week.  I have been studying with Valerie consistently for the past 2 years, and I have improved leaps and bounds and doing things with my voice I never thought possible.”  

-Jillian Swanson

Jillian has been accepted into the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria (AIMS). The AIMS program provides intense study and performance of opera for up and coming singers.  To find out how you can donate to support Jillian, click here.

“As I prepare today for a big audition, I can’t help but notice the vocal progress I have made working with Valerie. I am so confident that my audition will be successful. I feel no fear or nerves rather excitement and courage. Valerie’s vocal training is consistent, reliable, challenging and fun, always leading to positive results.  Valerie has taught me how to effectively and efficiently use my voice, and continues to do so in every lesson. Her vocal exercises have strengthened my breath control, vocal stability and vocal range. It is fascinating when she teaches me the anatomy of what muscle is being engaged and how the exercises are engaging the muscles and strengthening my voice. She is warm caring and has an excellent sense of humor, is encouraging and inspires me to work hard. Valerie is knowledgeable and educated, I believe in her as a teacher and know that she has my best interests in mind. Working with Valerie has brought and continues to bring me vocal confidence, success and joy. I am excited fro see what the future holds with Valerie as my teacher.”

- Allison Brooke Robertson

“I can honestly say I would not be singing as well as I am today without the help and guidance of Valerie Sorel.

I first met Valerie in the Spring of 2002 when I was in need of some major vocal help. I had come from a very strong technical background and had lost my way. Valerie got my voice back on track one exercise at a time, which allowed me to fully comprehend and build from the exercises she gave to me. With her help I found myself being able to do things I never thought I could do, to sing with ease and agility, and developed strong high notes I did not have before.

In my career I find myself moving from one role to another very quickly. This can be very difficult without the proper technique. She addresses the challenged of each role as needed. For example, I was given the opportunity to sing Adina but had done more lyric roles before. Valerie gave me the tools I needed to be able to sing Adina's coloratura with ease while keeping the necessary legato needed for other parts of the role and for my voice.

I am truly thankful for Valerie's help, guidance, kindness, and professionalism. I can always be myself in the studio and I know I will always walk out of there feeling more solid, technically sound, and better than I was an hour before.”

-Jennifer Black

To find out more about Jennifer, click here.

“My daughter began taking voice lessons with Valerie during her sophomore year in high school after hearing rave reviews about her talent as a voice teacher. She is now a junior in college and her vocal progress during this period has been nothing short of astonishing.

Valerie is a true teacher in all sense of the word. She is able to detect problems, solve them and present the solution in many different ways so the student is able to grasp the concept and implement it quickly. The student is not constricted by having to learn the method that worked for the teacher, but rather learn by the method that works for them. Not only does she solve the problem but she explains the solution in scientific detail so that the student knows exactly what caused the problem and why the solution corrected it. She takes a building block approach and each step is conquered in hours and days rather than years.

She is without exception, patient, cheerful and full of encouragement. No matter what repertoire my daughter is singing opera, Broadway, jazz or Gospel, Valerie is able to match her voice to the genre and make it comfortable to sing and sound fabulous. The success of Valerie’s work can be measured by my daughter’s acceptance into top conservatories like Mannes, McGill and MSM, top competitions like the NFAA, major programs like Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices as well as chorus/small role contracts in opera houses in Connecticut.

Not only is Valerie a superb teacher, but she gives students the opportunity to perform which has proved invaluable. My daughter has performed two major roles fully staged and done many opera scenes thanks to Valerie. I recommend Valerie as a voice teacher without hesitation, no matter what stage of development you are at.

-Rosa De Vita, mother of Allegra De Vita

To learn more about Allegra, click here.

“After years of classical, operatic, and musical theatre training, I finally found the voice teacher who could get inside my head, body, and spirit, to guide me vocally. Valerie has a very special approach with each of her students, and works with each from a different place to best connect her teaching. For me, she approached me as an athlete, recognizing my personality type, and hobbies, and was the first person to truly make me feel grounded in my singing. She enabled me to explore the physicality of vocalizing. She opened up my voice, and reminded me of what it is to “sing,” full-out, no boundaries, and to reach new heights in the voice.”

-Katie Weiser

“Valerie Sorel is the perfect fusion of empathetic and direct, an eerily intuitive pedagogical genius with a limitless capacity for custom-tailoring, a deep compassion for singers, and personality to burn. She’s transformed my thinking, my singing, and my life and I owe her a debt I can never repay.”

-Imelda Bogue