Rita Weirich (Rita Helbling Weirich)
I'm working every day toward reviving my musical life....I am extremely grateful to my voice teacher Mary Walkley for guiding me on this journey. I've had many voice teachers in my life, but no one like Mary. If you want to pursue this goal, Mary is the one to work with.
I just wanted to let you know that my students were thrilled with their group voice lesson this past weekend in NYC! They raved about how much more confident they felt and how they couldn't believe how much they learned in one lesson. Thank you for sharing your talent with our students.
Sending two your way this summer! Enjoy!.
Nicole Ruark
Just got home from the gig! Sang about a dozen songs tonight, and didn't embarrass myself (which is a huge step up from a few months ago!). I'll apply your vowel techniques to my existing repoirtoire and hopefully build back up to a solid and consistent song set. The nicest part of the night was being at ease enough to connect with my audience and share a few smiles with them (instead of worrying about every note like I usually do).
Thanks again for working with me, your teaching is a gift unlike anything I've ever experienced. I just wish I had found someone like you 15 years ago...But, everything happens for a reason. I hope I can someday make you proud to say that you were my teacher! Of course, I don't think "famous" is in my reach at this point in my life, but I'll be thrilled to once again be a singer who is consistent and at ease with my performance. But who knows...Simon Cowell is bringing the "XFactor" to America! Maybe you can still make me a star!
See you again soon!
Rita
Happy Thanksgiving Mary! I remembered that at BTP you told me to keep you updated with how my "Little Women" audition at school went, and I wanted to let you know that I got Jo! Thank you so much for working with me over the summer, it really helped! Hope all is well with you :D
Sincerely,
Lauren Keen
Thanks,
Mary
-Hey Mary!
Thank you so much for the lesson yesterday it helped so much! It helped SO much that I GOT Chorus line (u/s Judy, Val, Maggie, and Kristine)!!!! I really couldn't have done it without you. Bob Avian even said that my voice sounded a lot better from the last time I sang for him and I know it's just from those two lessons I had with you this weekend. Thank you so much for being such an amazing teacher! Let me know if you'll be in NYC in December because I don't leave until the beginning of January!
Thank you again!!
Kristen Paulicelli
Hey Mrs. Mary!
I had a great time at BTP. I absolutely loved the project and learned so much. Thank you for working with me while I was there. I need to keep in touch so I can get another lesson with you. Thank you so much! I really appreciate everything. Look forward to hearing from you. allison
"Hi Mary. I so wish I was still driving Jessica down there. She learned so much from you. She is currently in school at the Boston Conservatory. She is loving her life. Maybe if she comes home this summer we can get down to see you. Training with you was such a major turning point in her life. Thank you for your great work. Donna Bare"
Hi Mary,
Thank you for an amazing experience at BTP this summer! I am so grateful to have had class with you and thank you for your guidance and help on my song (He Plays the Violin). I learned so much in your classes, whether I was singing or observing others sing.
I look forward to the possibility of working with you again in the future.
Best,
Courtney Iventosch
Hi Mrs. Walkley,
Thank you so much for believing in me and for teaching me all the vocal teckniques that I need to know to improve my singing. Also Thank you for noticing the changes that I need to work on and for helping my fellow samoan friends. Youve taught us more than enough and I really appreciate your work. Thank you again and hope to take lessons with you sometime.
God BLess
Ruth Lynn Tuasivi, American Samoa
Dear Mary:
Thank you for all you have done for my daughter. In the three short months Sammi has studied voice with you, we have noticed a tremendous difference.
Sammi has just been offered a lead in her high school play and we feel this would not have happened if it weren’t for your expertise and training.
Thank you Mary. We can’t wait to see what the next year of your voice training brings.
Felice Solomon
Senior VP
Segue Search
954-351-1112
954-647-0300 (cell)
fes@seguelegal.com
-Mary, thank you for all that you have taught me throughout the years. I would have missed out on many remarkable experiences without your encouragement!....Michele Wolding
Oh thanks Mary! Jenna is a dream! She is really doing so well.....
You have done an amazing beautiful job training her Mary. It is flawless vocalism. I was surprised that when I gave her "Poor Wandering One", she was just as capable with that as with anything pop. Such a talent and a treasure.
Best wishes,
Mollye Otis
Program Director for Musical Theatre
Lecturer, Voice and Musical Theatre
University of Miami
Frost School of Music
Mary,
Thank you for imparting your great wisdom on so many of our singers this year. You have given them the tools they need to be stronger! I hope the rest of the year is wonderful for you and your loved ones.....
Kristine Morgan, Busch Gardens Entertainment
Mary,
I truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. Had it not been for your guidance, my voice wouldnt be where it's at today. Yes, you worked me to the bone...and sometimes I got a little frustrated...but it was all worth it! So thank you again. Hopefully sometime in the future we'll see each other again...Maybe I'll be an artist then..ha ha. But I dont think I would have been able to sing the way that I do, had it not been for your guidance..I give you the credit.
Thank you again, and Hopefully I'll get to see you sometime
God Bless,
Amanda
Mary,
After many years in the business of singing for restaurant and piano bar patrons, I found myself with serious problems requiring a bit of complicated surgery that involved actually having skin stitched onto one of my vocal cords in order to take the place of removed scar tissue. I was 44 years old and without a voice. What took me from post surgical vocal atrophy to actually getting back in front of an audience was simply one person : Mary Walkley. Through her program of vocal exercises and her philosophy of retraining the muscle and the mind, I have achieved more in a shorter amount of time than I could have imagined. While I still have some progress to make, I know that Mary Walkley's method is the answer and that it only depends on the amount of dedication I put forth. When you consider that fact, then just imagine being a singer with no surgical needs, just the desire to overcome the tired voice. I urge everyone who sings to read and listen to Mary. And if you don't sing but want to, I urge the same. She can help you find the voice that is yours.
Mark Kuiper
Mary,
I want to thank you for SO much more than I could ever put into this card - but I'm going to try. Thank you for being an amazing voice teacher and for bringing my voice to the level it's at. Thank you also for making my voice lessons fun and enoyable. I love that I fast-forward through laughing on our lesson CD's! I've never enjoyed going to voice lessons as much as I do with you, and I've never listened to someone so much rather than doing my own thing. Thank you for the two years of btp you got me involved in - I would never trade the experiences I've had there for anything! See you at my next lesson!!
xxxxooo,
Ariel Arnon
Hi Mary,
It was good to see you at the BTP performance. We enjoyed it so much. Danielle decided she wanted to focus on film opportunities this summer and did a lot of auditioning. She had a lead role in an indie film, working title Red Angel, and a lead role in a National 48 hour Film Festival piece and got to work on a 20th century Fox project "Gospel Hill". Watch for it this fall..it stars Tom Bowers, Julia Stiles, Angela Basset, Samuel Jackson, Danny Glover and several other big stars... She is in a "photo" flashback scene as Tom Bower's young wife. She said it was the most fun she ever had as she shared the hair and makeup trailer with Julia Stiles.
Danielle continues to practice with her cd's and I feel certain that she will be working with you again soon. I wanted to tell you so many times how much I appreciate you. You have helped her so much with much more than vocals....like her confidence level and knowing that she can accomplish whatever she wants with practice and perseverence.
We love and appreciate you..and all that you have meant to her and Corey. Best wishes in all you do...
Lynne
Dear Mary,
On behalf of The New York Singing Teachers' Association, thank you so
much for the wonderful teaching demonstrations you gave us. They were
very well received and we appreciate so much your traveling all the
way to New York for us.
We hope you had a nice stay in the City.
All the best,
Janet Pranschke, Director
Professional Development Program
New York Singing Teachers Association
Hi Mary- I just wanted to send a little thank you note for the work
you did with me. It really transformed the way I sing, and I'm reaping the benefits.
I've been getting progressively more and better work, and I'm getting "wow"
factor responses that I'm still trying to get used to. I do practice a
lot, but its effectiveness is due to the concepts and technique you taught me.
Along with Jazz and R&B work, I'm even doing what I never thought I
would- fronting a pop metal band (Guns 'n' Roses, AC/DC, Scorpions,
etc), and am able to do it in a relaxed, powerful way, and wake up
unscathed the following day. In fact, I've gotten even more range and
endurance in doing so. I do practice a lot, but its effectiveness is
all due to the concepts and technique you taught me. Thanks!
Jim Dix
P.S.: I couldn't help but send a shot of my boy, who gets to share
each day with his daddy, because daddy can make his living singing. :)
Hi Mary,
You would have been so proud of Francesca! She was one heck of a Millie!! Even I was overwhelmed at how awesome she was. Everyone has been saying how much she already performs like a Broadway professional. She received standing ovations both nights. Today at school (after last night's performance) Francesca was the topic of most student's conversations as well as her teachers. There were a few technical glitches, but as a whole, two very solid performances. The dancing and the costumes were great - but everyone would agree that Francesca made the show. Her voice was wonderful. Thank you for everything you have done for her and for being her mentor and friend. She loves you and admires you so much. You have definitely been a major influence in her life.
See you in May!
Mary Frances
Hi Mary,
I just wanted to drop you an email and say hello. I know I disappeared on you, but although I only saw you three times, you definately improved my vocal technique within those lessons. I am actually out of Florida in Detroit doing an Equity show called RESPECT.- A musical journey. I had the privledge to work with Hinton Battle as my director in this production and I have used your vocal CDs to warm up and practivce my speech level singing.
I want to thank you again and if and when I do come back to Florida I will be contacting you to continue.
Take care and blessings!
Marlyn
Dear Mary,
We also have some great news to share. We just returned from our
districts thespian festival (very late last night) and Jessica got
Critics Choice for Solo Musical. She is so grateful to you for the
song choice and the vocal training that she knows helped her with this accomplishment.
We look forward to seeing you on January 20th at 5:00.
Thanks,
Donna Bare
Dear Mary,
Please let me know if you are coming later in the year and I"ll try to get some money saved up. I do love lessons with you. You're awesome. I still use your practice cd from my last lesson and try to sing as much as I can.
Maureen Van Treas
New York, New York
Hi Mary...I hope you have had a chance to get alittle R&R after BTP!!
Mollie is constantly sharing her many wonderful BTP experiences with me. She
told me of all the summer programs she's attended (Carnegie,Northwestern,etc), she misses
BTP the most. And this is the one program she misses. All the
others she missed the people,but with BTP it is the program she misses first,
then her fellow apprentices. She truly probably had the most worthwhile,
meaningful experience of all her training. She is planning on returning for sure!
I just wanted to share her comments with you.....
We were wondering if you'd be in Tampa in August. Mollie heads back to
school around the 21st....It would be great to get in a lesson before then.
Let me know when you set your schedule....
Thanks so much...
Take care...
Mary Margaret
Dear Mary,
Thank you for teaching such valuable information! I feel like with your
help I have already improved so much! I can't wait to get home and work
your technique with new songs. You're an amazing teacher and a genuine
person. I admire you! Thanks! ..... Allison Hunt
Mary,
I cannot thank you enough for all you have taught me over the past
three weeks at BTP. I hve felt insecure about my mix/belt for the past few
years, but I feel as though a lot has been solidified under your guidance.
I hope to have the opportunity to work with you further over the next few
years in Miami. Thank you! ....Kristin Conrad
Mary,
Just a quick note to let you know how fabulous Marisa sounded at the "Finale" presentation at her last performance with her high school performance group. She could not have done it without YOU!!! You would have been proud.
Well, life is crazy now as you might expect with her graduating High School and preparing for college. She received a scholarship ONLY if she declared a Musical Theatre degree.
I just wanted to let you know how well she did and how she surprised so many people who had no idea...it actually brought tears to her Daddy's eyes. It was very emotional. I'm sorry we missed you this last time around, with the recital/concert coming up and all the stuff you have to do at the end of the year in preparation for graduation it's been CRAZY!! Hope to see you soon.
Thank you again,
Donna Maggio
Marisa Cheever's Mom
Mary,
I wanted to write and thank you for visiting Chatham Hall. It was fun, motivational, and many of the girls received so much powerful information.
You visit affected many of us. One teacher commented that your work was "remarkable." She heard a "richness" that she had not heard before. One singer says "the idea of mixing is one that I will definitely embrace," and another said that she felt more comfortable and is already using the technique. Your direct approach, insightful comments and encouragement were noted by all.
Thank you so much,
Charlotte Paris
Music Dept Head
Chatham Hall
Chatham, Virginia
Dear Mary,
I've really enjoyed working with you these past few years. You've done more for me than you can possibly know. Without you I would never have had the ability nor the confidence to win the lead role in "Me and My Girl." You are such an amazing teacher. You push me beyond my limits and motivate me to work hard. With all the hard work you do, I hope you have a relaxing holiday and a very fruitful new year. Love, Phoebe p.s. I'll be working on my vowels!!!
Dear Mary,
The Tango- singer from Vienna says hi. J Unfortunately couldn`t say good bye to you and express my acknowledgement.
I really wanna thank you very much for the lessons. I really enjoyed your presence and energy.
You gave me a very good feeling of "the right singing". Thank you also for inspiring me to improvise more and to express more my personality.
Hope to see you again in Munich.
Wish you a wonderful time.
Sincerly,
Ines Kallab
Dear Mary
I have been singing since I was 14 years old and have a BFA in Voice from Carnegie Mellon and an MA in Voice from Birmingham Conservatoire, England. I have sung many operatic roles and have been in Orlando Opera and Atlanta Opera. Halfway through Orlando Opera's 2005 production of 'Aida' I found Mary Walkley. My technique was OK, sufficient for opera but the lie I had been told for so many years of 'you can sing anything if you can sing opera' no longer held true for me because not only was I working at Orlando Opera, but I also had begun a career singing in a metal band. This band required both pop style vocals and light classical. I was able to get into my chest voice and sing in my head voice for the high stuff but the division between the two was radical and I was unable to get through my bridges without a massive dissconnect in the sound. That's what sent me looking for help.
Mary almost immediately was able to provide the missing piece in my training of 'mixed voice' and, much to my surprise, not only did the metal singing improve but my ensemble work at Orlando Opera became radically easier and better. The most vivid momet of realization I had about the salvation this was for my voice was while performing the "Chi mai" chorus scene as one of Amneris' slaves. There is a repeated drop to D above middle C. I was able to sing this in chest voice and connect to the previous high D in the most smoothe and easy way! For me, it was almost a shocking experience to not have the bottom drop out of my voice like it had for so many years. Too bad they don't teach this at the university level!
My teaching has improved radically as well because I now feel that I can truly help contemporary singers find their real voices, something I can honestly say was not possible for me before I learned Mary's method. Additionally, my band is now signed to a label in the Netherlands and we'll be going on tour in May, 2006. My voice has never been better! Thanks, Mary you are the best!
...Katy Decker
Mary Walkley is the mentor of all mentors. She took the time to answer an e-mail from a small company like mine. I am a vocal instructor and owner of a small Visual and Performing Arts company in Ft. Myers, Florida. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, and what I thought was a well-trained voice. Little did I know.
I have been blessed with many wonderful professors, instructors and mentors in my music career. Mary Walkley is by far the mentor that has changed my voice and life the most. Mary is patient, encouraging, supportive, direct, and inspiring. I have never sung better in my entire career. I didn't know it was possible to sing so effortlessly. I never knew I was missing my chest voice until Mary helped me to find it during the first 15 minutes of my first lesson! WOW! Mary opened "A Whole New World," of vocal technique to me, our staff and students.
I have spent the last year hanging on every word and CD track exercise given to me. I now share all that I have absorbed with my students. The best way to learn something is to turn around and teach it to someone else. My vocal students have grown so much in their tone quality and confidence, and have expanded their vocal ranges since we started using Mary's technique. Like anything worthwhile in this life, it will take some work and practice, but the more you practice the quicker you will be over the learning curve. The local choir directors are now hearing a change in their students who study with us, and are asking us to do clinics on this technique! It is spreading like wildfire here.
I have heard extreme improvements in my students from age 4 to age 74. Many of our students now vocalize 4 octaves. We all look forward to our next lessons with Mary. When her technique is applied correctly, you can sing all day, every day. Thank you, Mary, for sharing your knowledge with us. We all love you!!!
Susan Niekamp, Staff and Students
Advanced Mentor Arts Academy, Inc.
Dear Mary,
Thank you so much for the wonderful notes and for spending your time with us..
I look forward to getting the warm up CD and will make copies for all the shows.
I really appreciate all that you have done. I think you have made a great
difference and the feedback has been so positive. All of the performers really
enjoyed their time with you and felt it was more then beneficial.
Thanks again.
Nancy Hutson
Busch Gardens Entertainment
Tampa, Florida
Dear Mary,
This is the bio I'm having printed in the program for "The Fantasticks" at Masque of Temple Terrace (sept. 24-oct. 9). Thanks for helping me to sing and speak better. Brian Lee was born in Kansas, grew up in Iowa, and has lived in Connecticut, Ohio, and Maryland before coming to Florida in 1996. In his youth he collected college degrees in music and education, eventually settling on four, which he reckons to be about three too many. He plays the violin, viola, cello, flute, saxophone, clarinet, and piano, and teaches music lessons in his St. Petersburg studio.
If he had spare time, he would enjoy traveling, gardening, reading, camping, cooking, and adventurous dining. Brian's last role was as Sam in "Crazy for You" at St. Pete Little Theatre where he was nearly killed in a tap-dancing incident. He studies voice with Joe Genuardi and Mary Walkley and thanks them profusely for helping him to finally unscrew up his voice...
...Brian Lee
Hi Mary- As I mentioned in my lesson, speech-level singing has had an unanticipated impact on my trumpet playing. I've noticed that this has happened, and continues to evolve, on two levels.
The first is the physical technique. A lot of the principles that apply to the vocal apparatus also translate to the trumpet (human) apparatus. I mean, you're dealing with the same breathing principles, and as a sound generator, you have two muscles vibrating, the condition and manipulation of which directly affects the quality and flexibility of the sound produced.
So by applying speech-level singing technique to trumpet playing, many of the same benefits which are enjoyed by vocal students are realized on the horn. One of the more pronounced of these is relaxation and flexibility, produced by a better balance between muscle strength and air pressure.
The second level is the emotional, spiritual immediacy that the instrument takes on. I do most of my trumpet work in a duo, where I'm soloing and playing melodies on almost everything. If I were to use a telephone metaphor for the naturalness and depth and clarity of soulful musical expression, I would say that studying speech-level singing has taken me from a cell phone breaking up ("Can you hear me now"), to a clear, quiet land line.
This makes real communication much easier. It often makes the difference between impossible and easy ("reach out and touch someone"). So I've taken to speaking through my horn. Now my melodic interpretation, phrasing, dynamics, and improvisation, have become signals sent from deep within, in a clear, moment to moment flow of ideas and inspiration, and relatively free of the clumsiness of my previously clunky, mechanical thinking. Thanks for the bonus, Mary.
Jim Dix
Congrats! I feel so good in recommending you to the young people who come my way. Singing is so soulful an expression, so moving, so freeing, and I want these young artists to start out right, to start out strong, because their voice carries the us, the audience, deep within ourselves where we need to be sometimes to know joy for just a moment.
Keep up the great work and I'll keep sendin' 'em!!!
Marc Durso
Director/Coach
"life changing...epiphanies...rock solid base...
passion and energy that surpass all!"
954 647 7569
Dear Mary
I have been meaning to email you for a while to say thanks so much for the great lesson which I had with you in New York on the 15th of this month. I often check your excellent website for updates and it was a great pleasure finally meeting you and learning from such a talented teacher. I was sorry to hear you had resigned from Seth’s organization from the point of view that you have spent so many years putting so much into your association with SLS and its related organisation, but I hope that with this move you are able to pursue other career goals and enjoy great success in whatever you do. You list of achievements is impressive already and as a teacher you are a great example.
Please let me know when you make it to the New York area again so that I can schedule another lesson with you!
Warm regards
Gillian
Simsbury, CT
I grew up singing and performing Mariachi music. I was a confident teenager happy to
be leaving my home in San Francisco for a new start as a jazz voice major at a major
university.
The university I attended was one of the top three jazz schools in the U.S. I couldn't wait
to get to school. I was expecting to sharpen my voice, gain connections, learn music
theory, and sharpen my song-writing skills - I couldn't wait to immerse myself in my
passion for music. I had the drive but wanted the "know-how". My first year was difficult
but productive. It was like boot camp for theory, but I learned quickly because I was
applying everything technically, and eventually got good grades. That year, I auditioned
for contests, got asked to sing on various demos and small albums. I was mentally eager
and prepared to sing anytime, anywhere.
As the real program set in, however, my second year took a heavier toll. The work was
only a grade level higher, but the emphasis on practicing piano and focusing on jazz
technically took over my time and smothered my priority to sing. Everyday I accidentally
insulted some teacher by sounding too R&B, or asking a dumb question, I was walking
on eggshells daily. I barely had time to eat or sleep, was sleeping an average of four
hours a night, and never had time to sing. My once busy social and love lives became
almost non-existent. I often became depressed and cried almost daily. Just like an
instrumentalist, if a singer doesn't sing, he/she loses chops. I couldn't sing for enjoyment
anymore, and had no time for the auditions and projects I was involved with before. I
was singing for a bachelor's degree. I stopped writing songs and poetry, ultra-healthy
habits I filtered with emotionally since high school. Whenever I ventured creatively and
brought in a tune that wasn't jazz, even when it was allowed, I was denoted as someone
trying to insult "real jazz", and thought rebellious. I developed a fear of letting go
creatively, hoping not to be verbally slaughtered for being myself - naturally influenced
by the other genres I grew up listening to.
My vocal problem was getting worse. I lost a lot of flexibility and spontaneity from a lack
of singing, and tried to compensate with what always made me unique - vain-popping
volume. I was pulling my chest voice too high, and came very close to developing
nodes. I didn't, but the two years of stress granted me various other health problems:
migraine headaches from not sleeping, eating, and having too much caffeine. I
developed acid reflux disease, and even got fevers from crying so often. The acid
eventually broke through the first layer of skin on my chords and was told by my doctor
that they were red with irritation. I was put on medication and a strict diet, but am still
battling it now.
I began to dread school performances. Every time I sang it sounded terrible. I was
scared to sing - afraid that my now undeveloped voice was off pitch or out of the key. I
feared insulting critical teachers, and my confidence became non-existent. Because of
the straight-toned jazz training, I was having difficulty regaining my vibrato, along with the
blues licks I'd grown up developing singing to the radio.
One day, the teacher overseeing the program corrected me on the position of my arm,
and the notion that I looked too relaxed. She said I wasn't "giving" to the audience. "You
need to be an actress" she declared. Frustrated, I asked her if she noticed me straining
thru my chest voice, if she heard my voice off pitch, or if she noticed I was not relaxed, or
that I was terrified and hated being up there! She looked surprised at my assertiveness
and told me with a forced smile that I hadn't done that bad. It didn't matter to her if I had
had a terrible performance, my success as a singer would give her no advantage. She'd
offer no advice to improve me (and I didn't improve).
A few minutes before one performance, my band was running through my toughest tune.
The same instructor cut-off the run-through yelling at me for running late, calling me a
poor, unprepared student in front of my band and peers. She then opened the doors to
let everyone in. Frazzled, I performed terribly, and cried that entire night confessing to
my parents that the thousands they were spending on education made me feel guilty
because I was MISERABLE. I didn't want to stay in school. I hadn't been writing,
singing, auditioning, or improving myself in any way. I was draining myself instead for
$27,000 a year, for a degree? In another case, maybe that would be important, but in my
case, it would be a piece of paper that said that I could sing jazz (but if I couldn't).
I came to the university with the impression that I would grow as a musician in a natural
individual way. I was, however, failing to fit into the mold of their jazz formula. I was
being forced to be "creative", but only within their specific boundaries. They had a
formula to "teach" jazz creativity. If my teachers instead had concentrated on the
spontaneity we naturally have as artists, instead of equating experimentation or
individuality with lower grades, they'd have had more successful students. I decided to
change my major. When I told the head of the department, she told me that I was
unprofessional, untalented and not smart enough to be accepted. She warned that I
couldn't "make it" in the real world because I was too sensitive.
I too the initiative to send in a portfolio of songs, and my songs got accepted; I left the
school to pursue the real deal. I now give my voice and my song-writing the priority they
deserve.
Life was still difficult because of the low confidence I developed, not to mention the
damage I had done to my voice at school. At one period of flailing confidence, I looked
on the Internet one night, found the Seth Riggs web site, and e-mailed Mary Walkley. In
only six lessons, Mary changed my life. I couldn't really afford her, so I saw her every 3-4
weeks. With every lesson she'd burn a CD, baby-stepping me through the The Connected Voice
Singing process. She told me if I did the warm-ups religiously, a lesson every 3 to 4
weeks would make a difference. Sure enough, I found a chest voice to use healthfully; I
discovered a mixed voice, which at first was non-existent, is now rich and ON PITCH! I
have learned that with SLS I can only get better over the years.
I don't want to sound like an infomercial, but Mary's very technical, to-the-point instructing
gave me results I didn't dream possible, results I could never achieve at any school
studying any genre. Her objective approach, and non-genre-concentrated suggestions,
helped me regain the confidence I had lost in my voice, and really changed my life. I
originally planned on apprenticing under Mary to eventually become an SLS certified
teacher - as a back-up plan of course - there was an abrupt change of plans, and I told
her I was to move to Nashville to start a band. I wanted her suggestion to apprentice
under someone in Nashville. "Maria,"! she said, "if you create a back-up plan, chances
are, you'll use it. Simply go out there and try to make a living as an entertainer."
For two years I had been nothing but discouraged by mentors. Without knowing, I had
been surrounded by people critiquing the wrong things with the wrong intentions. Mary
gave me the most unique advice I'd ever heard.
I've been in Nashville three months now, and my group's third gig is this Wednesday. I
am in the process of polishing my song-writing demo, and even though I've just started, I
have all the ambition I need to TAKE OVER THE WORLD again!!
Mary helped me regain the voice I knew I had, helping me regain the confidence I
needed to pull forward in my life. In six or so lessons, she accomplished this with no
strings attached, genuinely, with no mal intentions. She understood the passion I
possessed as an artist and tapped into that - mainly because she is a great artist
herself. I'll be grateful to her always. She's a talented teacher, and I feel blessed to have
found her.
Thanx Mary! You're a genious!
with love,
Maria Elena Calderon
Hi Mary:
I saw that you have a office in Palm Harbor, Florida, and I thought to
myself, "Wow! this is indeed a small world." I'm originally from a
nearby city named, Tarpon Springs, but live in Southern California. My
daughter has been trained by a Seth Riggs pupil and continue to do so.
She is a young 20 year old and is very gifted. In fact, Jennifer
Goodrich, her teacher, has said that at the exact same age, Janice (my
daughter) has more range than Whitney Houston did. I wanted to
compliment you in reference to one of your students, Robin Avery. She is
awesome! I love her style and voice. She's great! I want to order all of
her songs, how can I do it?
Sincerely,
Wayne Cooper
PS. When we are home I will have to let Janice come and meet you and
take a few lessons.
Dear Mary:
I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful miracle you performed in
transforming my daughter's voice in one week! She had a very difficult
Broadway audition and was at a loss on where to begin. Without your coaching
and attention to every detail my daughter would never had been able to
perform at a professional level. She followed all your detailed instructions,
and to our great delight, she impressed the New York casting director enough
to get a call back! This would have never happened without you!
Thank you so much for making my daughter's first Broadway casting a joy and a
big success!
A super grateful Mom,
Leslie Menocal
"I have studied with just about every teacher in Dade County. I have been searching for vocal freedom, strength and the ability to sing what I hear in my head. Since learning about Pro Voice, I have vocal freedom, strength and that ability, and I no longer have pain when I sing. I've been searching for Mary for years. Thank you.
Robin Avery
"Mary Walkley and Pro Voice have completely changed the way that I sing. I feel confident and at ease and I know my limits, all of which I have come to realize are very very important anytime I open my mouth. Mary is
encouraging and supportive, but at the same time straightforward and honest.
Mary Walkley and Pro Voice are the best secret weapon that I have in this world of unhealthy singing. I would recommend her in a second to
anyone within a decent car ride of her."
Olli Haaskivi
Dear Mary,
Our daughter phoned us from BTP last night and said she had just had a voice lesson with you; She said it was the best voice lesson she had ever had and wanted to pursue Pro Voice training.
Also, we visited your web site, and discovered that you do phone lessons.
Would this be something that you would recommend for our daughter? She will be a senior as a musical theatre major. There is not a vocal teacher in our area that she has connected with. This is the reason we are contacting you. This is her 2nd year at BTP She had tried last year to have a lesson with you but was unable to do so. When she called home last night, it was evident that she had found a person, and a method with which she connected. Her voice is her weakest area in musical theatre. However, we believe that with the correct training, she will be better equipped to compete. As you know college auditions are coming up, so any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Pleased parents
I have been singing and playing music professionally for about 13 years. For the first 6 years I studied voice here and there. I never really had many problems with my voice. Then about 7 years ago, I got a gig playing high energy rock n roll 5 or 6 nights a week. After about a year of this I started noticing my falsetto disappearing. By the end of the week my voice had "had it." I would wake up in the morning sounding very hoarse. It got worse and worse. So I picked a doctor out of the book and went to get checked out. He found a bump on one side of my vocal chords. He said I needed surgery. So I said okay. He went in with a laser and burnt the bump away. I figured this wouldn't happen again. I started studying more. The teacher had me pushing a lot. At first I thought it was working. The I noticed my falsetto was gone. I would get tired at the end of each week. And I couldn't speak too much during the day. My family was going crazy with me not talking. I was always scared when I was singing, scared that this would be my last note.
Then, someone gave me a copy of Seth Rigg's book about Pro Voice. I read it and called him. He hooked me up with Mary. With my first couple of lessons my voice was so sore we couldn't really get much work done. We decided I should go see another doctor. We found one that worked with singers. He took a look and found a bump on the same side of my vocal chords. He first suggested rest. I took 3 weeks off. (Singing is my only income to support two kids and a wife) I went back to work after the rest and nothing was better. I had to work for a couple of weeks to make money. Mary had me lower my keys so I could make it through the nights without yelling. (I never thought I would be able to sing tenor range again) I went in for a second surgery about a month later. The new doctor had found scar tissue from the first surgery. He removed it and used the top layer of skin like a band aid.
During my healing time I read Seth's book everyday. After 2 weeks of rest I started working with Mary and doing her exercises. After 3 weeks I went back to work. I kept my keys low for a while. Mary had told me, if I shouted through my bridges I was setting us back. She taught me how to strengthen my bridges, and where they were in my voice. I started doing the exercises everyday. I mean everyday. I started noticing my head voice getting stronger and stronger. I started being able to connect my bridges. Now a year later I can say, I have not lost one note of my range on any night. (Even the couple time I got sick!) Mary and Pro Voice are awesome. Mary and I have a lot to work on, but she has me getting up to a soprano C#. It has saved my dreams of being able to sing for a living. Anybody that sings should learn this technique. It really works. It is such a nice feeling to know I can sing anytime of the day, any day of the week. Just last night I did 2 gigs (3 hours each). And now I'm writing this letter, I'm warming up for tonight's show, my 5th night singing in a row. Pro Voice and Mary Walkley saved my job, my family and my favorite thing in the world--singing! I now am excited to find material that shows off my range, instead of trying to change keys to be able to sing it.
Thank You Mary Walkley,
Joe Genuardi
Entertainment Director for
Howl At The Moon
While touring and singing every day with Inner Circle, I used to have real
trouble with my voice. I would lose my higher register, get hoarse, and
really have to rest my voice between gigs. After working with Mary on Pro Voice, my voice doesn't get tired anymore, and I can sing full out every day without blowing my voice or getting hoarse. This technique has saved my voice!
...Kris Bentley, lead singer, "Inner Circle"
For years, I was known as a dancer. Even though I took lots of voice lessons, no one ever considered me a singer -- just a "belter." When I finally got to Mary, I was amazed at how quickly my voice started to work.
When I stopped abusing my voice and allowed it to work like it's designed, the quality of my sound improved greatly, and it has just been getting stronger every day! My range is a good 4 octaves now, strongly connected from top to bottom with no break! (The other day, I sang C an octave ABOVE soprano high C!!) I can sing any style, from opera to musical theatre, to jazz, blues, and my favorite, rhythm & blues with no strain or fatigue. I now work with a manager and several producers in the Miami area who are helping me get my new demo ready for distribution. Thank you, Mary!
....Tara Blume, age 18
I have been singing professionally for many years. Mary has helped me do away with vocal fatigue, she has connected my voice so there is no "break," and expanded my upper range nearly an entire octave!!!.....
Jeannine Romano
Although I want to do musical theater, Mary has helped me develop a strong gospel and R& B sound to so now I feel confident singing any style! AND I'M WORKING!!....
Sarah Glendening
My voice is much freer now! After only a few lessons, I auditioned and got the first thing I went for! I'm singing professionally now, and owe my career to this technique! ....
Todd Lewis
I am learning things I never even knew I didn't know! Singing is now so effortless I feel like I'm tricking someone! .....
Laura Long
Copyright © Floridasings 2004
