Repertoire Consultation & Teaching
Kirsten's background is in voice performance and vocal pedagogy. She has a doctorate in voice from University of Michigan, taught at the collegiate level for many years, and has become extremely good at choosing repertoire for specific voices. She is available for consultation for audition packages, general repertoire, programming, and vocal pedagogy questions and concerns.
Testimonials from Repertoire Consultations:
"If you haven’t gotten a repertoire consultation by Dr. Kirsten C. Kunkle, yet you are missing out! I recently reached out to her for a consultation when my “go to” repertoire felt stale and overused. Kirsten has a gift when it comes to selecting well-fitting repertoire after hearing a singer’s voice and listening to their experiences. Dr. Kunkle selected pieces that I would have never dreamed of choosing for myself, but when all is practiced and put together, feels like I have been singing them my whole vocal career." - Rachel C.
"It was personalized and specific to my voice. It helped me to solidify my repertoire as how to best learn it and have a template to do so." - Cynthia G.
"Kirsten gave me some great insight on what to include in my audition package and how to market myself. She was very detailed, specific, and encouraging. I would definitely recommend reaching out if you’re looking to diversify and add some new things to your rep binder!" - Caroline S.
Testimonials from her Private Voice Lessons:
"Kirsten demonstrates great passion for student-centered teaching. Her ability to listen to her student’s likes and dislikes, points of views, as well as making their joy and skill production are of utmost importance to her. She highlights strengths within each student’s vocal abilities and instills confidence through encouragement and positivity. While she is great at bringing out the best in her students, she also helps greatly with working towards goals to becoming an even more effective vocalist." -Laina Z.
"As a teacher, she has the unique ability to quickly diagnose inhibitions in vocal technique, and almost immediately understand her students’ personalities. This allows her to effectively communicate healthy phonation and technique in a way that students will easily understand and be able to immediately begin applying. Her knowledge and command of the repertoire also enables her to suggest music that is appropriate for their age, level of ability, and voice type, and will further help students understand and achieve freedom in their singing." - Michael M.
"I gained a lot of confidence after working in her studio. I had been trying to win vocal competitions for a while before I joined her studio, but soon after I joined her studio I got first place in one and second in two others. Dr. Kunkle’s knowledge of diction and example of very good vocal technique led me to getting to the level that I was able to win. Dr. Kunkle is a wonderful and amazing teacher. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to better themselves as a musician, but also to gain a lifelong friend." - Stanley G.
"I wholeheartedly assert that Kirsten Kunkle's pedagogy is powered by care and respect. On this foundation rests the many layers of her stellar delivery in teaching and performance which include her command and prescription of appropriate and challenging repertoire, commitment to serving the highest potential of her students, and her relentless pursuit of personal excellence and development in the realms of performance and academia. What I wish to commend above all else is her ability to teach for transfer -- that is to adequately show the effect that one learning task has on another. Reflecting on my time as a student in Kunkle's undergraduate voice studio, I marveled at her ability to make the necessary concepts of the singing process exceptionally relatable to the goings-on of my everyday life. Those "transfers" were the keeping power that sustained me from my initial lesson to my senior recital. Kunkle's leadership, equally observable on stage and in the classroom, has yielded, for me, a lifelong love of singing and an approach to the singing process that is facilitated with appreciation, knowledge, and care of all the elements of my instrument -- leading ever toward mastery." - Khyle W.
"My 11-year-old daughter had a solo coming up in her school concert and I was highly concerned with the way she was singing it. Being a professional musician myself (piano), I tried to encourage her with vocal technique I knew but she didn't want to listen to her mother. I asked Kirsten to give her a coaching session online to help out. Not only was Kirsten extremely positive, friendly, and fun, she was able to clearly identify the issues my daughter had, address them in a way she understood, and gave her small opportunities to succeed and then built on that. The difference in her sound from just one coaching was amazing - it no longer sounded forced! Pitches were being hit dead on instead of sliding into them! I could understand the words! At the performance, my daughter shone so much brighter than the other soloists and made her singing sound effortless. My husband was surprised at her singing as well, as he commented that she sounded so different (in a better way) than before she had her coaching with Kirsten. I highly recommend Kirsten as a vocal coach, whether it be online or in person, to any pre-college vocal students. She makes singing magical!" - Kassandra W.
"She [my daughter] is loving her lessons and can articulate clearly what she is learning. She says she feels like she is learning so much from you!" - Milena T.
