SING School

About
Devena De Donatis

Devena is a dual Certified Voice Teacher and Technician specialising in Contemporary Music with a genuine love for singing and performing.

 

You may be wondering what is a Voice Teacher and Technician?

 

A Voice Teacher and Technician is someone that has trained and been certified specifically to teach the “how of singing”. They have studied the science, vocal pedagogy, acoustics and anatomy. They know how to find practical solutions to help singers improve their voice and to sing with ease and in a healthy way. Basically they are “Voice Builders.”

 

By training under the tutelage of both Justin Stoney (founder of New York Vocal Coaching) and John Henny (The Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy) both of whom are widely considered two of the worlds top voice teachers and trainers, along with special education from Airbender Robinson (11 times broadway actor) and renowned ENT Dr Michael Pitman, Devena has the knowledge to assist you in reaching your goals. 

 

Devena’s referral network includes highly skilled Speech Language Pathologists, a Brisbane based Ear Nose Throat Surgeon and Vocal Physiotherapist for those requiring external assistance for vocal health issues which fall outside the realms of a voice teachers area of expertise or that require a multidisciplinary management approach.

 

You may want to learn how to overcome performance anxiety, belt safely, or perhaps you have heard of the term “Mix Voice” and wondered what it is. By working with a Voice Teacher and Technician you will learn to use your voice to its fullest capacity in a safe and healthy way.

 

Devena loves working with brand new singers and hobby singers because she truly believes everyone should sing but she also believes they need to learn to sing safely with the proper foundations.

 

Like many voice professionals, Devena continues with ongoing study, she is a full member of ANATS (Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing), she has studied foundational music theory through The Open University, undertaken over a decade of private voice lessons and general music studies through multiple music schools, attained first aid training for an educational and care environment and she continues to attend lectures (both for vocal training and mental health) and conferences led by world leading industries experts to ensure her knowledge is up to date, this coupled with regular performing enables Devena to assist her students in achieving their vocal goals.

A bit about devena

Devena’s first experience with singing was with the school choir and she quickly moved into school based musical theatre (which she absolutely loved). It was through these experiences that she really learned the joy of singing however she had a significant set back that altered her attitude towards performing live as a soloist.

 

When Devena was 8 years old, she did an impromptu (albeit forced) stage performance at a large Country Music event and for her it was a disaster – put simply, she wasn’t ready! She had no preparation, no practice, no forewarning, no experience working with a live band and no confidence. This experience had a profound affect on Devena for many years.

Devena’s short time on stage taught her firsthand why preparation and repetition are paramount for a successful performance. This experience lead her down the pathway of years of vocal study and personal growth and is one of the reasons that her special area of interest is managing stage fright and performance anxiety.

One of Devena’s favourite sayings is “knowledge is power,” and with the voice this couldn’t be more accurate. Devena believes that everyone can sing and in fact should sing! By using the latest science backed techniques, she helps her students gain the necessary skills to work towards vocal mastery.

Furthermore, Devena has found that music and singing can have significant benefits for mental health and wellness and as such she focuses on these areas within her singing school. Devena has seen many people have profound benefits by including music in their lives.

Devena is a regular performer throughout Brisbane, working with many talented musicians allowing her to foster wonderful relationships and to build a strong and supportive music community. Devena has an immense love for Blues and Soul music; and enjoys singing covers and writing and performing her own original material.

About
Adam O'Connor

Adam is a contemporary guitarist with more than 25 years of playing experience he is a professional musician, composer, secondary music teacher and Director of Performing Arts at an independent college. Adam loves to share his knowledge in a way that is accessible and easy to follow; 

 

Adam has a wide variety of musical experiences and styles to his credit and constantly seeks more to add to this list. He has played in Rock, Funk, Rockabilly and Top 40 cover bands and duos, Trad, Acid and Fusion Jazz ensembles, accompanied singers and instrumentalists in a variety of duo and trio settings and played and recorded in a number of other formats including Musicals and session work. He has spent a lot of time doing solo gigs, accompanying vocalists, playing standards and funky tunes and developing the way he wants to play the guitar.

 

 

Having been a guitar teacher for many years, Adam decided to extend his skills into the classroom and went back to University to attain a Grad Dip Ed. He is currently the director of Performing Arts for an independent college and this role constantly finds him acting as Musical Director for performances of all shapes and sizes.

 

 

 

 

20 plus years in the classroom has helped him find ways to simplify things and put students at ease, on topics which are often made more complicated than necessary.

 

 

Adam will be available for lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for vocal coaching, musicianship, music theory, guitar lessons (from beginner to advanced), self-accompaniment for soloists, songwriting, composition and audio recording.

 

BA (Contemp. Mus), GradDipEd

A BIT ABOUT ADAM

In 2009 Adam released his debut album “2 Head City”.  Co-produced by John Freiberg, the full length album of original compositions is performed on a Yamaha AEX 1500 Guitar with no backing tracks or overdubs – just as it would be live. 

Two already completed tracks were selected for entry into the 2008 MusicOz Awards and were honoured with a place in the Top 10 for the Instrumental category. More recently he released a 13 track album of electric jazz trio tunes penned by himself,  in early 2021.

 

 

Adam draws upon funk, jazz, blues and rock and his tunes borrow elements from many other styles. In playing and composing alike, he tries to find the balance between familiar and exotic, rhythm and harmony. Adam takes inspiration from legends of solo guitar players such as Joe Pass, Martin Taylor, Tuck Andress and of course, Tommy Emmanuel. The style of his music is also affected by his simultaneous passion for electric guitar and it’s idols. He cites diverse influences such as ,Mark Knopfler, Stevie-Ray Vaughn, Brian Setzer, Eric Clapton, John Scofield, Scott Henderson, Wayne Krantz and many others. Adam has played in Top 40 cover bands, duos, trios and Jazz and Fusion ensembles.

SING school is focused on Contemporary Music

(Pop, Rock, Soul, Blues & R&B etc) and provides a non-judgmental, safe and relaxed environment for its students to explore their voice and to take risks with making new and wonderful sounds.

Devena's Areas of Interest

  • Stagecraft
  • Working with other musicians within a band setting
  • Performance Anxiety
  • Mental Health/Wellness
  • Mindfulness
  • Goal setting with Positive Outcomes
  • Voice Health and Education

Adam's Areas of Interest

  • Guitar: Beginner To Advanced
  • Music Theory
  • Musicianship
  • Self Accompaniment for Solo Guitarists
  • Audio Recording
  • Songwriting
  • Composition