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“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”
― Phil Collins —

“True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own.”
— Nikos Kazantzakis —

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MEET YOUR TEACHER

“I don’t know if life is greater than death but love was more than either”
— Janice Baird as Isolde —

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PHILOSOPHY & METHOD

“People have to understand what you’re saying. You have to be expressing the music.”
–Dolora Zajick—

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THE STORY BEHIND JANICE BAIRD

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land —

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THE STUDIO

The best investment you can make is in a good teacher. Find someone who is honest and critical without constantly putting you down and who gives you a plan and goals to aim for.
— Carl Hester —

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PHILOSOPHY

CONSULTATION LESSON

MASTER CLASSES

Musik ist eine heilige Kunst, zu versammeln alle Arten von Mut

wie Cherubim um einen strahlenden Thron!

— Hugo von Hofmannsthal —

Biography

Janice BAIRD

is one of today’s leading dramatic sopranos. It is above all with her powerful portrayals of the great Wagner and Strauss heroines that the attractive American has been brought to the eager attention of the international opera scene. An extremely gifted and intelligent singing actress, Miss Baird’s combination of vocal prowess and sensitive as well as expressive acting makes her one of the most powerful and intensely expressive performers on the operatic stage today.

www.janicebaird.com

Internationally praised as an extremely gifted and intelligent singing actress, Janice Baird is one of today’s leading dramatic sopranos worldwide. Baird’s combination of vocal prowess and sensitivity, as well as her expressive acting has made her one of the most powerful und intensely charismatic performers on the operatic stage.

Janice Baird’s has lead her around the world to opera houses such as Deutsche Opera Berlin, Berlin State Opera, Teatro Colón Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Montevideo, Sao Paolo, Semperoper Dresden, Grand Théâtre Genève, State Opera Hamburg, Palacio de Bellas Artes Mexico, Metropolitan Opera New York, Salzburg Festspiele, Bilbao, Sevilla, New National Theatre Tokyo, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro La Fenice Venezia, Teatro de dell’Opera Rome, Catania, Genoa, Palermo, Trieste, Verona, Vienna State Opera and Opernhaus Zürich, among many others.

She has also had the honor to work with numerous great conductors including: Marc Albrecht, Christoph von Dohnany, Daniele Gatti, Michael Gielen, Bernhard Haitink, Armin Jordan, Philippe Jordan, James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Franz Welser-Möst, Kent Nagano, Donald Runnicles, Peter Schneider, Jeffrey Tate, Sebastian Weigle and Simone Young – as well as to work in inspiring productions including working wonderful directors like Robert Carsen, Claus Guth, Nicolas Joel, Peter Konwitschny, Martin Kusej, Nikolaus Lehnhoff, Giancarlo del Monaco, David Pountney and Bob Wilson.

Baird’s most recent performances were ELEKTRA at Salzburg Festspiele, in Catania, Buenos Aires and the Deutsche Oper Berlin; FÄRBERIN at Opera House Zürich; TURANDOT and MINNIE with Teatro dell’Opera Roma and Teatro La Maestranza Sevilla; BRÜNNHILDE at Opera House Zürich, Seattle Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin; MARIE/Wozzeck at Teatro dell’Opera Roma, SALOME with Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and ISOLDE at Oper Düsseldorf, Opera House Zürich and the Metropolitan Opera New York, ELEKTRA with State Opera of Wien, Opera Leipzig, ORTRUD at Rouen and Toulon and BRÜNNHILDE in Der Ring des Nibelungen at Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Born in New York City, Janice was raised both in Europe and America, and speaks fluent German, English in addition to Spanish, Italian, and French. She currently lives with her husband in Berlin, Germany and in Andalucia, Spain.

Philosophy

“Words performed

through music

can express

what language alone

had exhausted”

— Hugo von
Hofmannsthal —

Passion & Technique

With more than 30 years of experience teaching voice and singing leading roles in the top opera houses of the world, I am in an extraordinary position to help the next generation of singers master their vocal and artistic goals.

From personal experience, I fully understand the importance of finding proper instruction that builds a healthy vocal technique in a safe and supportive working environment. My own teachers included my mentor of fifteen years Astrid Varnay, as well as Birgit Nilsson, Prof. Rudolf Bautz, Prof. Irmgard Hartmann-Dressler, and my father Robert G. Baird: I am enthusiastic about passing along their legacy of teaching, knowledge, and generosity.

From a vocal perspective, I help my students improve and master their voices, via establishing correct breathing and support, coupled with classic Italian bel canto methods, including phrasing, legato, formation and placement of correct vowels. From a dramatic perspective, I help my students improve vocal projection, posture, stage presence, diction and language clarity, as well as dramatic interpretation. I use my experience and profound knowledge of the fundamental anatomical and physical principles of the vocal apparatus in order to alleviate physical blocks and allow your own unique sound to reveal itself.
In addition to vocal and coaching sessions focused on classical repertoire, I am well equipped to provide healthy instruction in other musical styles, notably musical, rock, blues, and jazz. Although I maintain a strong commitment to classical music, singing a wider repertoire can certainly enhance any singer’s artistry and marketability!

I enjoy working with students of all skill and experience levels: I have a particular background in helping mature singers through career or vocal crises. Moreover, as a singer with enormous professional experience, I help each student build not only his/her voice, but also his/her career. Specifically, I can assist you in finding an appropriate (and marketable) fach, suitable repertoire, and in making difficult career decisions.

I TEACH IN

German

English

Spanish.

Lessons

Consultation Lesson – I offer an initial Consultation Lesson in order for us to get to know each other and see if we are a good match as teacher and student. Consultation lessons typically last 90 minutes. In this time we will talk about your desires and goals, vocalize, and work on some music. I will offer you my thoughts and insights into your voice, breathing, language skills, dramatic ability and my suggestions about the repertoire that best suits your voice and my advice on your career plans and goals.

After that if we are both comfortable working together, we can start lessons, which are one hour per session.

I also offer lessons online via SKYPE.

I offer

Private lessons

Project-specific vocal and musical coaching

Performance coaching

Career consultation

Master Classes

Intensive one week to two week group courses

I also offer ONLINE lessons

I give lessons in

English • German • Spanish

Choose
your future

Master Classes & Special Intensive Study Courses

I offer classical Master Classes from one to three days. By working in a small group of singers, participants can benefit from peer feedback, watching others work, and being in a performance situation that helps expand your ability to communicate onstage.

I also offer special intensive study courses in Berlin and in Southern Spain.

This is a concentrated form of lessons and study in a small group, to prepare special projects (such as preparing a role, or for competitions or auditions) over a short period of time, usually a week to 10 days in a pleasant and relaxing setting, such as the beaches of Southern Spain.

Both of these classes help you prepare your repertoire under performing conditions, and will be made to fit precisely to your present needs, be it to prepare a role, repertoire for professional auditions, conservatory auditions, to polish your voice or work on a specific vocal problem.

If possible, and if in demand, we will conclude these classes with a small concert for a friendly audience of listeners, in order to really give you a full performance experience.

Information

For more information on the
next Master Classes

CONTACT ME

For more information on the next
Intensive Course

CONTACT ME

Open yourself
to a new experience

My family story

Robert G. Baird

My story

I combine my years of singing experience on international opera stages performing along side the greatest singers of our time and some of the most important conductors with the unique experience of growing up in my father’s voice studio. Robert G. Baird was an important voice teacher in New York and I learned an enormous amount about the art of teaching voice through him, and by working in and observing his vocal studio. I have vast experience with all types of voices, with women, from lyric coloratura to dramatic mezzo and with men from bass to tenor. I have extensive experience working with singers of popular music, jazz and rock.

“The most perfect technique
is that which is
not noticed at all”

— Pablo Casals —

My students

Although I specialize in teaching professional opera singers, of course I also enjoy teaching beginners who just want to have fun singing in a chorus, at home or even in the shower. I routinely work with actors, particularly to improve their singing voice and/or speaking voice. I also have extensive experience in helping professional singers of all genres that are experiencing vocal challenges or crisis.

Every singer is unique, there are no two people who have the same instrument, talents and challenges. I make your voice lessons about you personally, by teaching you specifically, addressing your highly individual needs, aiding you in finding freedom and joy in your voice, your body and in yourself. I want to help you become the authority in your own life and to become a confident and independent singer and a free-thinking creative artist.