Today we’d like to introduce you to Teri Danz.
Teri, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My family was always musical. I grew up singing, dancing and was trained as a classical flutist. In college, I took a turn and majored in Speech (Communications & Therapy – BA) and received a Master’s in Education. Sometimes, though, the Universe has other plans. After all that, I woke up one morning and knew I was supposed to be a singer. The pain of keeping it down was more than the pain of letting it up. Thus, the journey began. From Arizona to San Francisco and finally to LA, the dream of singing, performing and writing songs was the lodestar for my path to now. In San Francisco, a rock/pop demo I co-wrote and recorded with producer/musician, Eric Tiger, became a remix, then a club hit. It propelled me to go to the next level with singing, studying with renowned coach, Raz Kennedy (of Bobby McFerrin’s VOICESTRA) and many others (coaches are important!). Then in 1998, the journey took me to LA, with a 4-song demo, a Fender Stratocastor and knowing only one person. The first CD, “Gardens in The Concrete” traced the path to rebuilding my life after a painful break-up and living life on my own terms. I am fortunate to work with great engineers and producers including Buddy Halligan (Barry White, Anita Baker and Ray Charles). Now, the journey continues both as a recording and performing artist, and as a vocal coach (named one of the Top 5 Vocal Coaches in Backstage Magazine). I publish The Singer’s Newsletter, an email created in 2002 as a give back to my students, with vocal tips and opportunities. Today, we have sponsors, Sennheiser, Casio and The Modern Vocalist, and a national and international following. In addition, my book, Vocal Essentials for the Pop Singer, was published by Hal Leonard.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As with any artist and now entrepreneur, it has been an up and down road. You can work hard, and nothing seems to happen, and then it does. Having a strong team helps, and that is hard to maintain.
YouWorld Music – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
YouWorld Music is the umbrella for music creation & production, vocal coaching and producing (Teri Danz, vocal Coach), and writing (articles to expert opinions). What sets us apart is the combination of real world experience, in the studio and onstage, a gift for songwriting/writing, and a high bar of vocal and performing technique. When someone starts a music or speaking career, they do not intuitively know how to handle situations that routinely and uniquely occur. Training sets them apart. We specialize in that. Pop music is its own animal, and to be excellent at it, you have to understand how it works vocally, technically – onstage and in the studio. And, you have to be able to execute what you know and what you’ve learned. Feeling something and sounding like you are feeling something are two very different things. We teach people to sound the way they feel, enabling them to move others.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is doing life in your own way, on your own terms. It is hard to “fit in” if your soul takes you elsewhere. There are markers: a hit record, book, awards, working with the best people, etc. The best markers, however, are in your legacy. I watch students of mine forever changed and successful as a result of training with me. So, when you see them, in a way, you see me.
Pricing:
- $125 an hour
- $65 a half
- Discount packages Available
- Vocal Performance Workshop $225 for 4 session
Contact Info:
- Address: West Los Angeles 90064
- Website: http://www.teridanz.com
- Phone: 310-283-9688
- Email: [email protected], [email protected]
- Facebook: teri.danz
- Twitter: @tdanz
- Yelp: Teri Danz, Vocal Coach
- Other: SKYPE: teri.danz, Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/teri-danz/3/594/a59
Image Credit:
Studio pics with guitar and vest: Little Room Studio, Hal Leonard Books
