Inspiring Conversations with Mary Helen Schmidt of Schmidt Vocal Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Helen Schmidt.

Hi Mary Helen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I wasn’t raised to believe in myself nor to feel like I could ever be enough. I wasn’t taught that I was capable, nor was I encouraged to believe that I could accomplish difficult things. I was often shamed and humiliated for trying new things and made to feel like a failure if I didn’t master a new challenge instantly. The messages I received most consistently from primary attachment figures taught me that I was nothing, that I was an incapable and undeserving failure, and that I would never be, nor could ever do anything meaningful in this world.

The rare exception to that, throughout my life, has always been my voice teachers. These extraordinary women were among the first adults to truly value me as a human being and to treat me as worthy of love and acceptance regardless of performance. They were some of the first people to encourage me just for trying new things and to support me consistently even when my best efforts fell short. They truly cared about me and invested in me when not many other adults would. Through them, I was able to learn to value myself and to fight through the heavy cloud of insecurity and self-doubt that seemed to always be holding me back.

They gave me so much more than voice lessons; they taught me about life. They rewarded my courage to simply show up and try, thereby helping me to learn process, growth, perseverance, and self-acceptance. They demonstrated to me through their behaviors and actions that each of these are deeply connected to, and rooted in, kindness, love, care, faith and belonging. It is the greatest gift they could have given me and I want so much to be able to pass that gift on to others who have not yet received it.

Singing, using your voice as a mode of expression, can be a very personal and vulnerable thing. It takes so much courage to try something new and to risk failure; to show up and let yourself be seen and heard without letting the fear of judgement, criticism, or rejection hold you back; to take your first voice lesson or to continue singing even when you may not yet be as skilled as you’d like to be; to shake off the unkind words of others and to face down your own inner critic.

That is how I know that my voice students are some of the most courageous people I know; they continue to show up every week to conquer their fears and they don’t give up on themselves when the going gets tough. It is my goal to create a supportive, empowering environment for my students and give them the kind of encouragement that they–that every person–deserves.”

How I got started building my voice studio:

Ever since moving to LA to pursue a career in acting, I’d been in search of the perfect day job that would allow me both the stability and the freedom to earn a living while also going after my artistic goals. –BIG Bonus if said day job could also be meaningful and people-oriented; even better if it could be something I enjoyed and felt passionately about. But I was afraid that was likely far too much to ask.

I cycled through all the usual actor survival jobs, often juggling 4 or 5 different part-time gigs at a time, working as a nanny, cater waiter, children’s party performer, gig band vocalist, brand ambassador, background artist, theater usher, you name it! It was stressful, exhausting, and overwhelming to juggle so many difficult gigs all at once and still have no guarantee of steady income.

Meanwhile, I had a Bachelors Degree in Music & Vocal Performance under my belt–with a heavy focus in science-based Vocal Pedagogy and technique–coupled with extensive vocal training and years of experience performing as a vocalist. “That’s just an extra skill to keep tucked in my back pocket as an actor”, I thought. Though, in my spare time, I always had a few voice students with whom I would work on a weekly basis. “Just for fun”, I thought, because I loved it so much and it felt exciting to help empower people to succeed at something they felt passionately about.

Until one day, a few years back, it dawned on me: “Wait a minute! What if THIS could be my day job!” I was sooooo tired of juggling gig work and waiting for someone else to give me a job, so I decided that I would at least try. At first, I had to work through some debilitating imposter syndrome. Of course, I’d already been teaching voice students for years. In fact, I’d even had my very first student while still in college as I taught under the supervision of my own voice teacher. …But… I wasn’t a “REAL” voice teacher… was I?

“Why not?” Said my voice teacher and mentor. “Why not?” said my fellow performers and musical colleagues. I didn’t have a good answer to that. And as I began to formulate a plan for building out my business and getting it off the ground, I began to realize with each new step that all of my mentors, voice teachers, and music professors had done an excellent job preparing and equipping me to run my own voice studio. And, silly me, at the time I had thought I would never use any of that training. Now it was all coming back to me right when I needed it most!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Haha Not at all!

I started formally building out my studio in 2018 but lost my home and then was injured and on crutches soon after. I had to stop working temporarily, which hindered my progress. Then, in 2020, the COVID19 Pandemic hit and it was no longer safe to meet with students in person. It took me some time to adapt to the shutdown by transitioning to teaching remote lessons online. In the meantime, I lost my entire roster of students and had to start all over again from scratch. In 2022, I was able to reopen the studio again, implementing safety protocols, and gradually I’ve been able to transition back to in-person lessons. Though, the added benefit of all this is that I am now able to offer virtual lessons as an option for students who prefer to learn from home.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a voice teacher and vocal coach and I teach private voice lessons for Singers, Actors, and Speakers. I offer both In-person and remote lessons.

I work with students of all ages at a variety of skill levels. Everything from absolute beginners to advanced performers who are looking to improve their technique and vocal health. My sweet spot is any student who needs a little help finding their musical confidence, building good vocal habits, and/or infusing their natural love of singing with the technique needed to overcome vocal challenges and take them to the next level.

I believe that anyone who possesses the true desire and drive can learn to sing and/or use their voice to its fullest potential. Singing isn’t something you have to be born with, it’s something you can learn. Just like any other skill! I provide a safe, encouraging, and instructive space in which to learn and try new things so you can discover your own unique voice and talent. With proper training and practice, you will discover that you really can do it!

I love helping students grow, overcome their own vocal challenges, and reach their singing goals in a way that is fun, empowering, affirming, and inspiring. I love how excited my students get every time they make a new breakthrough and find they can now do with ease something they may have thought was impossible for them before!

As a performer myself, I understand the unique needs and challenges of performers and am able to equip students with the tools they need to meet and sustain their performance goals.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
We are only as strong, healthy, and safe as the community surrounding us. When we ALL collectively prioritize the needs and safety of those around us we can in turn, individually, rest easy knowing our own needs and safety will be cared for as well. So much suffering can be alleviated when communities are able to come together for the collective good, even when doing so may mean tolerating a little bit of personal inconvenience. The benefits really outweigh the drawbacks, especially when lives are at stake.

For my personal life and my business, I learned: Double down on prioritizing people, community, personal self-care, and your own mental health. Never give up! Though setbacks can feel discouraging and disheartening, I’ve learned that sometimes they are just part of the process. When I feel an urgency to make up for a lost time, I try to remember to step back, take a deep breath, and focus on what is in front of me instead of what has been lost or left behind. As therapists often say “just do the next right thing.” That really resonates with me. Slow and steady consistency is invaluable. It’s important for me to trust that if I just continue plugging away, taking one small step at a time, then that is enough and I will eventually reach my destination. And of course, there are always the added benefits of new discoveries made along the way when I’m forced to go through the process of problem-solving in order to adapt to new challenges.

Pricing:

• $50 per 30 Minute Private Voice Lesson
• $75 per 45 Minute Private Voice Lesson
• $100 per 60 Min Private Voice Lesson

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/schmidtvocalstudios
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtvocalstudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchmidtVocalStudios
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/maryhelenschmidt
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/VtjBpgQktc4
• Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c29514fa976d03:0x6cb793ad4282a6ef?source=g.page.m._

Image Credits
Main Headshot Photographer: Susanne Elstein The “Voice is a Paintbrush…” quote and graphic are my own Additional photos of me teaching are also my own