Lisa Rochelle has served New York’s professional theatrical community as Vocal Technique Teacher and Performance Coach since 1993 and has been the ‘go-to’ vocal consultant for NYC’s La Guardia HS Drama Department since 2010. Her teaching is devoted to helping performers achieve their goals by de-mystifying the act of singing.
Lisa brings to her decades of pedagogical experience a unique perspective and special affinity for working with young singers and actors, as she garnered her Broadway and first televisions credits before age 15; she understands the needs of the young performer on many levels. She is committed to nurturing her students’ uniqueness, helping them develop discipline and a work ethic, while making the learning process fun. Lessons focus on creating good vocal habits, however sensitivity to where the student is developmentally remains primary in shaping a long or short term plan for training the voice. Bodywork and individualized exercise regimens are discussed as part of vocal training, and specific approaches to repertoire and performance practice techniques are explored.
Following an extensive performing career that includes leading roles on Broadway and Off-Broadway, Broadway National Tour, regional theatre, featured daytime and prime-time television, Lisa teaches Master Classes in Vocal Technique, Audition Technique and offers Vocal Health Seminars and group Workshops. Her students have appeared in dozens of Broadway shows and National Tours, Off-Broadway, Radio City Music Hall, television, feature films and theatres across the globe. College faculty positions (Marymount Manhattan College, O’Neill Theatre Center’s NTI,etc.) and contracts with college consulting companies have afforded tremendous insight into the college preparation and transition process, as well.
With specialized training in vocal pedagogy and rehabilitation (vocology), Lisa often works as a Singing Voice Specialist, collaborating with medical professionals in the retraining of injured voices. She incorporates aspects of a variety of disciplines into her teaching. Rooted in classical ideology, her work actively employs principles of the Alexander and McClosky techniques, Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Techniques and the Accent Method, among others. She also integrates aspects of her current work with Joan Lader and Shirley Tennyson (NY), and has recently codified Throat Tension Release (TTR), a series of vocal self-massaging exercises (developed by mentor Ron Clairmont) that have helped hundreds of actors/singers over the years.
Lisa is certified in all levels of Somatic Voicework™ /The LoVetri Method for Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy, has completed the full core curriculum of NYSTA’s Professional Development Program and holds a degree in Vocal Pedagogy and Musical Theatre Performance. Professional Affiliations include: Former Co-Director Professional Development Program New York SingingTeacher’s Assn, NATS, Voice Care Professionals of Westchester, Actors’ Equity Assn, AFTRA.
Lisa is a proud Co-founder of the Youth Vocal Health Initiative – a collaborative entity of medical professionals specializing in voice, dedicated to providing education in vocal health and affordable vocal screenings to students of NYC public schools.
