The INS Top 4

At Isabella Nichole Studios, these are the Top 4 ideals that we teach by:

1. Students should always feel comfortable and safe in their learning environment!

  • Student comfort and safety is extremely important in a 1-on-1 lesson environment. If students don’t feel comfortable or safe, it is unreasonable to ask them to leave their comfort zone or expect good results. Students will always do their best work when they feel safe to make mistakes and try again.

  • Additionally, judgment does not help growth. We foster a positive environment in lessons by beginning with praise and leading into constructive criticism. After addressing a concern, we provide functional steps we can go through to solve the problem together. Students cannot learn if they don’t feel like they are capable.

2. Students should never sing something that causes them to feel discomfort or vocal strain!

  • One of the main reasons why voice lessons may not be recommended for younger singers is because their voices are fragile and they can often be pushed to sound “adult” or “mature”.

  • Children should sound like children and their voices should be explored safely and gently until they reach puberty and beyond. We will never ever ask a developing voice to sound like anything other than what it is. Vocal health is #1, always!

3. Students need time and patience to develop new technique and habits for their voice!

  • Depending on a student’s vocal anatomy or how they have engaged with music in their lives, they may bring great or not so great habits to the first lesson. Our job is to identify where a student is at and help them work to modify anything that could cause them harm.

  • If a student has excellent technique already, we don’t need to mess with what’s working! Lessons are a safe space to explore new music, dive deeper into musicality, or learn some additional skills. There is always something new to learn!

4. If a student’s goal is to develop their ear, improve harmonization skills, or sing with others, they should enroll in a chorus!

  • Singing in a choir is amazing for building musical skills, learning to sing with others, community building, and socialization. Choir is how Ms. Custino began her vocal journey, and she has continued to sing in choirs for the past 20 years.

  • Currently, Ms. Custino works with and highly recommends the Peninsula Girls Chorus and Ragazzi Boys Chorus in the Bay Area. They both provide high-quality music educations and a myriad of opportunities for their students to participate in.