Don Bernardini has taught voice for over 15 years and has had a professional singing career all over the world for over 25 years. Don is an internationally acclaimed tenor who has portrayed the bel canto heroes of Bellini, Donizetti, Mozart and Verdi. Mr. Bernardini has sung with such international companies as Opéra Comique de Paris, the Hamburg Oper, the Teatro del'Opera de Roma, the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the Opernhaus in Zürich, La Fenice in Venice, the Opéra de Strasbourg (his début performance in the title role of Roberto Devereux was recorded live and released on Nightingale Records), the Teatro Bellini in Catania, the Teatro Massimo di Messina, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, the Monterrey Opera in Mexico, VARA Radio in the Netherlands and he has been engaged by the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as well as the annual Opera Festival Ljubljana, Slovenia.
In North America companies he has performed with include the Opera Companies of Baltimore, Calgary, Chautauqua, Cincinnati, Edmonton, Grand Rapids, Hawaii, Kentucky, Knoxville, Michigan, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, the Opera Theater of St. Louis, Opera Pacific and New York City Opera, to name a few. He has been guest soloist with the Symphony Orchestras of Columbus, Denver, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Oregon and West Virginia; the Buffalo, Evansville, Oklahoma City and Rochester Philharmonics; the Opera Orchestra of New York and the Brevard Music Festival.
In Europe, he has been soloist with Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Musikverein in Vienna, the Mälmo Symphony, the Swedish Radio Symphony (Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix has been recorded live and released on Nightingale Classics), on several occasions with the ORF Symphonieorchester at the Konzerthaus in Vienna where his performance of Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda was also recorded live for Nightingale under the baton of Pinchas Steinberg), the Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid (Beethoven's Ninth Symphony), the Bamberger Symphoniker (Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer), with the Süddeutsche Vokalensemble (Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, released as a Berlin Classics CD recording). He has also recorded the Verdi Requiem and the Gounod Mors et Vita with the Sinfonieorchester Basel. 
Dr. Denise Ritter Bernardini has been teaching voice for 20 years. She appears on both the concert and opera stage in music of many periods. She is known for her ability to sing a variety of styles, her brilliant high notes, pure tone, communicative warmth and musical intelligence. Denise has been a performer throughout the US and Europe with extensive Oratorio experience under the batons of world-renowned conductors such as Robert Shaw and John Rutter. Denise has received several prominent awards, some of which are from the Metropolitan Opera, American Traditions Competition and the Benton- Schmidtt Contest and the National Federation of Music Clubs. Ms. Ritter’s recent performance of her one-woman classical cabaret show took her to Leibnitz, Austria where she performed for the International University of Global Theater to an audience representing 32 different countries. Denise holds a Masters of Music and Vocal Pedagogy from Texas Christian University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The University of Oklahoma.
About Individual Lessons:
Each lesson will cover questions from the
student about previous lesson/s. Then we move to vocal exercises (starting with
simple warm ups and advancing to more difficult ones). After the exercises we
move on and begin to work on a song or aria. We start working to improve
different parts of the song technically and artistically. I show you how to
work on difficult parts of the song on your own at home. We work on acting the
song and giving it your personal meaning. We conclude the lesson with summary
and points to remember and to work on for next lesson.
*Ideally, beginners should study 30 minutes
weekly. Serious or advanced students
should take 55 min lessons twice a week. The frequency and duration depends
highly on your age, your level and your attention span.
* The process of learning is individual and depends on your work, your
voice teacher and your talent (in descending order of importance). The teacher
is showing you the way; giving you maps, compass and directions; but you are
the one who has to walk in the path - I cannot get into your throat, or your
head and make the changes myself. Training a classical singer takes between 7
and 10 years. Professional singers continue to take lessons throughout their
lives to adjust to small changes in the body and instrument, to get help when
dealing with larger projects or to get advice from a reliable objective
external ear.
* I am trained as a classical singer although I
love singing (and teaching) many styles; classical (early music, art songs,
opera), jazz, musical theatre, rock, pop, R&B, French chansons, cabaret...
I believe that basic vocal technique in any singing style is the same.
Exercises are a tool in the journey of finding the student’s true sound. Once a
singer found that sound - she/he can go from there anywhere.
How
do I pay? You can pay by check, cash or debit /credit card, although
there is an additional 20% charge for debit/credit cards.You must pay at least
a month in advance. If you pay three
months or more in advance there is a discount of 10%.
What
If I miss a lesson? Make-up lessons are rescheduled based on
Dr. Bernardini’s availability and the student must give the teacher at least a
24 hour notice. Anything shorter than a
24 hour notice will NOT be made up. If
Dr. Bernardini misses make-up lessons will be scheduled at the next
lesson.
Do
I have to participate in recitals/performances? The student is encouraged to perform but it is not
required. Recitals are an opportunity
for friends and family to hear your progress and to help build confidence. If a student is overly nervous or doesn’t
feel ready to perform, they will not be pressured to do so.
What
is the cost?
Cost is based on frequency
and length of the lessons.
Weekly 1 hour
lessons - $50
Weekly 45 Minute lessons - $40
Weekly 45 Minute lessons - $40
Weekly ½ hour lessons - $30
Bi-weekly 1 hour lessons - $60
Bi-weekly ½ hour lessons -
$35
Once a month 1 hour
lessons - $75
This doesn’t include cost
of an accompanist if you choose to have one at your lessons
For more information on or to hear The Bernardinis click the links below for new articles and youtube links.
For more information on or to hear The Bernardinis click the links below for new articles and youtube links.
http://youtu.be/HHRbbWHNhqc
http://youtu.be/hdWMh9jfDxY
http://youtu.be/wh1jOf29ydM
http://youtu.be/9l3RHDCYTG0
