Professional Vocal Coaching
Candace Dickinson, Soprano and Vocal Coach
Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Converse College
Master of Music in Vocal Performance, University of Colorado
Professional Singer
Faculty, Drama Department - South Carolina Governor's School for Arts & Humanities
Proud member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association
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I am a voice and singing coach on a mission to help everyone make a deep connection to their voice. I have been a professional classical singer for the past twenty years and have taught singing for eighteen of those years and spoken voice for the last ten. I am currently a faculty member of the Drama Department of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities where I have taught voice and singing for the past eleven years.
Early on in my teaching of actors, I attended the Shakespeare’s Heightened Language workshop taught by the world-renowned Patsy Rodenburg. Through Patsy’s instruction, it became stunningly clear to me that the craft of singing and of speaking are two sides of the exact same coin. The truth is we all have a need to communicate whether that be in the form of word or of song. And it is my purpose to supply everyone I coach with the fundamental tools to improve vocal ability while cultivating presence, confidence, and ownership over one’s voice.
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My areas of interest and expertise also extend into coaching teachers, business and corporate clients who call the boardroom their stage, entrepreneurs, and anyone who has a fear of public speaking (which -let's face it - is just about everybody). Whether you are trying to persuade a room full of investors, a jury, a client, or your social media following, one thing is universal and necessary: a free and confident voice will create an immediate and lasting impact on the listener.
As your vocal coach, I have two critical goals: to share the practical application of what I have learned through years of careful instruction and practice, and to guide you towards a state of confidence and ease. If you use your voice in any aspect of your work, you will benefit from vocal coaching not just to sound better, but to build a present connection to your body as an instrument.
Testimonials
“Mrs. Dickinson creates the perfect blend of having high expectations, while also making students feel comfortable to fail. To help students really understand what their voice is doing, she uses detailed vocal anatomy, great analogies, and effective exercises, so they can unlock the power of the breath and achieve an effortless, resonant sound.“
Kindred Moore
Boston Conservatory '24
BFA Musical Theatre
"After two years under Mrs. Dickinson's training, I learned how to be confident in my voice and navigate my registers in ways that I would never have been able to without her. She helped me grow not only as a musician and singer, but also as an artist and a human being. She is wonderful!"
Olivia St. Peter
Syracuse University ‘21
BFA Musical Theatre
"Candace helped me craft and hone my natural talent. She told me to use the voice that was there and how to use it properly. I wanted to be a tenor, but she nudged me to use the rich, warm tones of my baritone voice. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have unlocked and discovered my talent for musical theater which led me to book Hamilton, one of the greatest musicals of our time."
Wonza Johnson, Hamilton the Musical
University of Michigan ‘16
BFA Musical Theatre
“During my time with Candace Dickinson, she helped me discover and realize my potential as an actor and singer. Before ever being in one of Mrs. Dickinson's classes, I was not confident or sure of my singing voice. But through the two years I spent under her tutelage, I discovered breath support, notes that I never thought I could reach, a voice that could fill the theatre with power and vulnerability, and a love for the discovery of myself.”
Chris Aimone
Rutgers University '22
BFA Acting