Rachel Hicks Holdman

North West and Stone Oak

Voice
Ages 5 to Adult, Beginner to Advanced

Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Art, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bachelor of Music with K-12 teaching licensure, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy, University of Texas at San Antonio

Teaching Philosophy

As a private voice instructor, I am responsible for teaching healthy singing to every student regardless of age or ability by challenging them through vocal exercises, sight singing, and appropriate repertoire. Students will learn how to create individual vocal routines, train and strengthen their voices, educate and tune their hearing, and build an awareness to the nature of their singing in order to foster an appreciation for all music. Singing is a deeply emotional and psychological art form and so I aim to create a safe place to learn. My studio is an atmosphere filled with mutual respect and trust which allows us to explore every student’s true and unique voice instead of confining them to a particular sound or type of voice. My goal is to guide each student to a healthy technique while exploring artistic expression. As Stravinsky said “There is music where there is rhythm, as there is life wherever there beats a pulse.” Music is an invaluable study that opens the mind, enriches the soul, and develops skills as a lifelong learner.

Biography

A native North Carolinian, Rachel Hicks Holdman moved to Texas to pursue graduate education at the University of Texas at San Antonio where her research interests included everything about singing- especially how physical fitness impacts the voice. Currently, Rachel maintains an active studio of over 50 students ages five to sixty-five and recently debuted as music director for Oklahoma! With the New Braunfels Theater Company. Rachel has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, Seymour Barab’s The Pied Piper of Hamelin and Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio (themed as Star Trek) and Die Zauberflöte, Ned Rorem’s Fables, and the Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys playing with her dog, Tootsie, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and adventures with her husband including trying every pizza place in San Antonio!