German Diction for Singers and Voice Teachers
I help singers and voice teachers understand and sing with authentic German diction.
Do you have a hard time with German sounds?
Do you practice and practice the sounds, only to end up like this lady?
(She doesn't know what makes an Ich-Laut instead of an Ach-Laut.)
Or does this sound like you:
The prepositions don't make any sense in the text, and those diphthongs can be confusing. And what in the world is that Umlaut doing there?!
- Your Ich-Laut sounds kind of...ishy.
- You don't know what to do with that "äu" thing.
- You think German is "too harsh."
- You don't know how to sing it more clearly.
- You need to teach German diction...but are unsure.
Understanding the Text = Understanding the Music
When you know what to do with your articulators, in combination with knowledge of text and Germanic culture, you will free up energy to channel into your performance.
Diction
Even if it feels really weird.
Text
Even if you don't speak German.
Culture
Even if you've never been there.
"Working with Nicole is so pleasant! During lessons, she made me feel comfortable with making mistakes and was super supportive. She catches onto both big issues and the tiniest pronunciation problems immediately AND is amazing at getting you to pronounce things correctly! Also, during our lessons she sprinkles in extra knowledge like cultural context and direct translations which made for a fun and fulfilling lesson time. Nicole coached me for a regional competition where I sang a German song. All of the notes for that particular song said that the pronunciation was exceptional! I absolutely contribute that to Nicole’s amazing teaching!"
-David T.
St. Paul, MN
The plan
Three simple steps to understanding German diction:
Step 1
Send me your information using the form below.
Step 2
We meet for a German Diction coaching.
Step 3
You know much better how to sing in German.
And you do it.
Then you'll feel like this lady:
(She knows which are the Ich-Lauts and which are the Ach-Lauts.)
I'm a Professional Singer and Certified German Instructor
Hi, I'm Nicole Warner, mezzo-soprano. My professional singing career began about 20 years ago and I've performed everything from Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium to Mahler's Symphony Nr. 2 (das Urlicht). I'm also a certified instructor for German as a Foreign Language and I taught voice for a long time. If that's not enough for you...
- I have over 20 years of experience in performing. (Seriously, I sing a lot of Bach.)
- I'm certified to teach not only German as a Foreign Language, but also English as a Foreign Language.
- I have taught thousands of hours of foreign language, both German and English.
- From 2003 to 2008 I lived in Germany, traveled widely, and sang with the Gächinger-Kantorei, in addition to solo engagements.
- I have an M.M. in Classical Voice from the Manhattan School of Music and a B.A. in Music Performance with a concentration in voice from Augsburg College (now University).
You can read more about my singing here.
Ja, ich kann das. Yep, I can do that.
Pricing options
Pick the price option that best fits your needs:
30-minute coaching
$30
live and online
with your teacher if you wish
work on any German piece
60-minute coaching
$60
live and online
with your teacher if you wish
work on any German piece
Email me to schedule your coaching here:
Want to come back later?
Sign up for the German Diction
mailing list here:
You'll receive an occasional email about German diction coachings as well as future diction classes and courses.
