Coaching
Giddiness felt while coaching exhibited above!
Photo by Bianca Rogoff
DC- (and Zoom) based Audition and Vocal Coach Emily Erickson helps actors, singers, and young professionals alike discover their unique voice and skills for shining in the audition room, the callback, the workplace, or anywhere between!
I am a trained vocal and singing coach with an extensive background in music and vocal direction, music theory, trauma-based work, and speech therapy. I specialize in Linklater-based vocal practice and exercises, musical theater rep coaching and mix/belt voice, Shakespeare and heightened text, relaxation and ease in the body, bridging the gap between speaking and singing, and growing joy and confidence in vocal work.
I have coached more than 80 vocalists in the past 7 years and currently serve voice clients across 3 countries and 8 states.
Whether you're interested in developing your singing voice for the first time, looking for last-minute feedback on callback sides, getting back in the piano saddle, wanting to expand your vocal range and versatility, or anything between, I am GAME and eager to be of service to you.
SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“Working with Emily is summed up best with two words, ‘pure joy’! She is a great resource for singers of all skill sets and knows how to provide positive and constructive feedback. Her skills as a musician make her flexible with her clients’ needs as she can provide everything from full on vocal coaching to simple accompaniment. You will not regret working with her!” – Leah Bezozo (Actor)
“Emily is an incredible resource. Not only does she bring expertise as a music director to her vocal coaching, her knowledge of vocal technique is incredibly impressive as well. She has a knack for communicating the simplest acting or vocal prompt that’s going to get you to high performance quality FAST. I personally love working with her and would recommend her to any of my clients without hesitation.”
– Sara Glancy (Actor, Rep Coach)
“Emily has been my musical theater audition coach for two years. Whenever I have an audition, she always makes time to see me! She is very organized and communicative when it comes to scheduling. Emily very quickly assessed my strengths and weaknesses and my likes and dislikes as a singer and actor. This makes me feel very understood and very taken care of. She also creates a safe environment. Whether it has to do with being scared of high notes or audition anxiety, I've always innately trusted Emily to walk me through difficult situations. I trust her eye, taste, and sensibilities. I walk into audition rooms more confidently after coaching material with her. She also couldn't be a nicer person and it's always a pleasure getting to spend an hour with her!” – Merissa Czyz (Actor)
“Emily has a sharp perception to analyze and pull out more than I think I have. She creates a safe and motivating environment to create fearless work. Sometimes I wonder if she wants me to succeed more than I do!” – Wesley Curtis (Actor, Director)
“Emily is the perfect number to have in your back pocket for a last minute audition coaching. She is incredibly reliable and creates a warm, collaborative room. Her direction always comes with crystal clear suggestions on how to execute a change, and she never overwhelms you, which is so helpful when you're cramming in audition sides!” – Sarah Kleist (Actor)
“Emily is truly a rare talent as a musical director and coach. Her knowledge and proficiency range over an exhaustive list of styles, and there's no genre she hasn't mastered. She is unbelievably supportive but very particular about holding you to the standards you set for yourself. She'll push you to create the best possible version of your performance in an environment where you feel comfortable taking risks and failing.”
– Christopher Herr (Actor)
“Emily is a true delight as a collaborator and a teacher. I love taking voice lessons with her because she has extensive warm-ups, encouraging words and very pointed constructive criticism. She really listens to you in terms of what you're looking for in the lesson and giving her full attention to your specific voice. I never felt like we were putting my voice into a mold, or comparing my voice to others. The sessions are always tailored to my strengths and needs artistically. Emily has an incredible breadth of knowledge throughout the musical theatre and indie music world, is endlessly skilled on the piano from sight reading to writing her own music, and is overall a wonderfully warm and genuine person to be around. You'll want to get in and take some lessons before she's booked solid! And heck, hire her for literally anything. She's got the talent to conquer it all.”
– Leanne Velednitsky (Actor, Writer, Comedian)
“Emily has the ability to teach, hold space, and exude support all at once. Her musicality, the depth of her personality, and her keen intelligence elevate and empower her students and peers. In my experience co-teaching with Emily, I felt (and remain) so inspired by her ability to teach performance and musical skills in truly tangible yet enhancing ways. She instills such self-faith and encourages authenticity while still subtly challenging one's edges. She is a dream to work with and learn from.” – Melanie Beck (Actor, Educator)
“Emily is an impressively hard worker and has an ease in working with singers at every stage of their vocal and musical training. She has a knack for helping anyone perform at their highest caliber.” – Alex Might (Actor)
“Emily is an incredible voice coach. I sought out Emily because my manager asked me why I did not attend ECC’s since I have such a strong dance background. To which I replied, “I am absolutely terrified to sing in front of people.” I knew I was not tone deaf but also knew I could not walk in to a room with confidence and sing. In my first session, Emily asked me my goals in terms of singing so we could come up with a plan. Only two voice lessons in, I panic texted Emily that I had an audition coming up and needed to sing. She coached me through a song I loved to do for the audition. I left our session feeling confident that I could go in that audition room and sing. She was there for me, wished me luck and congratulated me after the audition. She made me feel comfortable, confident and successful! She is always on time, focused in the room, and puts the needs of her client first. I love coming in and singing with Emily because she knows exactly what notes to give me as an actor/dancer to help train my voice. She is so in tune with the people she works with and gives really straight forward and direct notes to apply right to the work. I would highly recommend Emily to ANYONE.”
– Samantha Simone (Actor)
“In my experience working with Emily, she has always been an immense source of kindness and grounding energy in the creative workspace. She knows how to take people with all kinds of personalities, voices, and styles of working and create something beautiful with integrity, precision, and heart.” – Max Meyers (Actor)