About Us
THE VOCAL BALANCE/MIX TECHNIQUE:
Laurie was trained in several methods, mainly through the Institute of Vocal Advancement, which is based on 17th and 18th Century principles of singing developed by the Schola Cantorum. Our goal is to train voices to sing in a free and natural manner, smoothly, from the bottom of the range to the top with no breaks or sudden changes in quality. Training in this technique gives the singer access to all dynamics, with tonal clarity and flexibility. Also, training in this technique helps improve a singer’s range, endurance, stamina, breath control, resonance, vocal strength and vocal quality across all styles of music without fatigue or damage to the voice. We accomplish these results by training the singer to find a balance between airflow and intrinsic muscular resistance, all within a resting laryngeal posture.*
Laurie is a 1987 graduate of Southwest Texas State University (now known as Texas State University) and studied voice with the late, Harry Wayne. She received a Bachelor of Music Degree with an All-level Texas Teaching Certification. She has over 36 years teaching experience. She is an extensively trained private voice teacher, was a certified Speech Level Singing Teacher and has achieved the highest level of certification, Certified Mentor Voice Teacher, with the Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA). She also served as the Central US/Texas Are Representative for the past 8 years and the IVA Asst. Worldwide Area Representative Coordinator for three years. While most of her students are local, she teaches students and teachers throughout the US and around the world.
Through the continual study of vocal technique, Laurie has been inspired to teach others so that she can share her knowledge of healthy, balanced singing with those who want more out of their voice training. She has trained with many fantastic world class voice teachers that are among the top in the industry who have worked with hundreds of legendary singers and have taught thousands of teachers worldwide. Through constant continuing education training, she works hard to bring the most effective, current and accurate information to her students. She loves the flexibility of being able to effectively teach singers in all genres: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Country, Classical/Opera, Christian/Worship. Over her career, she has personally studied with Harry Wayne (college classical teacher), Maestro Seth Riggs, Jeffrey Skouson, Greg Enriquez, Linda Tomkinson, Kathy Kennedy, Guy Babusek, Dean Kaelin, Stephanie Borm-Krueger, Spencer Welch and Gene Raymond for all her contemporary training.
In 2017, Laurie became a music industry executive with Bernard Porter, Entertainment Executive, CEO and Founder of PCG Universal, an Artist Development Company based out of Nashville, TN. She served as the National Education Coordinator and Marketing Director. In 2020, PCG opened an office in Austin, called PCG Austin and she became the Director of Artist Success. She worked locally with PCG Austin President, Record Producer and Blue October's Bassist, Matt Noveskey out of Orb Recording Studios in Oak Hill. She also served as a Music Industry Vocal Panelist and Coach at various music industry workshops, singing competitions and works with aspiring and emerging artists.
Laurie served as the vocal instructor for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (part of Drum Corps International) for their 2018 summer tour. She is also partnered with the Round Rock Express AAA Baseball organization as the National Anthem vocal coach & an audition judge and she runs the stage at Round Rock Market Days every month.
Laurie is currently training other teachers in the area and is open to adding more classes to her schedule for incoming teachers. She has also taught courses to other IVA teachers around the world. She has written a Leadership Development book for IVA Teachers and presented IVA Leadership courses for Area Representatives and Studio Teachers Worldwide. She developed and has taught summer elective courses on "Deep Practice" and "Studio Leadership" for online IVA Teachers. In 2017, she was a workshop presenter at the IVACON 2017 Voice Teachers Conference in San Diego and also taught two sessions at IVACON 2020.
Laurie's main focus in college was classical musical education and choral conducting and she had the honor of studying with Dr. Kenneth Fulton. Her major instrument was voice and she minored in piano. She has many years of dance experience as well, which she sometimes incorporates into her staging classes. Laurie taught choir at the middle and high school levels in Aldine ISD and Spring ISD, for her first five years of teaching. At the same time she sang with the Houston Symphony Chorus under the direction of Dr. Charles Hausman. In 1992, after moving to Austin, she choreographed choir shows and theater productions for numerous area middle school & high school choirs in Austin ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD and the UT Longhorn Singers, under the direction of Dr. Morris Stevens.
In 1994, She founded the Christian Youth Choral Society of Austin (now known as the (CCSA/CAPA) and taught up to 400 students all over Central Texas. Her choirs won sweepstakes awards at state competitions and they performed for dignitaries. She laid the foundation for an organization that is still in existence over 24 years later.
She started her current private studio in 2006, and now teaches up to 90 private students at a time. She has served on staff as a Vocal Instructor at N2Worship Camps at Hope Chapel in Austin, TX for five years, as well as with numerous churches and worship leaders in Austin and San Antonio, who desire to grow in their musical and vocal abilities so they can lead worship more effectively. She's instructed vocalists for teen and adult rock bands. Laurie is the Co-Founder and Musical Director of Round Rock's Premier A Cappella group, "Gradient", which sadly didn't survive Covid, so she founded a quartet made of herself and three students, "Natural Blend".
Laurie is a native Austinite, and a graduate of McCallum High School. She has been married since 1991. She and her husband, Chas have two very active young adult son, a daughter in law, as well Chas' other kids and 10 grandkids. Together they founded and serve in their weekly community feeding organization called "Love Serve Feed". When she has spare time, Laurie loves developing courses, singing, reading, interior design, creates a winter wonderland at home during the Christmas season, gardening, traveling, fitness and spending lots of time with family and friends.
To read her personal teacher story, check out her award-winning blog on the IVA website:
https://www.vocaladvancement.com/laurie-winckel-iva-teacher-story/
*Excerpt from the IVA Website @ www.vocaladvancement.com
Kat Whitlock, Student /Voice Teacher
Kat Whitlock, who is the artist pictured on my home page, has been a Vocal Edge Studio vocal student for almost ten years. In 2020, enrolled in my teacher training course and has been very active in her training for the past three years. Kat is an experienced Alternative Rock/Pop singer with touring experience with her Austin music scene cover band. She's a songwriter and teacher who has an amazing voice and has developed quite a skill for teaching. She hopes to make singing as enjoyable for you as it is for her. Kat teaches in Round Rock.
You may contact Kat at whitlocksings@gmail.com. Her website is www.katwhitlock.com. Follow her on social media.
Private Voice lessons/ Vocal Coach in Hutto & Online