Communication & Collaboration Skills Every Piano and Voice Student Needs
with Solmaaz Adeli, mezzo-soprano and founder of Voice Academy SOL, and Julie Poklewski, founder and CEO of Opus11 School of Music
What really happens before the applause?
Great performances are created long before students walk on stage. Behind every confident performance are skills that help musicians listen, communicate, rehearse, and shape music together.
This interactive workshop gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how successful performances come together. Students will learn how musicians collaborate during rehearsals, choose repertoire, practice effectively, communicate clearly, connect with an audience, and present themselves with confidence onstage.
For pianists and singers, collaboration is especially important. Voice students learn how to work with an accompanist, and pianists learn how to listen, support, and breathe musically with a singer. These skills are rarely taught explicitly, but they can make a powerful difference in recitals, auditions, competitions, and collaborative performances.
Students will learn how to:
- Collaborate confidently as singer and pianist
- Communicate clearly during rehearsals and performances
- Choose repertoire that supports voice-piano collaboration
- Practice effectively together before a performance
- Listen and respond musically to another performer
- Present themselves professionally on stage
- Engage and connect with an audience as a collaborative team
This workshop is perfect for students who:
- Study voice or piano
- Are preparing for recitals, auditions, or competitions
- Want to feel more confident performing with another musician
- Are curious about how professional musicians rehearse and communicate
- Want to build musical confidence, teamwork, and stage presence
Piano and voice students are especially encouraged to attend, and students of all instruments are welcome. No prior ensemble experience is required — just curiosity and a love of music.
Parents will appreciate that this workshop develops not only musical ability, but also communication, listening, teamwork, and stage confidence: skills that extend far beyond music.
