The Authentic Voice
Hello! I'm Dawn and I specialize in helping students of all ages reveal their AUTHENTIC VOICE!!! This means I do not try to make you sound like someone else, but rather give you the tools you need to connect with your own unique voice. My teaching is based in practical body awareness, Speech Level Singing, and Bel Canto Technique along with specific goal setting and positive mindset tools that can make a huge difference in confidence level. As an experienced Master Teacher, I have logged over 12,500 hours teaching music lessons! I work with students who sing classical music, jazz, musical theater, pop, folk, opera, country, and just about every genre there is. My philosophy is that you have to find your authentic voice and inner confidence for any genre to work. Please read by bio below to find out more about me and my training. I teach at my home studio in Oconomowoc, WI. If you have any questions about my studio or my teaching philosophy, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Bio - Dawn Riesing received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin - Superior and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. She also earned her teaching certification for general and choral music from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Dawn has taught private voice lessons since 1999. Her students have performed roles with several regional companies including the Florentine Opera Company, Skylight Theater, Milwaukee Rep, Waukesha Civic Theater, UW-Waukesha Theater, Sunset Playhouse, Theatre on Main, West Allis Players, the Box Theater, and Lake Country Playhouse. Several of her students have attained the prestigious Exemplary Soloist Award at WSMA state competition, have been finalists at the Wisconsin NATS competition, and have won the Honorable Mention Award with the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Dawn's students have gone on to receive music scholarships at many colleges and universities, such as Luther College, St. Olaf College, NYU, Belmont University, Roosevelt University, Viterbo University, and UW-Madison. Dawn has also taught Kids on Keys, Toddler Tunes, and Music for Kids classes at Hartland Music, and was a choir director for 3 years at North Lake School.
From 1996-2010, Dawn worked as a semi-professional opera singer with several regional companies. With the Florentine Opera Company she sang the main stage roles of Second Apparition in Macbeth and the Cousin in Madama Butterfly, the outreach role of First Lady in The Magic Flute, numerous performances in their "Opera by the Lake" and "Opera in the Courtyard" summer series, Festa Italiana, and Germanfest. She performed the main stage roles of La Fee in Cendrillon, Madame Goldentrill in The Impressario, and Adina in L'elisir D'Amore with Milwaukee Opera Theater. She toured with Opera for the Young in the roles of Queen of the Night, Pamina, First Lady, and Second Lady in their production of The Magic Flute and sang the role of Fiordiligi in Bowen Park Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte. The highlight of her performing career was working with Mark Adamo, composer of Little Women, as Beth in the Skylight Opera Theatre's production. Awards include 2nd place in the Buckeye Chapter NATS Auditions and 4th place in the Great Lakes Regional NATS Auditions. In 1998 she won the Joan Kreitzer Snyder Award and the Romany Singers' Award at the district Metropolitan Opera Auditions. From 2003-2007 Dawn was the General Director/Artistic Director/Production Manager of Milwaukee Opera Theater.
As well as private studio teaching and professional singing, Dawn has worked as a music director, choir and general music school teacher, General Director of Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and district sales manager at a national print music company. She is a Certified Life Coach who specializes in assisting clients of all ages in revealing their inner confidence.
From 1996-2010, Dawn worked as a semi-professional opera singer with several regional companies. With the Florentine Opera Company she sang the main stage roles of Second Apparition in Macbeth and the Cousin in Madama Butterfly, the outreach role of First Lady in The Magic Flute, numerous performances in their "Opera by the Lake" and "Opera in the Courtyard" summer series, Festa Italiana, and Germanfest. She performed the main stage roles of La Fee in Cendrillon, Madame Goldentrill in The Impressario, and Adina in L'elisir D'Amore with Milwaukee Opera Theater. She toured with Opera for the Young in the roles of Queen of the Night, Pamina, First Lady, and Second Lady in their production of The Magic Flute and sang the role of Fiordiligi in Bowen Park Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte. The highlight of her performing career was working with Mark Adamo, composer of Little Women, as Beth in the Skylight Opera Theatre's production. Awards include 2nd place in the Buckeye Chapter NATS Auditions and 4th place in the Great Lakes Regional NATS Auditions. In 1998 she won the Joan Kreitzer Snyder Award and the Romany Singers' Award at the district Metropolitan Opera Auditions. From 2003-2007 Dawn was the General Director/Artistic Director/Production Manager of Milwaukee Opera Theater.
As well as private studio teaching and professional singing, Dawn has worked as a music director, choir and general music school teacher, General Director of Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and district sales manager at a national print music company. She is a Certified Life Coach who specializes in assisting clients of all ages in revealing their inner confidence.
