About Us
Why Does Better World Music School Exist?
- "I believe that learning music should be fun & easy, not boring and painful."
- "My goal is to bring music into your home and give your family a priceless gift that can last a lifetime."
Kathleen Saffas, Director
Better World Music School Foundation Trust, An Express Trust Organization
Background
I endured years of PLMT - "Painful Learning Music Torture" - while taking piano lessons as a young person. I was dropped as "hopeless" by 4 of my 5 piano teachers. My teachers were not very motivating, and I did not like practicing: what a great combination! Endless repetitious scales and songs I did not like often caused me to want to quit. You can be thankful that my dad, Durland Skinner, himself a music instructor in the San Leandro school system, was not open to that "idea". He actually forced me to practice and continue! What kind of parent would DO that? ;0)
As I progressed in my piano and singing abilities in college, I further endured "music history", the boring recitation of names, dates, and places of famous baroque composers and compositions. I hated it!
But I loved piano, and I loved singing. After three years at Holy Names college, I spent my fourth year at Cal State in Hayward and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in music. I would describe my voice at that time as "pretty, but weak".
What Changed
Things really started to change as I pursued further learning on my own. I took voice lessons for eight years with a noted voice coach from Germany, Dietrich Erbelding. He helped me develop a very powerful voice (I don't need a microphone anymore), increase my range tremendously, and learn a technique he developed called "point and curl", which allows you to develop artistry in your singing.
Further Breakthroughs
I was also privileged to study the Jo Estill Voice Training System, when she personally taught it. With the use of laryngoscopes, Jo could see what was actually going on with the vocal chords, soft palate, velar port and other muscles (ari-epiglottal sphincter), as great singers naturally used then-untaught techniques to regulate their power, sing in different music styles and color (pop, belting, country, rock n' roll, opera,) and increase their range. This was in complete contraindication to what the colleges were teaching at the time, and sadly, it is still the case for the most part!
This studying allows me to listen to almost any singer, live or recorded, and tell you which parts of their voice they are using either properly, or improperly, and what they need to do to make improvement right now. I can often help them make beneficial changes in one lesson. I am currently developing a Master Class to help all of our teachers learn these skills. Check out one professional's comments on how she helped him here.
Why I Started Better World Music School
Through my advanced training I realized there was a better way to teach and to learn music: improved teaching methods and improved teacher attitudes could make learning easier, and fun! I felt, that like myself, students would not enjoy endless repetitious scales and learning songs from the 17th & 18th centuries! They would prefer an easier way to learn, and they would want to learn on modern songs that THEY liked, not songs their teachers or a school board liked! I wanted to use these skills to bring the many joys of music into more homes and families of my community - valuable skills that can last students a lifetime. I now had the tools that would enable me to make learning to sing or play an instrument easier and fun. This is my "why", the reason why Better World Music School exists. I hope you have the opportunity to make our School part of your family's future. This "why" of mine is something I am trying to imbue in the multi-talented teachers at Better World Music School.
Drop-in or Schedule a Visit
Better World Music School is located in downtown Hayward, a hop, skip & jump from Castro Valley. We have our own private parking lot, and nearby on and off-street parking is readily available. Call 510-828-222 for an appointment to see school teaching rooms, comfortable wifi waiting rooms, and our Private Recital Hall - or just drop by between 2pm and 8pm Monday - Saturday. Ask for Janice, Monday thru Friday, or Fiona on Saturdays. Lessons are going on 7 days a week.
Lessons: 2pm - 8pm Monday - Saturday; other times on Sunday
Location: 22793 Foothill Boulevard, Hayward California (right next to Castro Valley)
I endured years of PLMT - "Painful Learning Music Torture" - while taking piano lessons as a young person. I was dropped as "hopeless" by 4 of my 5 piano teachers. My teachers were not very motivating, and I did not like practicing: what a great combination! Endless repetitious scales and songs I did not like often caused me to want to quit. You can be thankful that my dad, Durland Skinner, himself a music instructor in the San Leandro school system, was not open to that "idea". He actually forced me to practice and continue! What kind of parent would DO that? ;0)
As I progressed in my piano and singing abilities in college, I further endured "music history", the boring recitation of names, dates, and places of famous baroque composers and compositions. I hated it!
But I loved piano, and I loved singing. After three years at Holy Names college, I spent my fourth year at Cal State in Hayward and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in music. I would describe my voice at that time as "pretty, but weak".
What Changed
Things really started to change as I pursued further learning on my own. I took voice lessons for eight years with a noted voice coach from Germany, Dietrich Erbelding. He helped me develop a very powerful voice (I don't need a microphone anymore), increase my range tremendously, and learn a technique he developed called "point and curl", which allows you to develop artistry in your singing.
Further Breakthroughs
I was also privileged to study the Jo Estill Voice Training System, when she personally taught it. With the use of laryngoscopes, Jo could see what was actually going on with the vocal chords, soft palate, velar port and other muscles (ari-epiglottal sphincter), as great singers naturally used then-untaught techniques to regulate their power, sing in different music styles and color (pop, belting, country, rock n' roll, opera,) and increase their range. This was in complete contraindication to what the colleges were teaching at the time, and sadly, it is still the case for the most part!
This studying allows me to listen to almost any singer, live or recorded, and tell you which parts of their voice they are using either properly, or improperly, and what they need to do to make improvement right now. I can often help them make beneficial changes in one lesson. I am currently developing a Master Class to help all of our teachers learn these skills. Check out one professional's comments on how she helped him here.
Why I Started Better World Music School
Through my advanced training I realized there was a better way to teach and to learn music: improved teaching methods and improved teacher attitudes could make learning easier, and fun! I felt, that like myself, students would not enjoy endless repetitious scales and learning songs from the 17th & 18th centuries! They would prefer an easier way to learn, and they would want to learn on modern songs that THEY liked, not songs their teachers or a school board liked! I wanted to use these skills to bring the many joys of music into more homes and families of my community - valuable skills that can last students a lifetime. I now had the tools that would enable me to make learning to sing or play an instrument easier and fun. This is my "why", the reason why Better World Music School exists. I hope you have the opportunity to make our School part of your family's future. This "why" of mine is something I am trying to imbue in the multi-talented teachers at Better World Music School.
Drop-in or Schedule a Visit
Better World Music School is located in downtown Hayward, a hop, skip & jump from Castro Valley. We have our own private parking lot, and nearby on and off-street parking is readily available. Call 510-828-222 for an appointment to see school teaching rooms, comfortable wifi waiting rooms, and our Private Recital Hall - or just drop by between 2pm and 8pm Monday - Saturday. Ask for Janice, Monday thru Friday, or Fiona on Saturdays. Lessons are going on 7 days a week.
Lessons: 2pm - 8pm Monday - Saturday; other times on Sunday
Location: 22793 Foothill Boulevard, Hayward California (right next to Castro Valley)