Cathy Riso has been a professional vocalist, actress, public speaker, motivator, teacher, and student for most of her life. She lives with her husband and 3 children in Santa Clarita, California. Her post-graduate studies include Special Education, Communications Disorders, and Language Development. Cathy has studied voice with internationally-renowned teachers, acted and learned from some of the world's greatest greatest thespians, and played piano since age 6. The combination of her experience and education work together to create a climate of musical and performance education that brings out the strengths of each student while encouraging them to grow in areas that will make them strong performaners but also more positive, self-assured individuals.
Her musical background ranges from classical operatic music to country and western, pop rock and even metal “screaming”. Acting classes draw from both "Method" and more naturalistic techniques and approaches to the craft. Lessons are made up of a combination of exercises (whether to build hand strength and articulation or breathing and vocal agility), audition and performance strategies, and constructive “hints” that lead to a more confident, controlled execution of musical skills. Cathy’s approach is professional, practical, but also personal. Each student is regarded as a precious entity whose gifts and talents are incorporated to build to a greater, more balanced, more self-reliant musician with the traits of a true artist. Please check out my blog at http://cathyriso.blogspot.com/ I never treat any two students the same way. Each one is a custom adventure that allows the student to learn and move toward their personal goal, and at the same time, allows me to monitor their and mold their progress.
