If you’ve scheduled a lesson at Collingswood Sound, chances are you’ve spoken to Sienna Averett! But did you know that she is also a Voice, Piano, Beginning Guitar, Songwriting and Early Childhood Education teacher, as well as a singer-songwriter in the Philadelphia area? You can find Sienna performing with her band, Sienna Celeste, throughout Philadelphia venues. Sienna’s a highly rated teacher at Collingswood Sound - read on to find about her thoughts on teaching, life and performing!
About Sienna
I teach voice, piano, songwriting, beginning guitar and early childhood education classes - and I am the co-founder of Collingswood Sound Music Lessons! I graduated from the University of the Arts with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance, with honors and the highest academic award. While at UArts, I specialized in performance, music education, music theory, and vocal health. I studied jazz, classical, pop, musical theatre, and various other styles, which I incorporate into my teaching. For voice lessons, I teach my students to have a strong technical foundation which is a necessity for pursuing any style of singing, and I love teaching because sharing my passion for music with students is an incredible feeling. I also write my own music, and am working towards releasing an album! From an early age, I always loved being on the stage, and can now be found performing at venues all over the Philadelphia area performing my own original music with my band Sienna Celeste.
When did you start playing music, what brought you to it?
Singing has always been a part of my life, ever since I learned to talk I was singing around the house. From singing the ABC's, to making up songs on the spot, this lead to me eventually taking voice lessons when I was 9. I performed in many musicals and took dance lessons, so I felt very comfortable on the stage and always wanted to be performing. I knew I would be a singer from a very young age, but it was not until right before I auditioned for college that I realized music could be my career. I ended up switching my intended college major from Musical Theatre to Music during my audition process. I knew I made the right choice as soon as I got to college and met so many creative and like-minded individuals who all shared my love for music.
What are some musical goals you hope to achieve in the future?
I am in the planning stages of releasing an album of original music, which I have been writing over the past year. My goal is to continue to perform these songs, and new music, with different musicians from the area. I also want to continue to expand my musical knowledge by learning different instruments, and to continue to grow as an artist and songwriter.
What is a musical obstacle that you remember overcoming? How did you overcome it?
One of the hardest obstacles I overcame was my confidence. As a singer, your style, tone and musical expression are so personal, because it all comes down to your voice. I did not sound like the typical pop singer I grew up hearing on the radio, and it took years for me to be okay with that. One day I realized that sounding different than the “typical singer” was a good thing, and I began to love my voice the way it was.
What style(s) of music do you like to play the most? Why?
My first love was musical theatre, which I predominantly sang growing up. I was in musicals growing up, I enjoyed performing songs that required emotion and had stories behind them. When I went to college, I found my voice in jazz and indie-pop, which influenced my taste in music and my writing style. I believe it is important find the story behind every song, especially non-musical theatre pieces, so that an audience can connect to the performer and feel the emotion they convey.
Interested in a lesson with Sienna? You can sign up for lessons for Voice, Piano, Beginning Guitar, and Songwriting by following the link below and choosing Sienna as your preferred teacher!