Sienna Averett
Teaches Voice, Piano, & Early Childhood Classes
About Sienna
I teach voice, piano, and early childhood classes. 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. 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.
“I love teaching because sharing my passion for music with students is an incredible feeling.”
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 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.
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 start performing these songs 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 other instruments, aside from the ones you teach, have you played before?
Besides voice and piano, I taught myself basic guitar and ukulele during college, and took beginning drum lessons and played hand percussion.
What are some of your favorite teaching moments?
When a student brings in a song they are really excited to work on. Often, I will see students bring in a piece they think will be too difficult or they are unsure if they can perform it. Being able to help them succeed and play their favorite piece or sing their favorite song is very rewarding.
What advice could you give to someone who has just begun learning music?
Practice, practice, practice! It might seem like it is very time consuming, but the pay off is incredible. I always try to find songs for students to work on that they enjoy, which makes practicing more fun. Spending a little time practicing every day, or a few times a week, can make a big difference.
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.