Meet Mary Helen Schmidt | Voice Teacher, Vocal Coach & Performer
We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Helen Schmidt and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mary Helen, what do you want people to remember about you?
When I think about all the music and voice teachers I’ve had throughout my life, I’m reminded of the many ways they have been there for me like no-one else during some of the hardest moments and darkest periods of my life:
When I was a broke, teenage highschool-graduate, ousted from my family and living on my own, desperate for a college education but having no way to pay for it, it was collegiate choir director Nancy Cornish who stepped in and offered me a full tuition music scholarship. I vividly remember our conversation we that Fall as I sat down in her campus office during the first week of school and sadly informed her that I wouldn’t be joining the choir after all. I couldn’t afford tuition or books for a full course load so I would be enrolling in only one class my first semester. I hoped to work and save up enough money to start school “for real” in the spring. Nancy’s first response was a flabbergasted “What do you mean you can’t afford it???”
I was taken aback by the question, so I just repeated “I can’t afford it.” Nancy looked at me in consternation for a moment, waiting for me to explain. Then she said, “But… you shouldn’t have to pay for anything!” She went on to tell me that the music department had several full-tuition music scholarships available for music students and she was, quite frankly, rather shocked and dismayed–not with me, but with the fact that I hadn’t been awarded the scholarship already! I remember being confused because I didn’t even know the scholarship existed, nor that I qualified, nor how to apply. But when Nancy discovered that I was in need and unable to attend college without it, she not only gave me the information and recommended me for the scholarship but also walked me through the entire process, from applying and obtaining to registering for classes. I remember she told me “You don’t even have to complete the full music program to keep the scholarship, you just have to declare a Music Major and take the required number of music credits per semester and you can study any other subject you want!”
And that wasn’t the end of her kindness. Come summer, when she discovered I didn’t have a place to live, she asked me “as a favor to her” to stay at her house and care for her lawn while she was away back east. She furnished a bedroom for me and asked me back the next summer as well, allowing me to save up money from working instead of spending everything I made on housing. This is just who Nancy is; she’s kind. And not only to me, she would bend over backwards to help any student in need in any way she could. She just cares. She couldn’t abide the thought of young people being left with needs unmet and no educational opportunities, so she did what she could to provide when she had the means.
A few years later, I transferred to a private university in a larger city–a place where upper-middle-class legacy students ruled the school while sleeping through class on their daddy’s dime and I was reminded daily that I would never fully belong. The majority of the music faculty seemed largely skeptical of whether or not I deserved to be there and doubtful of whether I’d truly have what it takes, chiping away at what little hard-won self-confidence I’d managed to build thus far and reinforcing my already crippling feelings of self-doubt. There, it was my Vocal Performance Professor and Voice Teacher RubyAnn Poulson who believed in me from day one. She championed me with the music department and stuck with me until I could prove myself capable to even my harshest critics (including myself). Through all of my tears, fears, and failures, RubyAnn never gave up on me. Not once. Even during the moments when I felt ready to give up on myself. She told me, years later after successfully
In addition to vocal training, technique, musicianship, and pedagogy, RubyAnn is the one who taught me how to change my negative self-talk and give myself grace when faced with my own failures and imperfections–to embrace them even! She taught me to allow myself to be “in-process”, trusting that my imperfect efforts would eventually produce results. She urged me often to let myself be free to make mistakes and allow my voice to make “ugly sounds” if it wants to, honoring them as important parts of the process. Thereby she removed the shame and fear of failure and empowered me to progress and achieve things I never believed I was capable of. It was also RubyAnn who gave me the opportunity to complete the by-invitation-only vocal performance exchange program in New York City that ultimately altered the entire course of my life.
It was RubyAnn’s Voice Teacher, Sherri Anderson, who worked with me in NYC and really saw me right away. As a highly empathetic, soulful woman, she was able to identify with me immediately, both as a sensitive, intuitive artist as well as a somewhat lost and hurting young woman, bewildered, overwhelmed, and facing an uncertain future. She knew that I was held back, not by lack of talent or skill (which are the things I believed I lacked), but by my constant internal struggle for self-worth. Sherri too looked right at me and said “It’s hard for people like us, isn’t it. Because we feel a lot.” And, as she worked with me patiently, “…That’s it! See? We just need to know that we really can do it! You are good enough.” And in that moment, I saw myself through the eyes of my voice teachers for the first time and realised that they saw me as every bit as capable a singer as themselves or any of the singers they taught. They saw me as like them. They related to me. Sherri and RubyAnn didn’t see me at all as defective, incompetent, talentless, or inferior–the way that I saw myself. It was Sherri’s seemingly small statement that revealed to me for the very first time that the only thing holding me back from the vocal freedom and expression I aspired to was my own lack of self-confidence and belief in my own voice and abilities. I cannot express the profound freedom and courage that was gifted to me in that singular moment.
RubyAnn remained my voice teacher, mentor, and close friend even after university graduation. She oversaw me as I taught my very first voice student, learning how to lesson plan, choose repertoire pieces, and tailor each lesson to my student’s individual needs and goals. She hired me to do odd jobs on the weekends when I needed the extra cash and she needed the help. And her door was always open to me whenever I needed her encouragement, wisdom and advice, or just a friendly chat or catch up session over coffee or a meal.
When I think about each of these admirable, extraordinary, powerful women, this is the legacy of kindness, empathy and strength that I remember. More than simply excellent teachers or accomplished singers and musicians, I remember them as some of the most kind, decent, loving, human-beings I’ve ever known. Just people who cared and, through small actions, were able to empower and uplift me and so many others at pivotal moments in ways that have marked our lives forever. This is the kind of legacy to which I can only hope to aspire and how I would love to be remembered.
What should our readers know about your business?
I am a voice teacher, vocal coach and performer and I teach private voice lessons for Singers, Actors, and Speakers. I offer both in-person and remote lessons to students of all age groups (from around 10 years old and up) and work with a wide variety of skill levels. I believe that singing, and/or using your voice to its fullest potential, is a skill that anyone can learn so long as they have both the desire and the drive to show up and do the hard work.
Singing, while a very mechanical, biophysical, and physiological process is also a very personal, creative, psychological and often vulnerable mode of expression. Because I wasn’t raised to believe in myself nor to feel like I was capable of accomplishing difficult things, I understand what it’s like to be held back–paralyzed even–by fear of failure and lack of self-confidence. I also understand what a huge difference it makes for just one person to believe in you and to patiently walk beside you, supporting each halting step forward, as you build self-worth and find the courage to pursue goals and dreams. I want to be one of those people for my students. I want to create a safe space where students feel free to try new things and make mistakes without fear of rejection or ridicule. Because that is the space in which new discoveries can be made and growth and progress are the results.
What I hope sets me apart is that I strive for a very student-centered approach to teaching. I do my best to ensure that each student’s unique personality, needs, experiences, and goals set the tone for each lesson. Not every student feels and understands things in the same way and not all students share the same goals regarding outcome or performance. I never want my process to become a one-size-fits-all constraint that limits students instead of empowering them.
The experience of singing, speaking, or performing in a vocal medium is much different than the experience of listening to or observing a vocal performance. As humans, we don’t sing or speak via listening to ourselves externally, rather we do so via the internal sensations we experience when we produce sound. Learning to be in tune with how something “feels” on the inside–rather than over-monitoring what it sounds like on the outside–is one of the biggest hurdles that must be overcome in order to achieve vocal freedom and dexterity. Therefore, it is very important that the student be empowered to observe, understand, and express what is happening for them on the inside (I.e. what feels good or doesn’t, makes sense or doesn’t, works or doesn’t, etc.) and to let that feedback help direct where the lesson or course of training will go next. The more in-tune with their own instrument a student becomes, the greater their vocal success.
What excites and energizes me the most about this work is the opportunity to enable students to pursue something they feel passionately about–but may be a little held back from by fear–and help them discover that they really can do it! Seeing a student make a new breakthrough and realize that they can suddenly do something with ease that they thought before was impossible for them is incredibly inspiring and motivating. I am most proud of my students who came to me as absolute beginners, some not even able to match pitch at first, who showed up every week, put in the time and effort to build a vocal technique from the ground up, and can now sing beautifully with freedom and confidence.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, well, this is LA and there’s a LOT here. So that makes it much harder to choose what to highlight.
I would say one of the best places to go to hear new music and listen to both local as well as more well-known artists and bands is the Viper Room on the sunset strip. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a mediocre or bad performance there and I love it so much. There is so much diverse talent and artistry here, so there’s something for almost anyone to enjoy.
I also love standup comedy and this city has many venues. The Flapper Room in Burbank is a great spot.
Oh! And for those who enjoy community events and the visual arts, whether creating or simply observing and appreciating, there is the Pasadena Art Festival. I believe it’s usually held once a year over Father’s Day Weekend and anyone in the community can sign up for a piece of sidewalk to use as your own personal chalk art canvas. I love going to see what everyone has come up with and have a few friends who like to participate as a creative outlet for their artistic talents. The talent in this city is enormous and you will see a wide range of fun, funny, creative, moving, and/or powerful chalk art exhibits here.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate this Shoutout to some loving mentors and parental-type figures that have been there for me in pivotal ways throughout my journey:
First, of course, to my wonderful Voice Teachers and Music Mentors: Nancy Cornish, RubyAnn Poulson and Sherri Anderson – for all the ways you have touched my life and for giving me the tools to follow in your footsteps.
To Sheila Sutton MFT – For your kindness, dedication and sacrifice in donating your services when my mental health desperately needed it and finances were tight. I found a new level of emotional breakthrough and internal stability that enabled me to start and sustain my own business in large part because of you.
To Kevin “Mac” McClure – For being one of the “safe adults” in my young life. For believing in me and standing up for me when I needed it most. For lending me your counsel with wisdom and compassion. For keeping me in your prayers and being a consistent source of kindness, encouragement and support to me even though you have plenty of children and grandchildren of your own to command your time and attention.
To Grandma Carol – For lovinging me unconditionally and being proud of everything I do. For passing on your love of music, indomitable spirit, and sense of adventure to me. For spending quality time with me and never neglecting to say “I love you”.
To Nanna Palumbo – For being one of the first adults to love me and think I’m special just for existing. For buying me new clothes when all I had was worn-out hand-me-downs. For helping me pay off my last year of school and for always wanting the best for me.
And finally, to my Father, Jay Schmidt – For always being willing to own up to your own mistakes, failures, and imperfections while also trying your hardest to change and do better. For being willing to learn and grow with age even though it is painful, frightening, and uncomfortable. For watching movies with me on Facetime all throughout the pandemic and for reaching out to all of your children in the ways you know how in order to remind us that you care. And last, but not least, for driving hours to come to all of my post-college plays and musicals–turns out you’re my number one fan!
Website: https://linktr.ee/schmidtvocalstudios
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtvocalstudios/
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/maryhelenschmidt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchmidtVocalStudios
Youtube: https://youtu.be/VtjBpgQktc4
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