Introducing Craig Juricka

NATS Boston Board Member, Membership

Name: Craig Juricka
Hometown: Mentor, OH
Voice type: Baritone
Performance Genres: Opera, Early Music, and Musical Theater
Number of Years Teaching: 5 years
Singing Genre(s) Taught: Classical, Musical Theater, Jazz, Pop, and Rock
Primary Age of Students: Mainly high school and up - but ranging from 9-82!
Current Teaching Employment: Adjunct Voice Faculty at Walnut Hill School of the Arts, Voice & Piano Teacher at the All Newton Music School, and Voice/Piano Teacher at Amy Dancz Voice Studio. I also maintain a private studio in Cambridge, MA. 

What brought you to singing and then to teaching? 
Brittany Spears. But, truly, I began singing along with her CD’s when I was about 6 years old and knew this was my calling. Fast forward 20 years and I still feel this way, and have made it my career. The moment I decided I wanted to make a career in singing, I was a junior in high school and was cast as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. It was during this experience that I realized I was passionate about performing and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

My journey to teaching was a bit different… I never thought of myself as a teacher until I took a vocal pedagogy class in my undergraduate degree. I fell in love with the science behind singing and wanted to know all I could about it! Then, when I was required to teach a student for the class, I found a new love for teaching and the art of singing. 

What skill(s) do you think are most important when it comes to being a quality voice teacher? 
So many important skills that we as teachers must learn, but I believe a quality voice teacher never stops learning new ones. I think the most valuable skill is being able to listen and diagnose a problem internally for yourself, and then figuring out how to communicate the change you want to a student. This is the art of teaching to me - how we get our students to respond by the way in which we ask for a problem to be fixed. This skill joined with empathy, honesty, and kindness create a rewarding experience for the student and the teacher. ​

To learn more about Craig, visit his website. 

---