Katherine Kaufman Posner Endorsements
Master Teacher of Voice

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What is Bel Canto?
I teach Bel Canto. Bel canto translates as “beautiful song.” Actually, it is several things.
About Katherine
A proponent of a functional approach to singing, based on an understanding of the nature and physiology of the vocal mechanism. Her teaching brings about a transformative experience leading to healthy, free, and beautiful singing.
Why do I teach singing?
I teach singing because I consider singing to be a tremendously BIG DEAL. There is an ancient tradition that sound is spirit in action. If so, then making sound is an act of expressing the spirit in us. I believe this. Our voices express our very nature and creative power.
Wait! Breathe! Sing!
A short video documentary, detailing Katherine’s teaching style, vocal style, and singing technique along with 10 tracks from "Sweet Harmony" by Katherine Kaufman Posner.
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“Katherine has both an amazing ear and inestimable understanding of the vocal apparatus. When you put those two together, you have someone who can listen to the sounds a student produces, watch the way the sound is produced, watch the involvement of the body in the production, and translate that into the HOW to do it in a correct and healthy manner. She is also someone I would call a natural purist – by which I mean she insists that the sound a student produces is defined by the nature of his or her own vocal apparatus, and not just produced by mimicking someone else’s notion of the “right” sound.
Katherine has a performance, stage-side background with which to cultivate the artistic, performance aspect of singing within her students. One of the humorous songs from the Broadway musical, Brigadoon, speaks about the poet who “only writes about the things he cannot do.” It is sad that many excellent voice teachers cannot perform and many performers cannot teach; but in Katherine, you have a musician who does both very well.
Many vocal studios are run by fear, intimidation, and “artistic temperament.” Katherine just does not run that kind of studio. She runs a studio of technical and artistic skill as well as one that is infinitely encouraging. One day I had been listening to a long succession of student voices that were far, far away from my idea of beautiful voices, and I asked Katherine how she could find such encouraging things to say to those students. Her response blew me away, but spoke so much about who she is. She said, “It’s easy – I hear the voice as it will be.” Most of us hear what is, but Katherine hears what is potential. If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study with Katherine, don’t bother to think about it – just say, “thank you,” and run with it!”
“One of the most important lessons I learned from Katherine is that during the process of vocal growth and practice one can embrace any vocal fault. A squeak, or bump in the sound is not something to be afraid of. Exactly the opposite, here is the opportunity to improve and strengthen a weakness. An unattractive sound on a note you may have been hoping to reach is a beginning that can and will blossom into something tremendous and beautiful if the study is approached in the correct manner. However, obsession over the “correct” manner of singing should be avoided. Over thinking can encumber the voice. Yes, hear the pitch but be open to any sound that comes out. Great sounds will be uncovered when we release with freedom and abandon.
I learned the voice will not tire as quickly when it is used properly. I learned that a voice can gain endurance through regular study and application to appropriate repertoire. While one hopes to achieve better high notes and low notes, the beauty in the middle of the voice is most important. Being with Katherine helps one to strive to be part of the classical music making world where music is an art form that must constantly be refined and brought to a higher level. She teaches the love of music of the great singers and musicians who have come before us.”
“When you met me, I was a frightened young fellow. I had gone into the practice room, knowing that how I was singing was incorrect, and basically just yelled until I got hoarse, unbalancing whatever shred of coordination I had, and was supposed to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Music—only, I couldn’t sing! I remember your being still for me (because I really couldn’t be too still inside at that time), and taking me lesson by lesson to a place of the beginning of vocal health. So, thanks for all you did for me back then. You were a very important and vital part of my vocal understanding and development, and I’ll always be grateful that our paths crossed. I can only imagine how many singers you’ve helped since me.”
“From a technical standpoint, Katherine avoids all the nonsense of placement, the soft pallet lifting inanity in favor of true aspects of singing. She says, “If all of these (aspects) are correct, the voice takes care of itself”. Scary enough, it is true. Since I have been taking lessons from Katherine, about two and a half years, I have had colleagues ask “where did you learn to sing like that? It looks so easy for you. You just open your mouth and sing.” My response is, “Its magic.” Then I tell them what Katherine tells me…all I concentrate on is pitch, vowel, and rhythm. I allow the voice to do the rest. They look at me as if I have two heads. I know people think it can’t be that easy, but it is. What is difficult is breaking away from “helping” the voice and trusting that what one has been given by God is better than anything we can make happen. What is difficult is letting go and trusting that the voice knows what to do. Katherine trains her students to let go and only think pitch, vowel, and rhythm. I have had good teachers throughout my career, but I can honestly say Katherine is the best. She tells singers what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. She stays true to her art and teaches one to stay true to their art, no matter where it leads. I am honored to call her my friend, colleague, and most of all Teacher.”
“… perhaps I should mention what to me is obvious: You are a brilliant teacher, and if I manage to become a great singer, you deserve a lot of credit. I believe you are the first person who ever told me, especially after having heard me sing for all of five minutes, that I have “unlimited talent” and “can do whatever I like when it comes to singing.” That was very, very encouraging, because I knew you were being completely honest. You are such a gift, Katherine. Thanks for letting me be your student.”
It is with great pleasure that I…recommend to you Katherine Posner, as singer and voice teacher.
Katherine and I began our careers together at the Santa Fe Opera. She was a National Winner in the Metropolitan Opera auditions and we studied with the same teacher in New York for a number of years.
Katherine is a very good teacher, equipped with a complete understanding of the (vocal) mechanism and extraordinarily well versed in strategies and procedures to nourish and evolve young singers. She is very dedicated to her students’ paths of development.
Katherine also has a very good knowledge of languages and diction, and vocal literature, as well, from both her singing and her teaching experience. She, herself, is a fine actress and well able to instill stage skills in her students. Possessing a strong intelligence and charming personality, I commend her to you without reservation.”
“I was very pleased to see your website,,,, I really like your clarity of describing Bel Canto and making it appealing to a diversity of ages. I wish you continued success in your teaching.”
My Inspiration
Many talented singers have inspired me over the years, probably too many to mention. There are those, however, that deserve special mention and are listed here:
Sopranos
- Luisa Tetrazzini
- Mary Garden
- Amelita Galli-Curci
- Alma Gluck
- Frida Leider
- Kirsten Flagstad
- Rosa Ponselle
- Hellen Traubel
- Zinka Milanov
- Dorothy Kirsten
- Eleanor Steber
- Birgit Nilsson
- Eileen Farrell
- Renata Tebaldi
- Leonie Rysanek
- Regine Crespin
- Montserrat Caballe
- Martina Arroyo
- Teresa Stratas
Mezzo-sopranos
- Gladys Swarthout
- Jennie Tourel
- Ebe Stigniani
- Regina Resnik
- Christa Ludwig
- Rosalind Elias
- Teresa Berganza
Contraltos
- Ernestine Schumann-Heink
- Louise Homer
- Maureen Forrester
Tenors
- Enrico Caruso
- Leo Slezak
- John McCormack
- Tito Schipa
- Beniamino Gigli
- Lauritz Melchior
- Jan Peerce
- Josef Schmidt
- Jussi Bjoerling
- Nicolai Gedda
- Jon Vickers
- Fritz Wunderlich
- Luciano Pavarotti
- Placido Domingo
Baritones
- Tita Ruffo
- Lawrence Tibbett
- Leonard Warren
- Herman Prey
Basses
- Feodor Chaliapin
- Ezio Pinza
- George London
- Cesare Siepi
- Giorgio Tozzi
- Norman Treigle
- Walter Berry
- Thomas Quasthoff
Reviews for Katherine’s Vocal Performance
“Katherine Kaufman captivated…She gave notice of a major talent.”
– Los Angeles Times
“The hit of the evening was Katherine Kaufman. Her voiced matched… her ability to communicate with the audience.”
– OPERA, London
“…the most brilliant was Katherine Kaufman…strong-voiced, well-controlled and superbly comic…”
– Oakland Tribune
“beauty and clarity of voice…a flair for both comedy and drama.”
– Duluth News-Tribune
“Miss Kaufman sang the difficult role with great fire and beauty.”
– Jacksonville Tribune
“…extremely gifted as a singer, musician and actress.”
– Boris Goldovsky, Goldovsky Opera Theatre
“….attractive musicianship and a gift for the stage.”
– Carlton Gauld, Opera Comique (Paris)
Reviews
“Katherine Kaufman captivated…She gave notice of a major talent.“
“The hit of the evening was Katherine Kaufman. Her voiced matched… her ability to communicate with the audience.”
“…the most brilliant was Katherine Kaufman…strong-voiced, well-controlled and superbly comic…”
A Special Thank You:
I am a disciple of the world-renowned Cornelius Reid, rediscoverer of the principles of the bel canto tradition. I was also was fortunate to study under the great Elisabeth Parham who was a professor of voice at Oklahoma University, and who guided me to a national award in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions. I will always be grateful to these two teachers who changed my life and made it possible for me not only to be successful as a singer, but also to teach in a way that enables the human voice to be as nature intended, to function correctly and therefore to be beautiful and free.
Contact me today!
You CAN improve your singing!
Tel: (984) 480-7643