Jacob Minter
“Two of the hardest words to rhyme are ‘life’ and ‘love.’ Of all words!”
–Stephen Sondheim
About Jacob
Jacob always been singing, for as long as anyone can remember, and found community theater and music in Vermont at a young age. Jacob pursued music in many styles and across several instruments before getting a Bachelor’s of Music in Composition from Ithaca College’s School of Music in 2016. In the years since, he has taught and music directed, composed and led ensembles for Off-Broadway musical theater and several short films, traveled internationally to teach and compose at arts residencies in Finland, Iceland and Slovakia, and sung rock, pop, R&B, and country on cruise ships. Jacob can usually be found over a keyboard or a microphone, but takes the odd break to get lost in forests and mountains when possible.
Jacob’s’s Instructional Approach
I believe everyone has a capacity for music, and seek to find best ways to communicate healthy technique while engaging with a student’s interests. I have a particular focus on voice biomechanics and fitness, and have taught and directed vocalists across a range of ages, working heavily with middle/intermediate school children in musical theater for several years. I have a strong history and capability on the piano, and middling ability in a wide range of other instruments. Everyone connects to different facets of music, and I’m always tailoring lessons to a student’s interests, and where they intersect with building understanding and technique that suits their goals.
Practice Technique
Metronome and media – if a piece is starting to feel stale or overpracticed, find different interpretations of a piece and ways to analyze it, then do all of them with a strict metronome. Helps break down difficult details and passages.
Favorite Tunes
- Rock – “Heartbreaker” – Pat Benatar
- Pop – “Apart Together” – Tim Minchin
- Funk – “Tell Me Something Good” – Rufus & Chaka Kahn
- Jazz – Evening of Jazz with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea
- Theatre/Opera – “Wozzeck” by Alan Berg
