“Much healthier vocalist… always feel safe”

“I have grown exponentially while studying voice with Dr. S. In just a few short years, my range has grown in both directions, my voice has become more consistent throughout my range, my mix has developed and strengthened, and I have become a much healthier vocalist. In 2019, I got sick in the middle of a production, and with Dr. S's guidance, I was able to successfully complete the run without feeling like I was hurting myself and without sacrificing the integrity of the show. Dr. S creates a warm, comfortable atmosphere in our lessons together, and I always feel safe taking vocal risks without fear of judgement or ridicule.”

Tony Moreno
2017 Jimmy Award Winner

“Appropriately challenges students with gentle pushes”

“Finding the right vocal coach that understands you, your needs, and your potential isn’t always easy. It wasn’t until my time studying with Dr. Smokovich that I fully realized what my capabilities were. Dr. Smokovich is an extraordinary woman and teacher. She has an incredible talent for explaining and demonstrating abstract concepts in a way that makes sense and feels attainable. She teaches with passion and integrity, and appropriately challenges students with gentle pushes outside of their comfort zones. Dr. Smokovich has not only changed the way I sing, but also the way I think about and approach singing. She’s a gem!” 

Jenna Meadows

“Creative, compassionate, and encouraging teacher”

““Dr Smokovich is the most creative, compassionate, and encouraging teacher I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Some new piece of my voice is discovered in all of my lessons.” 

Xander Mason

“Helped improve my soprano, belt, and mix”

“Doctor Smokovich is a wonderful vocal teacher! She has helped improve my technique so much in just a year and a half! Doctor Smokovich has given me so many wonderful exercises that have helped improve my soprano, belt and mix. I highly recommend Doctor Smokovich as a vocal teacher!”

Camryn Elias

“Humble, holistic, and artistic approach to coaching”

“Dr. Emily Smokovich’s holistic coaching style has completely changed the way I approach singing and my craft as a musical theatre artist. Her vast knowledge of vocal pedagogy, repertoire, and genres allows her to thoughtfully and skillfully individualize every lesson to help me reach my goals as a musical theatre artist. There is not a single lesson I have had during which I do not feel some sense of achievement or new awareness about my technique, craft, or the industry. Dr. Smokovich’s humble, holistic, and artistic approach to coaching has set the stage for some of the most consistent growth I have experienced as an artist. I have trained with a handful of great teachers, but Dr. Emily Smokovich is an exceptional teacher. She has helped me reach new heights I never thought possible.”

John Norton Broda

“Attention to the individual… Selfless teacher”

“In working with Emily Smokovich, as her voice student, this past year I have experienced the most vocal growth I feel I’ve ever accomplished over any course of time with an instructor. I feel that stepping into a voice lesson on a Monday morning could very easily be one of the most stressful and anxiety inducing experiences a performer could endure. You must be able to make yourself entirely vulnerable with your instructor, or progress can’t be made. Emily has always established a very comfortable working environment that was very focused on mindful practice and being able to adjust to how your voice is feeling at any given time. There has never been a lesson, from day one, that I felt self conscious or concerned about what sound I would produce during our time together. She also was able to teach in a specific way that she knew I would understand. Other students and I would always share new exercises and warm ups we had learned from her and it would never cease to amaze me how each person seemed to have specific things they did with Emily that worked especially well for them. It is this attention to the individual that I think was Emily’s greatest attributes as a teacher. 

As a musical theatre major at the University of Michigan, there are usually two Graduate Student Instructors that each teach half of the Freshman class. It didn’t take long to realize that Emily really went the extra mile in making studying voice a well-rounded experience for all of us. For example, she would screen Golden-Age musicals for us to watch with a focus on their execution of the things we study in lessons and studios. This was extremely valuable, because it was a direct application of the study of voice to our particular field. She is truly a selfless teacher in every way. Whether it was her incredible flexibility to reschedule lessons or her going out of her way to organize two concerts (one each semester) for my Freshman classmates and I to have an opportunity to perform, she truly gave all of herself to us. I am so grateful for my time studying voice with this stellar teacher!”

Justin-Hosa Showell
University of Michigan Musical Theatre Major, Class of 2019
Currently in the Hamilton Tour

“Grew so much… technique, range, and confidence”

“I had the privilege of being Emily Smokovich’s student for two semester’s last school year. Emily is a wonderful teacher, with a wealth of knowledge about the voice and music. Initially, she brought me back through the basics, taking time to focus on breath and support. Ensuring that I had this strong foundation to build off of, we then explored different vocal techniques, as well as strengthening the weakest areas of my voice. I grew so much as Emily’s student, and through being in her weekly studio class, I was able to see many of her other students improve immensely as well. Throughout the year, I observed my classmates, all of which had very different voice types, improve greatly in technique, range, and confidence.

Emily is also wonderful in helping students interpret songs, and teaches them to use acting to fuel their vocal choices. She is an incredible mentor and teacher, and I am so grateful that I got to work with her.”

Megumi Nakamura
University of Michigan Musical Theatre Class of 2019

“Absolute expert… equally kindhearted”

“The Musical Theatre majors at the University of Michigan are assigned Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) for voice lessons their Freshmen year. I believe a good voice teacher is of utmost importance for a singer, for without one they are prone to short and long term vocal damage and problems. Thus, I was pretty worried about studying with a GSI, as I was unfamiliar with a typical GSI's level of expertise. My Freshman GSI, Emily Smokovich, not only surpassed my expectations of a GSI, but is so incredible that I can honestly say she is one of the best voice teachers I have ever had.

Emily is an absolute expert in vocal technique. During lessons, she would pick up on the slightest flaw in my placement or posture and correct it right away. Sometimes I would chuckle in disbelief at how a minor adjustment from Emily would immediately improve my sound and ease at producing that sound. At the beginning of the year, I experienced a slight pain in my throat when I sang. After just a semester of Emily instructing me to loosen my jaw, relax my tongue and raise the soft palate, the pain became much less severe, and by the end of the year the pain was practically gone. And, as a result, my sound became much, much more resonant and full. Emily and I worked almost entirely on legit singing throughout the year, and I cannot believe how much my head voice has improved because of her. I would even go so far as to say my head voice is stronger than my belt, something I never would have said before working with Emily.

Emily is also such a hardworking teacher and so devoted to her students. Though she was not required to do so, Emily made sure her voice studio had a group studio class every week, which was extremely beneficial for everyone. She found many pieces of repertoire for me and the other thirteen students in my studio, another way she did more than what was expected of her. But the most amazing way Emily went above and beyond her duties as a GSI was preparing me for summer theatre (summer stock) auditions. As Freshmen, we did not receive much help from the Department when it came time to prepare for summer stock auditions. I expressed my interest in auditioning for summer stock to Emily, and she responded by being nothing but supportive and helpful throughout the entire preparation process. She helped me organize my songbook and choose my songs (which was a gigantic undertaking, as I had to pick songs that could cover a wide array of show genres) and even took time out of her weekend to meet with me and do a mock audition before my first actual summer stock audition. I could not be more grateful to Emily for going out of her way to prepare me for these auditions.

Emily Smokovich is such an amazing teacher and mentor, but also an incredible person. She is always so pleasant and patient, even though she is so busy with her voice students and as a student herself. She is also extremely understanding and nurturing; one day, I came into my voice lesson feeling completely overwhelmed and upset from something that had just happened, and instead of ignoring my feelings or being annoyed at my lack of focus, Emily insisted we discuss what I was feeling, which was exactly what I needed that day. She is equally as kindhearted as she is gifted at teaching, and I feel so lucky to have had my Freshman voice lessons with her. Voice teachers simply don't get better than Emily Smokovich!”

Isabel Stein
University of Michigan Musical Theatre Major, Class of 2019

“Surprised by my growth… felt safe”

“Before coming to the University of Michigan I had worked with the same voice teacher since I was ten years old. Because of the strong relationship I had with that instructor I was nervous to begin studying under someone new. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by my growth as a singer under the tutelage of Emily. She filled the same role my previous teacher had and created a real relationship with me so that I felt safe working and learning. I would most definitely feel comfortable going to her with any problem – whether it involved singing or not. However, the most important impact Emily has had on my education thus far has been on the growth of my voice. I came to Michigan purely as a belter who was starting to discover her mix. Now, as a second semester Sophomore, I am most comfortable working on Soprano rep and singing in a Mix. I had no idea my voice would mature so much and feel as effortless as it does now when I arrived here, and that is purely due to Emily.” 

Nevada Koenig
University of Michigan MT Major, Class of 2019
Last seen on the National Tour of Cats