The New CCM Voice Pedagogy Institute

🎭 NEW ONLINE COURSES AT THE CCM INSTITUTE! 🎶
Due to popular demand, we’re excited to offer TWO brand-new courses this summer:
✨ Roots to Riffs: Discovering the Vocal Lineage for Today's Singing
✨ Progressive Repertoire Selection in Musical Theatre

🎤 Progressive Repertoire Selection in Musical Theatre (with Carrie 'Cj' Greer)

Frustrated students quit. Successful students thrive.

And often, the difference is the repertoire. The songs we choose aren’t just performance pieces, they are some of the most powerful teaching tools we have.

In this course, you will build a clear roadmap to:
✔️ Match repertoire to technical, musical, and dramatic readiness for beginning, intermediate, and advanced MT singers
✔️ Differentiate between legit vs. belt and Golden Age vs. contemporary styles
✔️ Select repertoire that actually teaches and supports healthy development

This is about working smarter, not just harder, to create real student growth.

🎧 Roots to Riffs (with Alison Crockett)

Riffing isn’t just a trick, it’s a language.

This course grounds singers and teachers in the cultural, musical, and expressive foundations of improvisation in Black American Music traditions. You’ll move beyond imitation and into authentic, personalized expression rooted in understanding how and why the music works.

If you’ve taken Alison’s BAM classes before, this one is different. This course is focused on helping you:
✔️ Understand the history and aesthetics behind riffing
✔️ Develop rhythmic feel (“the pocket”)
✔️ Use transcription as a learning tool, not just copying
✔️ Build phrasing as the gateway to improvisation
✔️ Create your own riffs with confidence and authenticity
✔️ Moving from “pretty sounds” to meaningful, context-driven artistry.

💡 AI can give technique and rep advice, but it will never replace the artistry, pedagogy, and human connection you bring with the right tools from the CCM Institute's online courses.

🗓️ Registration closes June 15, Spots are limited, secure yours today!

Let’s reinvigorate your teaching and inspire your students 🔥

Link in comments.

How does knowing about Black American Music make you a better teacher of CCM styles? This webinar is a great introduction to the information that you will learn in Alison's class this summer. Sign up for her class and others at the link in the comments.

CCM Institute Black American Music Webinar Matt Edwards sits down with Alison Crockett to discuss how Black Am...

We have an incredible lineup of online courses this summer at the CCM Institute! Ready to reinvigorate your teaching from the comfort of home? Click the link in the comments to register today!

What makes Golden Age different than Contemporary? How do you prepare for a jukebox musical versus a straight pop/rock call? When they ask for “legit,” what do they actually want? Our students face these questions every audition season, and we want to equip you with answers that are clear, practical, and rooted in real‑world industry expectations.

Join CCM Institute Artistic Director Matt Edwards and Co‑Founder Edrie Means Weekly for "From Tin Pan Alley to Rock: Teaching the Evolution of Musical Theatre Styles" a conversation on how to train 21st‑century MT performers for stylistic authenticity, vocal versatility, and long‑term career success.

Together, we’ll explore how musical theatre’s sound has shifted across decades, what those shifts demand of today’s singers, and how teachers can guide students toward healthy, expressive, style‑specific performance. If you’re preparing young artists for auditions, callbacks, or professional work, this session gives you the tools to meet the moment.

Link in comments

FREE WEBINAR: Join us May 8th from 12:00–2:00 EDT as we talk all things “commercial” music. Yes, technique matters, but sometimes overthinking can actually get in the way of what makes a singer unique. Learn how to help students develop their own style, why riffing is more than just sounds, and so much more. Link in comments 👇

Every year, the CCM Institute brings together voice teachers at all stages, those just starting out and those with decades of experience.

And every year, the same thing happens: they leave with more clarity, confidence, and new perspectives on their teaching.

Here’s what past participants had to say.

If you’ve been wanting to deepen your understanding of voice pedagogy, refine your teaching, or reconnect with why you do this work, join us this summer!

Link in bio

Have you ever wondered what casting directors are actually thinking when your students audition?

Next Friday, we will host a free webinar that pulls back the curtain on what casting professionals are looking for in the audition room, whether your students are auditioning for college programs, community theatre, or professional work.

We’ll talk candidly about:
• What it really takes to be considered for a role�• What casting directors are looking for when they ask for pop/rock �• Common misconceptions singers (and teachers) have about standing out (hint: it's not how loud or high you can sing or if you have the "right placement")

Host Matt Edwards will be joined by NYC casting director Jenny Ravitz‑Brightman for a behind‑the‑scenes conversation about aligning studio training with the realities of today’s audition landscape.

Full details and registration link in the comments.