By Heidi Jo Scheller
I am a voice teacher. I don't teach singing like most people think when I am tell them I am a voice teacher. I am a voice teacher that helps people with their speaking voices-the voice we use all the time, every day, to get through the world, to communicate, to function in society. Most people are confused when I explain I don't teach singing. I understand. I was confused by this kind of voice work when I went to acting school in the early 90's. I thought I'd be working on musical theater numbers in voice class, and was annoyed when I learned that we would be somehow focusing on our speaking voices. But why, I thought, would I need to do that? My speaking voice is just fine. It works, it does what I need it to do. What a waste of time this is going to be, I thought naively.
Well, here I am, over 30 years later and I have been teaching this same voice work that I thought would be a waste of my time for over 25 years. Turned out it wasn't such a waste afterall. Turned out that it changed the course of my life. It allowed me to discover aspects of myself I wasn't even aware of in my early 20's. It helped me find more confidence, vulnerability, groundedness, relaxation, color and me-ness in myself than I would have ever imagined. It inspired me to become a teacher myself-something I had never planned for, but a path that has led to so many beautiful moments and experiences in my life. I have made so many connections with so many incredible, talented, unique, odd, interesting, warm, loving, broken, vulnerable, strong souls along the way. And I have been able to help them, guide them, actually make a difference in their lives and their perceptions of themselves. Sometimes it's fleeting and sometimes it's deep, but it is always profound.
I have been challenged in ways that have scared me, intimidated me, pushed me to be more honest and more authentic in the world, to have more humility. I feel the ripple effect of the many days teaching in classrooms, my living room, theaters, zooming-that somehow, in some small way, my contribution makes a difference for people, and that makes the grind of it, the repetition all worth it. I am grateful to have found my way to this work, to this path. I feel like I have grown a tree and each leaf on that tree is one of my students, and that tree becomes bigger and fuller and more lush with each passing year. There are times that I am tired, burned out, have imposter syndrome, just wish I wasn't so needed all the time, get sick of it all, and I've come to realize that is okay too. It is part of life, part of my life, and part of the cycle I need to move through-the depletion finds itself back to inspiration one way or another. It is usually one of the beautiful lush leaves on my tree of students who brings me back to feeling my passion for this thing called teaching. I love seeing people connect to their voices, both literally and figuratively. If I can have a small piece of that, I consider myself lucky.
I am a voice teacher. I hope I always get to keep finding my voice.
Originally from Philadelphia, Heidi Jo Scheller has made her home in Los Angeles since 2001, and has enjoyed working as an actress, teacher, director and expert vocal coach across the US for over two decades. She was certified as a Designated Linklater Voice Teacher by Master Teacher Kristin Linklater in 1998. Heidi has taught people from over 35 countries around the world who have successful careers in film, television, theater, law, teaching, public relations and business. She is dedicated to helping, teaching and guiding people to find and express their authentic voices.
Heidi is currently a Professor of Voice on the faculty at the renowned California Institute of the Arts. She was the Head of Voice and Speech at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting from 2002-2015, and has also taught voice, speech and acting at New York University, New Actors Workshop, The Gene Frankel Theatre, Circle In The Square, Shakespeare & Co., The Hamptons Shakespeare Festival, KidsOnstage and LAvoiceJoy Studio.
Heidi was a founding member and educational associate of The Hamptons Shakespeare Festival where she performed in main stage productions as well as created and taught their summer education program, Camp Shakespeare, which has been running for over 25 years. She was also a member of the world renowned Shakespeare & Company where she has trained, acted and taught voice and text. Heidi recently vocal coached the acclaimed production of The Seagull at The Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, as well as the Tony nominated play, A Doll's House Part 2 at The Pasadena Playhouse. To help reach and inspire people to find their authentic voices, Heidi created and hosted a limited podcast series called Finding Your Voice with Heidi Scheller. She has produced a popular video voice course and multiple vocal warm-up recordings which serve as a teaching tool for students around the world.
Acting credits include, Nat’l tours: Through The Eyes of A Friend, The New American(Living Voices Theatre), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Co), The Necklace, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Chamber Rep), Helena in MSND (HSF) and recent productions: Drama Desk Nominated The Navigator (Best of Hollywood Fringe 2014), Spoon River Anthology (Dog House Theatre), Inez in Sartre’s No Exit (The Elephant/Netherworld Theatre Co), Marion Bridge (Son of Semele/SJB Prod.). Heidi played a featured role in the award winning short film, Union. Directing credits include: Kimberly Akimbo (Garland nomination-Best Director), Overtones(Vox Humana), A Christmas Carol, Beautiful Bodies (Stella Adler Theatre). Producer credits include: No Exit, Win/Lose/Draw, The Herbal Bed. Heidi is a featured singer on the release of King Famous’ latest album. It’s Good To Be King, as well as the releases Starfields and Starfields 2. She was a member of the reputable Vox Humana Theatre Company, Waging Theater and the Classical Theatre Lab.
She is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Circle In The Square Theater Conservatory, and is a member of the Voice and Speech Teachers Association(VASTA).
