Who is Sam Henderson?

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read a little bit more about me! Having just recently relocated to the Raleigh/Durham area, I am so excited to be here enjoying everything the Triangle has to offer. I'm conveniently located in Apex where I live with my husband, Tyler, and our amazing cat, Ollie.

 

Prior to moving to the area, I served as the Resident Music Supervisor and Artistic Associate at Charleston Stage Company in Charleston, South Carolina (South Carolina's largest professional theatre company). In my 13 years there, I music directed dozens of shows, served as resident vocal coach for our professional acting company, taught classes in musical theatre and vocal production, stage-directed professional and student shows and produced a successful cabaret series. Of all my responsibilities there, one that I found most rewarding was the one-on-one time with singing actors helping them to find the best version of their individual voices and to grow as performing artists. When my husband's job brought us to North Carolina, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to start working with more private students and expand my teaching studio. 

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MY BACKGROUND AND TRAINING

I'm originally from Lewisville, TX where I started my musical training in the outstanding band programs in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. In 2001, I received my bachelors degree in Music Education from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and began my career teaching music in Texas public schools. After teaching for 7 years, I left to pursue a masters degree in Musical Theatre (Music Directing and Vocal Coaching concentration) from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. I received that degree in 2011.

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Following my time at ASU, I worked as a freelance music director and vocal coach in the Phoenix area for a year before to moving to South Carolina to begin my work with Charleston Stage. Over the many years of my career, I've worked with singers from 6 to 80 years old and from complete newbies to seasoned performers. My client list has included dedicated young students, up-and-coming professionals, Broadway veterans and the legendary Patti LuPone. I have also successfully completed the Level 1 training through The LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework, a vocal training program that focuses on the application of healthy vocal techniques in the field of contemporary commercial music.

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MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I believe that everyone with a functioning voice can sing; all voices have value as do all people; and anyone who wants to express themselves through singing should have the opportunity to do so and be given the tools to realize their own vocal potential. I work with students of any level as long as they are dedicated, motivated with specific goals and willing to do the work to realize those goals, however large or small they may be.