“Our vocal jazz ensembles workshop with Kathryn Sherman was the highlight of our trip! Kat was able to work with my vocalists and answered questions they had about their music, the history behind the jazz style they are singing and shared how vocal jazz and instrumental jazz are similar in performance. There was an entire year of education packed into one 90-minute session with Kat! My kids loved it! As a 37-year educator, I applaud Kathryn Sherman for engaging the next generation of jazz performers. It was a treasure to watch her work and truly inspiring!”

Becky Huddilston, Director at Lakota East High School Choirs

I am currently available for workshops and masterclasses, adjudication, and private instruction at high schools, colleges, and universities.

I also maintain a small private lesson studio (in-person for Chicago area students, or online for those located further away) with focus on voice, piano, arranging/composing, and musicianship skills.

Lessons are tailored to the needs of each individual student, but often focus on these topics:

  • Voice: proper breathing technique, vocal placement and timbre changes for various styles, vocal health maintenance, pitch accuracy, widening vocal range, sight singing, aural skills, improvisation
  • Piano: scales, fingerings, posture and technique, sight reading, ear training, accompanying, improvisation
  • Arranging/Composing: vocal ensembles (jazz, pop, show choir, choral), small combos (with or without voices), instrumental groups, solo artists, engraving (formatting for basic lead sheets and full arrangements)
  • Music Theory/Aural Skills: harmonic functions (roman numeral analysis, figured bass), jazz harmony (substitutions, chord-scale theory), modes, part writing, melodic analysis, harmonic and melodic dictation