Manuela Ochakovski teaches beginning and advanced amateurs as well as students who have completed the Conservatory and to those who have made their profession out of singing. A singing lesson takes at least 60 and up to 70 minutes and begins in the moment that the singer is comfortable with the venue and receptive.
A standard singing lesson does not exist. In the first meeting we will make appointments about the content and the frequency of the lessons. Depending on your wishes, possibilities and your vocal talents you can use the lessons to build, repair, maintain or improve your singing voice.
The lessons are given in Manuela’s studio ‘il Portamento’ (Wenum Wiesel, near Apeldoorn) in Dutch, German, English, French or Romanian.
Hilary Summers, Marie Angel, Manuela and Alan Herdman at the Passaggio Masterclass 2016
Marion Koens
For several years…
I have been taking singing lessons from Manuela. I think she’s a very good singing teacher and educator. She goes to work step by step, totally focused on the student. One’s voice is a sensitive instrument which you have to preserve all your life. I’ve never been hoarse after singing lessons. Nothing is forced. A fascinating process to discover your own voice! Further, I thought I always sang purely, but I know and hear now what pure singing really is. When I go home on my bike, I have a kind of ‘ Zen-feeling ‘, as if I have attended a yoga class!
Fien Kuijvenhoven
With Manuela I learned …
the correct technique of breathing and posture without power in order to sing in a relaxed way. She knows exactly where my difficulties are and because of that she directs me to a higher level in a professional and pleasant way. I now sing much easier and this also has a very positive effect on my way of speaking in everyday life. I now speak much more fluent and more relaxed!
Ada v.d. Brink
The special thing…
about Manuela is that she hears everything. Then, in my case, I perceive and feel that what was wrong as well. I have great admiration for Manuela’s accuracy, patience and positive approach.
Ina van Gijn
I have been …
taking singing lessons with Manuela for the past 4 years and I experience this as something very positive. Manuela gives very good lessons. The unusual feature about this is that she has so much patience in teaching new skills. She is so precise and clear in her explanations that one profits from it a lot if you practise. The other key part of the lesson consists of coaching, so that one gains confidence. I experience each lesson as a great stimulus for my further study.
Ben Louman
Singing lessons with …
Manuela is working on the basic principles and from that base I can explore, expand and refine my capabilities. With a merciless ear Manuela always knows to pick out the things that help you further at that time. Each singing lesson from her gives me back the energy and motivation to make the craft of singing more and more a skill I want to master!
Marco Meijer
Reggae is not …
a specialism immediately associated with belcanto singing. But then you should see Manuela dancing to disco music! The technique she teaches me allow me to gain more and more control over my light-music way of singing. The voice deepens and stretches, the accuracy gets better and singing becomes easier and more pleasurable.