Here are some "reviews" from students and faculty.
Thank you all for your kind words...
His first Masters' Candidate wrote:
"Michael Ricciardone has been one of
the best things to happen to me as a singer. I never had a
voice teacher who cared so much about my professional
development. I feel that the voice teacher/ student
relationship is probably the most important in a program
like this. Michael has been incredibly positive force in my
development in all areas - personally, musically, and
professionally. It is rare to come across a teacher at a
large university like NYU who works above and beyond for
his students. Michael Ricciardone is that teacher. I
consider myself very fortunate to be studying with him and
look forward to the rest of my time at NYU in his studio."
Other Masters' Candidates have written:
"Michael is just amazing and I feel
so great about what we are doing with my voice. He is one
of about two teachers I have ever met who listens to me and
takes my particularities/ oddities/ quirks into account
instead of superimposing a style/technique onto me".
"Professor Ricciardone has added 4 notes to the tope of my
range, started to pull my voice out of the back of my
throat and helped me to find a chest voice- he is amazing.
I can't say enough good things and suggest every student
could benefit from his expertise. He is an extremely gifted
teacher".
"Michael's ability to define what direction your voice is
going and how to get it there is outstanding. His teaching
methods are direct and easy to understnad and his master
classes are an opportunity to glimpse at how other students
utilize what they are learning".
Other students have writtten:
"Michael
continues to be an invaluable influence in my NYU life. His
dedication to my development as a singer, actor and person
is unmatched. He is wonderfully giving of his time and
energies and I continue to improve faster in one year than
in the previous 13 years of voioce study. I cannot thank
him enough for all he has done and continues to do for my
training and character".
"This is by far the most constuctive class in my schedule
thus far. My college experience would be sorely lacking
without Prof Ricciardone. Not only has he taught me about
my voice, but I have acquired numerous life lessons that I
will keep with me forever. He deserves as much attention
and gratitude as possible".
"Over this year and this semester in
particular, my voice has gone through quite a shocking
transformation, thanks to Professor Ricciardone. My
repertoire has been vastly expanded, and I have newfound
confidence in my voice, singing ability, and potential. I
am eagerly waiting to see where we go from here".
"Professor Ricciardone is literally saving my voice. I am
grateful every day for somehow ending up in this man's
hands. If it were not for him and his crucial influence I'm
certain I would be an english major".
"Michael has redefined what it means to be a singer. He is
totally committed to my development as a professional and
as a person. Studying with Michael has been one of the
highlights of my time at NYU".
"Michael is a treasure to the department and makes studying
voice a joy, taking much of the mystery out of singing".
"There is so much I can say about Michael, so I am going to
just keep it simple- he is the best! MY own growth has been
amazing and I have watched others in his studio become
wonderful singers and musicians.
Invaluable!!".
Two High School students who were in the summer program
with me wrote:
"The past three
weeks have been incredibly helpful for me. Thank you for
helping me discover so many new things in my voice and
helping me with so many brand new revelations about
performing. But most of all, thanks for always giving your
best as a teacher. You don't have to teach like that, but
you choose to, and we have all greatly benefited. I will do
my best to keep your advice in my life."
"I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful learning
experience in the Music Theatre Intensive. Although I must
admit I was slightly intimidated when the class first
started, I began to realize how much you cared and how much
I gained from your class in song analysis. I enjoyed the
way you incorporated a sense of humor, but at the same time
I knew you were extremely serious about the work that had
to be done. I hope to work with you again in the future!"
Excerpt from a letter to the Steinhardt Dean regarding a
Master Class I had taught at another University:
"Through the
efforts of our head of Musical Theatre, we were able to
bring Michael in last month to hold a series of workshops
for our students as well as our voice faculty. We are
putting focus on that part of our program. We could not
have been happier with the results! The feedback I received
anecdotally and what I witnessed first hand was glorious.
Michael not only brought his enormous skill as a vocal
coach/pianist, but also his vast knowledge of the musical
theatre repertoire to our students. I was personally
thrilled watching his master class because he brilliantly
converged an actor/industry textual-centric approach to
vocal training that our students so desperately need. It
was truly fantastic to see students' reaction to the
information that they've been hearing in a technique or an
acting class also applies to their singing! Michael's
approach to training was also nicely holistic. He trains
the entire student and not just an instrument. That was
probably the most inspirational information he conveyed to
our private voice faculty. Most impressive about Michael's
time here was his dauntless energy and his commitment to
our students. You are extremely lucky to have him on your
faculty."
The following letter was written by NYU President
Emeritus Dr. L Jay Oliva as part of the recommendation
process for the Steinhardt Teaching Excellence Award:
I’ve encountered Michael
Ricciardone as a voice teacher twice in my career. The
first time I was President of NYU and needed to get ready
for participation in a student’s senior recital; the second
time is now, when a post-presidential career in film and
theater impels me to try to hold on to whatever voice I’ve
got for as long as I can.
I surely am a special case; but special cases put a real
teacher to the test. I’m old, cantankerous, ambitious,
impatient, with an ego as big as Rhode Island, and a long
history of being a teacher myself. Only a real teacher with
superb skills would engage with me!
Michael is a treasure. This judgment is based on a fact:
the best teachers are those who can assess where the
student is, appreciate where the student is trying to go,
and then help him/her get there. Sounds simple, but isn’t!
I’ve engaged with other voice teachers, every one of whom
was intent on taking me to some abstract and quite grand
place. They knew the mechanics and the grand scheme … but
they couldn’t listen!! Listen, not just to the voice, but
to the dream, the goal, the need. And they couldn’t plant a
belief that I could approach my aspiration. Michael is
technically superb ... but also worldly wise, and kind, and
empowering. He does what few teachers ever do: he truly
gets a huge boot out of taking a student from here to
there. Lucky me!
A Letter of Recommendation from Tim Matson, former
student
Professor Ricciardone
provided me with critical and thoughtful guidance and
support during a very difficult time in my life as a
vocalist. I am a graduate student at NYU, and, having done
my undergraduate work in vocal performance, I have a number
of voice teachers: never have I had a teacher more
knowledgeable, caring, and challenging than Professor
Ricciardone.
I began studying with Professor Ricciardone in September of
2005. During our first month together, he suggested that I
visit a laryngologist: he heard something in my voice that
he thought might be indicative of a physical malady on my
vocal cords. I was shortly thereafter diagnosed with a
vocal cyst, the remedy for which is almost always
phonosurgery, surgery on the vocal cords themselves. With
my school schedule, I was unable to have such surgery until
December. During the two months after my diagnosis and
before my surgery, Professor Ricciardone continued to teach
me, providing me with guidance as to how I might sing as
gently as possible with the cyst. He also helped me
continue to perform in classes, and he coached me through
the performance of a musical. In brief, he gave me the
necessary information that made it possible for me to
continue singing, and even improve as a vocalist, despite
my malady. Without Professor Ricciardone, I may not have
even learned that I had a cyst, and I doubt that any other
teacher would guide me so deftly through the problem.
I am studying with Professor Ricciardone now, and he
continues to help me in rehabilitating after surgery. He
knows when to push and when not to, when something I am
doing can be fixed by an exercise and when it is a result
of my recent surgery. In this very delicate process of
rehabilitation, I feel that I am in very good hands.
Having studied with many teachers, no teacher has made my
voice feel as free, easy, and nimble as Professor
Ricciardone; nor has any other teacher had so present a
concern for my health as a vocalist, a student, and a human
being; nor has any other teacher challenged me as much and
pushed me as far; nor has any other teacher sparked such a
love for music and singing. My voice has improved more in
the last six months than it has ever before, and this is
almost entirely thanks to Professor
Ricciardone.
