I was first introduced to Leigh back in 2000 and I remember doing two one hour lessons over the phone with him one week apart prior to going out to perform & both times singing better than I ever had prior. Basically that’s the amazing thing with Leigh.. his ability to not only diagnose the problems I was having at the time but also his approach to providing me with the necessary tools to get me through my problem areas & beyond to perform at my optimum time & time again.. When I heard he had created The Vocal Mastery Program in 2004 I didn’t hesitate to download it through his website & get started. Once again as before his teachings had me singing even better than I would’ve ever thought possible.
Thanks Leigh McRae.. I am eternally grateful for the gift you gave to me all those years ago that I’m now able to share with the world.
I started singing at age 8 and very quickly moved into the professional world of performing. I have been involved in all parts of the industry from backing vocals on major Australia tours to recording TV advertisements and competing in The Voice Season 1. Further to this I have recorded and released songs that have played on Australian Radio and TV.
Through all of this I have found out how important it is to maintain my vocal technique. I achieve this by having regular sessions with my mentor and vocal coach Leigh McRae. When I am overseas and in need of a lesson or warm up for a show or recording session I love that we can do our lessons via Skype. The way Leigh tailors each lesson to my voice and my problem areas as they arise blows my mind every time. His expertise is second to none and I recommend to every singer I know to treat yourself to a one on one session!
Leigh has developed my voice in such a way that now I have the strength and endurance to reach any goal, any time, any place. The time I have spent with Leigh has been time opening up my voice and polishing to a point of purity where I feel comfortable and free. Leigh is thorough and passionate, and makes every session fun and productive. From all the teachers I’ve had, Leigh is by far the best in the field.
Some say ‘with knowledge comes power’ and in Leigh’s case he is a very powerful teacher. Leigh has not only helped me gain control of my voice but has also taught me many valuable techniques that I can use and apply for a life time of singing. Thank you Leigh, for all your support and guidance.
Leigh McRae is not only a singing teacher but a mentor. It doesn’t matter what outrageous questions I need to ask him, I know he will help me by giving me his honest and informed perspective about both my singing development and industry advice.
Leigh has helped me more than he will ever know.
Take advantage of his services while you can. I promise you won’t regret it
I’ve loved working with Leigh. it’s amazing how much he’s improved my voice. Not only has my range increased but more importantly I feel that I have better control and my voice can sustain back to back concerts much better.
I’ve worked with Leigh for six years now. In this time he has helped to build my confidence and continued to broaden and strengthen my voice and vocal range. I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Having to tour extensively over the last three years, playing at times six shows a week, it is extremely necessary that I am able to continue to deliver a quality and consistent vocal performance each night. With the constant guidance from Leigh I have been able to achieve this.
He has taught me the basic tools to overcome and manage any situation vocally, which makes being in a live band and having to sometimes play disaster sounding venues a breeze. Apart from being an awesome singing teacher, Leigh is a rad, down to earth person & friend approaching each lesson with a great humility which makes turning up a pleasure each time.
I wish we could kidnap Leigh to New York City. Musical theatre needs more teachers of his calibre. I am on the vocal faculty of the Broadway Theatre Project, and observed Leigh teaching the young people who come there in the summer. The students adored him, not only because he helped them improve their singing, but because he did it with grace and humour. Leigh is a master of vocal technique, and a master at teaching it. He inspires his students to be the best they can be.
It is a pleasure to write that Leigh was a wonderful addition to the Broadway Theatre Project, the residential musical theatre program I co-founded in Tampa, Florida with Debra McWaters. I found Leigh to be a marvellous teacher. We look forward to his joining us again one day.
Leigh has an outstanding ability to teach others and cares for his students … he is a rare bird.
I cannot think of anyone I would rather endorse as a teacher, a friend, and colleague. I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing Leigh McRae for several years and in that time I have found him to be among the finest vocal technique and style teachers it has been my privilege to meet in more than 30 years of teaching. Leigh has the skill to determine a student’s vocal deficiencies and offer a precise path for changing for the better. He is kind and generous with his time and patient with his students. He is one of only three or four people in the world that I would study with personally. I work with such stars as Destiny’s Child, RJ Helton, Ramiyah and Play. When they find themselves on tour in Australia, I’ll send them to Leigh, because quite frankly, he’s the best.
I contacted Leigh having just been cast as ‘Joanne’ in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Company’ at the Theatre Royal. Not having done a musical for 23 years I was in a mild state of panic and, as an ‘actor who sings’, was desperate for guidance and perhaps a miracle.
Well, Leigh was my miracle personified. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had Leigh’s expertise, kindness and skill to guide me through the process of discovering my voice. He not only encouraged me and put up with my insecurities but taught me practical skills to enable me to perform a vocally very demanding role 8 times a week with relative ease. The show was a huge success and I owe that success to Leigh.
Thank you my friend, for your generosity, kindness and practical knowledge and guidance.
Leigh is the only singing teacher I have had who hasn’t tried to change my voice into something it’s not. He listened to what I wanted to achieve as a singer and it was a pleasure setting out to achieve it
There are a few true masters of vocal technique on the planet at any one time. I have been fortunate to be in the presence of Leigh McRae, who I believe is one of them. His technique is a synthesis of centuries of vocal pedagogy and the most current scientific findings. His teaching method takes into account the psychology of the singer and carefully leads them into the mastery of their own unique and beautiful voice.
Leigh McRae is one of the most gifted singers, teachers and human beings I have ever had the privilege of knowing and working with. His knowledge of the voice, ability to impart vocal wisdom and truly caring nature make him a gift to his students, colleagues and friends. I am blessed to have worked with him and having him not only as a colleague but also as a friend. I highly recommend Leigh.
Leigh has helped me throughout my career. He is an amazing vocal coach and also a great friend.
Leigh is simply amazing. As a teacher, he isolates any issues or inconsistencies in the voice and helps his students to work through them in a constructive and practical way, at the same time encouraging and developing all the positive qualities in their voice. As a mentor, he is able to guide his students along the musical path they desire and give them advice, contacts and inspiration.
Leigh’s Vocal Mastery technique is highly practical with proven results. The brilliance of the exercises lie in the fact they do not change your natural voice or force you to sing a certain style. Vocal Mastery allows the student to sing in a way that sounds and feels comfortable, protects the longevity of the voice, minimises vocal fatigue and maintains a smooth transition between chest, bridge and head voice supporting the singing of styles across the board. As a cast member of Miss Saigon, I perform 8 shows a week with no vocal fatigue. Thanks for everything Leigh!
I thought the only way to sing pop music was to still use a classical technique but do a few ‘bad’ things to make it sound right. Leigh showed me a completely new approach to singing so now the big notes I can sing in the studio, I can sing ‘live’ without a worry.
Not only does Leigh McRae have a fantastic knowledge of the voice and how to get the best out of it, he is an incredible communicator ensuring that his students gain the same passion and desire to discover their voice as much as he does. His infectious enthusiasm and straight forward approach to singing facilitates rapid progress. He has helped me develop my voice to cope with long sessions on stage or in the studio.
Thank you Leigh!
I have the honour of calling Leigh my friend. I met him at the Speech Level Singing Institute, a voice workshop in Los Angeles that I created with Seth Riggs. We invited some of the best voice teachers in the world to come and be part of our faculty. Leigh was one of the first to agree to come, even though the trip was expensive and arduous and the remuneration minimal. We are lucky he did agree to come, however, because he was invaluable. He provided our grateful students with great insights into singing technique and style, and did so with his wonderful sense of humour and his insightful wit. I had the great pleasure of working with Leigh there for five years, while I was the Program Director of that summer workshop.
I also invited Leigh to be part of another summer workshop which I helped to initiate, The Broadway Theatre Project, in Florida USA, which is even a longer trip for Leigh to make. In his usual good humour, he agreed immediately to come, and once there proved to fit right in with our faculty, and was an instant hit with the student population as well. His talent and his wonderful teaching made him popular and much sought-after. He has helped hundreds of young people learn to use their voices in a healthy and effective way, and to gain the confidence needed to sing.
On a personal note, Leigh is a person of high integrity, kindness and generosity. I am proud that I know him, and extremely proud to be considered his friend.
