I got really into singing and piano in high school. I started playing and singing in pubs when I was seventeen. Around the same age I started musical directing high school and college musical theatre shows. At 21, I conducted Jesus Christ Superstar at TUTS in Vancouver. Life since then has been a lot of playing and conducting and singing with cruise ship bands, cover bands, musical theatre shows, along with some lounge work and other random gigs.

I am one of fifteen certified Speech Level Singing instructors in Canada. I have attended numerous vocal technique workshops and conferences and have been studying voice for 20 years.

After watching Spencer give a workshop, I was blown away by how quickly Spencer addressed the issues some of the students were having with range and tone. I thought I knew a fair bit about technique, since I had taken a lot of lessons, but Spencer explained what he was doing in easy to understand terms for everyone in the room, and it just made so much more sense than much of the technical concepts I’d heard discussed elsewhere.

After witnessing Spencer’s crushing display of vocal technical prowess, I just thought, “This is it. I need to learn how to do this.”

I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honours in Music degree from York University. Before that, I was in the Jazz Studies program at Capilano University. I’ve also played guitar, bass guitar, clarinet, saxophone, and flute and studied composition.

I also studied jazz piano with Bob Doyle (played for Frank Sinatra), Brad Turner (Jazz pianist with two Juno awards), Miles Black, and Brian Rudolf. Classical piano with Christina Petrowska. Conducting and Musical Direction with David Thompson (Cats, Les Miserables) and Paul Sportelli (Musical Director of Shaw Festival and original Canadian productions of Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, and Beauty and the Beast.)

I’m also professional pianist and musical director who performs all the time. I bandlead, play keyboards, and sing with local high-end cover band, The Famous Players (www.famousplayersband.com). I’m also resident musical director for critically acclaimed North Shore theatre company Uncle Randy Productions.

Depends. My main goal is to help you meet your goals and keep you happy. If you’re not happy and/or don’t feel we’re progressing toward your goals, then I’ll never get to work on my goal of (secretly, if necessary) giving you incredible range, tone for whatever styles you like, through great technique. If you don’t have many goals other than “find a teacher you trust who can unlock your voice so that it can do amazing things” then that’s what we do. If you have more questions, please drop me an email at court@spencerwelch.com

Yes! Anything other than classical and some types of metal. I’m really at home with almost any other type of popular music; pop, rock, R&B/hip hop, jazz, country and musical theatre are all styles I perform in professionally on a regular basis.

Why, yes I have! Some highlights include Mark Preston (of The Lettermen), Pamela Blake (star of Broadway Evita), Michelle Murlin (Fantine in Broadway Les Miserables), and Philippa Healey (Cosette in London Les Miserables). I also coach many local and national theatre professionals. Current clients have lead roles in Arts Club’s Hairspray and Vancouver Opera’s West Side Story.

I’m really into cooking, reading, hiking, hanging out with family and friends, watching movies, and impulse spending. I’m also writing a musical, Franklin Falls, with my collaborator Roger Haskett. The show was recently workshopped professionally by Touchstone Theatre and the Arts Club.