Member since 2015
Jan Prokop
Your entire body is your instrument. Understand it. Nurture it. Protect it.
Member since 2015
Jan Prokop
Your entire body is your instrument. Understand it. Nurture it. Protect it.
Jan Prokop, D.M., is the Associate Music Theater Voice Coordinator and Adjunct Professor of Voice at Montclair State University – Cali School of Music. In addition, she has taught Body Mapping for Respiro Opera NYC since its creation in 2014. A founding faculty member of the Actors Studio MFA Program at the New School, she also taught at CAP21/Tisch @ NYU before joining the faculty at the Cali School of Music.
As a licensed Body Mapping Educator and Training Mentor, Prokop has presented workshops for NATS, NATS-NYC, NYSTA, MTEA as well as the Manhattan School of Music, Penn State, University of Nashville, University of Utah, University of Brasilia, and many other schools. She is a recipient of the Van Lawrence Fellowship, was Master Teacher for the NATS Summer Intern program in 2018, a participating member of the NATS-NYC Mentoring program, member of AATS (American Academy of Teachers of Singing), and past president of NATS-NYC.
In the popular NATS book series So You Want to Sing with Awareness, she authored the Body Mapping chapter. She has also co-authored several other articles. She maintains a private Voice and Body Mapping studio in New York City. Her students appear on and off Broadway, in regional theater, and on national tours. As a performer, Prokop has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. She can be heard on “I Thought About You,” her CD with jazz pianist Frank Ponzio.
Prokop received her MM in performance from the University of Illinois and her DM with Distinction in performance with a minor in Speech Pathology and Voice Science from Indiana University.
EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS:
•Indiana University – Bloomington – DM with Distinction
Minors –Voice Therapy & Music History
• University of Illinois – Urbana – MM
• University of Missouri – St Louis – BME
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
AATS – Secretary
ABME (Association for Body Mapping Educators, Teaching Mentor)
AEA (Actors Equity Association)
MTEA (Music Theatre Educators Alliance)
NATS National
NATS-NYC – President, Vice-president, Corresponding Secretary
PAVA
The Voice Foundation
Genre Specializations/Research Interests
Body Mapping, Anatomy/Physiology, Vocal Pedagogy, Care of the Professional Voice, Broadway/Musical Theater /CCM
Teaching Philosophy
Body, Breath and Resonance are the bedrock principles that inform my teaching. The blending of these elements contributes to the foundation for an individualized technique that creates long lasting and healthy results. Singers need a balanced and aligned body to facilitate learning functional, science-based vocal technique. Because the singer’s instrument is their body, attention must be paid to it so the singer can learn how to recognize and release muscle tension. Ultimately this enables the individual to move beyond limitation and pain, and to fully express musical ideas through efficient, graceful, and coordinated movement. Recognizing the amazing architecture of this instrument facilitates the student’s ability to embrace and celebrate their individual voices. As these concepts are woven into the students’ technique, text and acting the song are then layered into my teaching recipe.
Called to Teach
Both my parents were teachers, so it must be in my DNA. They were always taking my brothers and me to concerts and musicals – the St. Louis MUNY, the St. Louis Philharmonic. They started my lessons on the violin and piano when I was 10. I’ve been singing and making music for as long as I can remember. I was born a musician! For me, teaching in all areas of music and performance was inevitable.
SPECIFIC PEDAGOGICAL OPINIONS FOR VOCAL QUESTIONS YOU FEEL ARE IMPORTANT:
I’ve become increasingly aware that understanding how the body works is integral to teaching and comprehending how to sing and make music. As a voice professional I recognize I don’t have all the answers, and never hesitate to seek the expertise of my colleagues.
