Singing Begins with Choice™
The Breath You Choose: 3-Week Class
Go Beyond "Breathe from the Diaphragm"
Discover how your breathing system actually works — and what "breath support" really means.
Have you ever been told to "breathe into your belly," "use more support," or "breathe from the diaphragm" — only to feel more tense, confused, or out of air? You're not alone. These well-intended instructions can leave you second-guessing how you breathe and unsure of what "breath support" actually means because they do not explain how your breathing system works.
Watch How I Teach
Three weekly sessions · Fridays, September 18, 25 & October 2, 2026 · 4:30–6:30 PM Pacific · Live on Zoom · Limited to 15 singers
Replace Confusing Instructions with Clear Understanding
In this live three-week online class, you'll develop an accurate, practical understanding of your breathing system, explore ways to reduce unnecessary tension, and apply what you learn directly to your repertoire and performance.
Through anatomical information and images, movement exploration, singing, and individual feedback, you'll learn what breath support actually involves and how to coordinate your breathing for singing.
We'll also explore other factors that contribute to breath support, including body alignment/posture and the body's bony framework — especially the spine.
You won't be prescribed a single, one-size-fits-all "breathing technique." Instead, you'll be given information and practical tools that will help you make the choices that work best for your voice, repertoire, and musical intentions.
Singing begins with choice, and a clear understanding of your breathing gives you more choices to draw on when you sing.
Meet Kurleen
Kurleen George is a singer, teaching artist, educator, and creator of Singing Begins with Choice™. She helps singers understand how their voices work so they can make informed choices about breathing, tone quality, and expression. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Music and a Master of Arts in Teaching and has taught singing lessons and workshops since 2011. Her background includes more than a decade of personal study in Body Mapping, as well as training in opera and vocal pedagogy. In addition to teaching voice, Kurleen is a choir and general music teacher, an actress, and a vocal clinician for choirs and universities. She performs musical theatre, opera, and contemporary music throughout the Pacific Northwest.
What Singers Say
"Kurleen is an excellent teacher. She listened carefully to what I needed and shaped our lessons to reach that goal. She is a master of her craft, and it shows in every interaction. Each lesson was focused and extremely helpful. She helped me through a challenging time with my voice, giving me practical, easily implementable tools that I can keep and use for the rest of my life. Highly recommended!"
— Laura, voice student
"Kurleen is a joy to work with and is so gifted at explaining how to achieve my singing and speaking goals. She has unique insight into breathwork, and I feel like a deeper form of myself after working with her. I cannot recommend her enough."
— Bonnie, voice student
"Kurleen was patient and flexible with my singing goals."
— Young singer, voice student
"Since my first lesson with Kurleen she has always made me very comfortable and confident even when trying new techniques.
— Lorena, voice student
"Taking singing lessons with Kurleen George has been an incredible experience. Her teaching style is warm, supportive, and tailored to building both skill and confidence.
— Wendel, voice student
"Kurleen brings a wonderfully calm and positive presence to every lesson, creating an encouraging environment where students grow in confidence and skill.
— Bethea Gliebe, music educator & collaborative artist
"Kurleen's Voice Singing Classes have been such an informative, uplifting, and truly eye-opening experience for me. I came into the class not fully realizing the ability that was within me, and through Kurleen's guidance, I discovered a voice I never knew existed.
— Tanja Prospere, voice student
"I absolutely loved working with Kurleen George as my voice coach. She is incredibly patient and encouraging, while still challenging you to step outside your comfort zone and discover what your voice is truly capable of.
— Maritza, voice student
"Being in Kurleen's group class was great because you got to hear other people's questions and know you are all working on similar things. Kurleen is a wonderful vocal coach. She knows all the 'tricks' for getting good sound out. She helped me a lot with my breathing."
— Zanne, voice student
"I have had the privilege of taking online group classes, in person group classes, and private lessons with Kurleen. She is an expert in helping me understand body alignment, breath techniques and resonance techniques to improve my voice.
— Sky, voice student
What We'll Explore
Week 1
Get to Know Your Breathing System
How your breathing is designed to move and work.
Learn how your breathing system is designed to move and work. Through anatomical information and images, singing, and guided movement exploration, you'll develop a clearer understanding of what happens in your body when you breathe for singing. You'll begin noticing your own breathing patterns and applying what you learn directly to your voice.
Week 2
What Else Contributes to Breath Support?
Beyond the breathing system.
Breath support involves more than the breathing system. We'll explore how body alignment/posture and the body's bony framework support breathing and singing. We'll also explore how airflow and air pressure interact with the vocal folds and can affect pitch, tone quality, and overall vocal production.
Week 3
Apply It to Your Repertoire and Performance
Your breathing choices in action.
Bring a short song or musical excerpt and apply what you have learned directly to your music. Each singer will perform and receive individual feedback on their breathing choices, vocal coordination, and how those choices support the musical and expressive demands of the song. Questions, singing, exploration, and feedback are woven throughout all three weeks.
Questions, singing, exploration, and feedback will be incorporated throughout all three weeks.
What You'll Learn
By the end of this class, you will:
- 1
Have an accurate, working understanding of your breathing system.
- 2
Understand that breath support involves more than how much air you take in.
- 3
Explore how body alignment/posture and the body's bony framework support breathing and singing.
- 4
Explore how airflow and air pressure interact with the vocal folds and can affect pitch, tone quality, and overall vocal production.
- 5
Become more aware of your own breathing patterns and choices.
- 6
Apply what you learn directly to your repertoire and performance.
- 7
Receive individual feedback on your breathing and vocal coordination while singing.
- 8
Develop practical tools you can draw on when making breathing choices for your own voice.
The Details
- Format
- Live online through Zoom
- Length
- Three weeks; one two-hour session each week
- Dates
- Fridays, September 18, September 25, and October 2, 2026
- Time
- 4:30–6:30 PM Pacific · See class time card below for your local time
- Class size
- Limited to 15 singers
- Tuition
- $120 USD — single payment
Class Time
This class meets once a week for three weeks. All sessions are live and held online via Zoom.
Fridays, 4:30–6:30 PM Pacific
September 18 · September 25 · October 2, 2026
Your local class time
Automatically detected from your browser · America/Los Angeles
Registration for this class is closed. Join the waiting list below to hear when the next class opens.
Join the Waiting ListClass FAQ
Questions About the 3-Week Class
- When does The Breath You Choose 3-week class meet?
- The class meets live on Zoom from 4:30–6:30 PM Pacific Time on September 18, September 25, and October 2, 2026.
- How much does the 3-week class cost?
- Tuition is a single payment of $120 USD for all three two-hour sessions.
- How large is the class?
- The live online class is limited to 15 singers.
- How will I receive the Zoom link?
- A confirmation email is sent after successful registration, and Kurleen sends the Zoom link before the first session.
Join the Waiting List for the Next Class
Add your name and email to be notified when registration opens for the next 3-week live online class.
Singing begins with choice.