IVA

The Institute for Vocal Advancement (IVA) was founded in 2013 by a group of singing teachers led by Jeffrey Skouson. With thousands of hours of performing, teaching, and industry experience between them, IVA developed a program to help teachers and singers understand the voice as a whole, with individual parts that need to be coordinated. Skouson and several other IVA founders previously worked in tandem with famed vocal coach Seth Riggs as Master Coaches within Riggs’ Speech Level Singing society ™. With a focus on vocal longevity and balance, Riggs’ teaching method was singularly unique, and he was known throughout the recording industry as something of a “miracle worker.”

The IVA method teaches singers how to achieve any sound they want without breaking the function of their voice or restricting them. What they do works for every level of singer from beginners to professionals in the music and showbiz industry. The key? A focus on vocal balance, which IVA believes is the key to ensuring success in a singer’s voice. Vocal balance gives singers the ability to control their voices while singing any style of music. It allows them to sound free and natural. Using the IVA method, the singer should be able to access all dynamic levels in their voice without straining, cracking, or breaking.

HVS Conservatory is the first institution to solely employ the IVA method as their teaching style of choice. Jeffrey Skouson himself will oversee all elements of the technical curriculum, ensuring that HVSC artists will receive the most modern and industry-applicable vocal education available in the world. HVSC and the IVA method will set young singers on the strongest, safest path towards vocal mastery, guaranteeing them longevity, and a leg up amongst their peers.