Singing Studio

Lessons are one hour in length. Technical elements include breath management, vowel clarity and unification, ease of vocal production, etc. A good portion of the lesson is devoted to interpretation and performance skills. She tailors her teaching to each individual student.

Ruth has singing studios in San Francisco and New York City. She also can conduct lessons over Zoom.

  • Thanks to having taken a number of courses in voice science, including a three-week intensive in Denver with Ingo Titze, Ruth is able to combine her knowledge of anatomy, acoustics, biomechanics, and vocal fold oscillation with her many years of teaching experience.

    Ruth was a professional classical singer for 30 years, performing a wide range of styles and periods under numerous conductors. She has now taught for even longer, having begun teaching while studying for her MA in voice and voice pedagogy at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague.

    Ruth's approach is an amalgam of empirical experience, voice science, and intuition. She tailors her teaching to each individual student. Not having been a "natural" herself has, in fact, proved an asset in teaching others. Having experienced and resolved various vocal difficulties during her own studies, she is adept at finding the keys to solving her students' common and not-so-common vocal issues.

    Lessons are one hour in length. Technical elements include breath management, vowel clarity and unification, ease of vocal production, registration, etc. A portion of the lesson is devoted to interpretation and performance skills. Ruth speaks French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch, and has sung in Russian, Polish, Greek, Bulgarian, and Hebrew. She assists her students in developing and expanding their interpretive tools, including dynamics, tonal color, pacing, and characterization.

    Ruth has singing studios in San Francisco and New York City, and will soon be teaching in Paris. In certain cases, she also teaches online.

  • After receiving her MA from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Ruth resided in The Netherlands for 14 years before returning to the United States. Her areas of expertise range from early baroque to contemporary music, and she performed throughout Europe at various international festivals and with a wide range of ensembles. In Europe and the United States, Ms. Rainero performed under the direction of conductors ranging from Philippe Herreweghe, Niklaus Harnoncourt, and Nicholas McGegan to Steve Reich and Reinbert de Leeuw. Ms. Rainero speaks five languages, sings in five more and has been teaching singing for more than 30 years. Ruth's background in modern dance and theater led to her exploration of voice combined with other media, and she has been responsible for the choreography and vocal coaching of actors and other performers as well.

    Higher Education:

    • MA in Voice and Voice Pedagogy: The Royal Conservatory of the Hague, 1984

    • BFA in Music: California Institute of the Arts, 1975

    Teaching Experience:

    • Private Voice Studio, New York City, 2007 to present

    • Private Voice Studio, San Francisco, 1995 to present

    • Voice Instructor, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA, 1994-1998

    • Voice Instructor, American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco,1991-1992

    • Voice Instructor, University of California at Davis, 1991-1992

    • Private Voice Studio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1982-1989

    • Trans and Singing: A Symposium for Voice Teachers and Singers

Testimonials

  • “Working with Ruth brings a freedom and polish to my singing. The most exciting part of our work is that she is able to identify difficult notes/phrases and provide techniques to resolve them within each lesson. I leave each session with renewed confidence to perform at the highest level. I’m so grateful to have her vast knowledge and support as I continue to explore new repertoire.”

    -Toni Marie Palmertree

  • "Ruth's approach as a teacher is wonderfully creative and engaging. She knows the voice so well, and she approaches each lesson with a fresh set of ears and techniques and suggestions. I am always encouraged by the variety of approaches, and I also know that she will give me an honest appraisal at every stage of working on repertoire. I have been a choral singer for many years, but Ruth has been really helping me discover more of my voice, both as a soloist and a choral singer. I am now a paid singer in the SF Symphony Chorus, and I definitely believe that my lessons with Ruth have been a big part of my recent growth as a singer and musician."

    -Seth Brenzel, Tenor, San Francisco Symphony Chorus and Executive Director, The Walden School

  • "Ruth has the unusual ability of immediately understanding each singer's individual vocal production and his or her respective technique. This in turn allows her to identify tensions, bad habits, or any other problems right away, and also to articulate what a singer is doing correctly and why. Her sympathetic approach combined with her understanding of how the voice works makes her teaching some of the most complete and thorough I have ever encountered, and all in an environment that is friendly and open. Ruth's teaching has been invaluable to me over the last few years, and I feel very lucky to have found her!"

    - Marguerite Krull, Soprano

  • "I was referred to Ruth by a friend in 1999, when I had just completed my ninth season with the vocal group Chanticleer. I had studied with several other teachers throughout those years, but no one seemed able to explain the HOW of vocal technique. It was Ruth who was finally able to unlock the mysteries behind shaping vowels, enabling me finally to "own" each vowel. Ruth is also responsible for showing me in a clear-cut, step-by-step manner how to use the breath in singing. After only a few months of working with Ruth, because I had learned how to breathe properly, my overall sound began to grow. Ruth also proved to be an excellent coach. She speaks a half dozen languages fluently, and knows how to demonstrate the rhythm of each language, as well as the style of each time period. I can't count how many times I'd bring a difficult section of a piece to Ruth, she'd make a few suggestions, I'd sing it again, and then I'd get this smile on my face I could not get rid of. And Ruth would ask, "was that easier?" I learned through Ruth that, the better the technique, the easier it is to sing. I had a running joke with Ruth, in which I would say, "that was the best lesson I ever had!" -- and looking back, it was."

    -Tim Krol, Baritone

  • "As a professional singer and actress, I was devastated when I suffered a vocal injury. My speaking voice was fine, but I had lost range and control in my singing voice. Ruth helped me retrain my body after the injury, learning how to release tension and change ingrained habits that may have even pre-dated the injury, to come out an even stronger singer on the other end. I cannot express what an incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, nuanced teacher Ruth is! She’s always honest, respectful, and encouraging. She helped me feel like someone really understood what I was going through , even in the darkest hours when I couldn’t sing anything more than simple glides. Now, I’m back out there performing and regaining confidence, thanks in no small part to Ruth! As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I am grateful to have someone I trust to refer my singing patients to after working with me in the clinic. Her excellent knowledge of the mechanics of the voice makes me confident that she is able to continue building my patients' singing skills with healthy habits. Ruth is an essential part of my team approach to treating professional voice users!"

    -Jennifer Cleary, M.S. CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist, Voice Coach, ExploreVoice Studios

  • "Ruth is an encouraging and astute voice teacher of great technical expertise who pays close personal attention to each of her students. Without fail, she applauds my vocal progress and is supportive of my growing career. Lessons with Ruth also bring me greater clarity in identifying my current challenges and — most importantly — understanding, one practical step at a time, how best to work on them. She even points out when and how my critical inner voice or persistent old habits can undermine my progress and helps me to reorient myself toward the positive and celebrate all of the things I am doing well. I especially appreciate Ruth's efficiency — she wants her students to take away as much useful information as possible from each lesson, so she never wastes time with small talk or peripheral information. She creates a dynamic of ease and personal comfort that invites you to sing freely and take risks, yet at the same time, she consistently stretches you technically and artistically to keep you challenged at every juncture of your vocal studies. Even though Ruth and I live 3,000 miles apart, my periodic lessons with her have been a terrific boon to my singing and helped me with several challenging auditions that have led to great performance opportunities. She is a rare find!"

    -Michele Kennedy, Soprano