in the US
in the Netherlands
"Ira Siff is a fantastic musician and has such a splendid understanding of style. He would be a marvelous vocal coach."
- Dame Joan Sutherland, BBC Radio Interview, 1994
Ira Siff teaches vocal technique and coaches repertoire. He enjoys both, and in repertoire coaching for auditions, arias, or role presentation, his approach pulls the performance from the score, the notes, text and composer’s expressive markings, rather than pasting a physical performance on the already existing vocal one. Using his experience as a bel canto technician, vocal on-stage interpreter for 40 years of performances, and stage director, Ira helps the performer bring out the best possible version of her/himself.
Ira loves to teach, to explore the subtleties of how basic bel canto technique works and varies for each individual singer - rather than applying a blanket approach to all performers.
He spends his teaching time in New York divided between voice lessons and coaching, as well as Master Classes for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and has made a number of visits to The Mannes School for workshops combining technique and interpretation.
Ira has also taught for Israel Vocal Arts Institute’s summer program in Tel Aviv many times, as well as for the organization’s programs in Italy, China and New York. For Canto Vocal Programs, he has taught in Zagreb a number of times, and given a masterclass in New York. In Toulouse, Ira taught for Les Maitres Sonneurs.
Ira began teaching in Holland in 2008, at the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag. He has followed that with several Master Class weeks each season at The Amsterdam Conservatory and The DNOA (Opera Academy) in Amsterdam, as well as developing a practice as a private instructor in Amsterdam for technique and interpretation/style.
He continues to be guest teaching at the Conservatory periodically, as well as visiting Amsterdam for private teaching.
To make an appointment for a lesson or coaching, or to have Ira do a Master Class for your organization, contact him at
"Ira Siff is probably one of the greatest artists in the world."
- Leontyne Price, BBC Radio Interview, 1997
Conservatory Amsterdam