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Prologue


I sing about and from my reality –
And in defiance of it.
I sing to try to get, with the sound of my voice,
All the justice I’ll never see on earth for all the wrongs.
I sing to bring back, to call forth from lovers
The love that I can’t otherwise get
To make them present for a few minutes
When they won’t return my calls.
I sing to be in a Joy that is bigger than me
To show the immensity of my sorrow and my need
I sing to reach for God
To give to all of reality
And to make all of it come close to me.
I sing to be on the edge of madness
A madness that shows my capacity
For greatness and depravity.
I sing to be free, and because I’m free.
I sing to stop people, to get them to come close
To convince them, to frighten them.
I sing because I’m so big and so small.
I sing because to speak is not enough
Because I can’t live or hurt in silence.
I sing to make the invisible tangible
To seduce, and win over and push away
To move, enlighten, charm, calm
To make people see and hear what’s important
To stay young forever, to dream out loud.
I sing to dare – dare to love or be exactly who I am.
I sing to disappear into forbidden places, or hidden, or dangerous ones.
I sing to heal, to bleed, to kneel,
To heed a Greater Voice.

Performance Reviews

  • "I have had the pleasure of knowing Alisha for several years now. During that time, I have seen her perform on stage in several musicals. She is so talented and always thrilling to watch. I hired her twice in the past year to sing at two special parties at my house, each time with a musical ensemble that she coordinated. Both times, she chose songs that were so perfect for the event, as was her singing! Good luck!"

    Debbie Giser

    Alisha Ruiss was hired to play at the Industrial Gas Users Association Spring Meeting at the Fairmont Chateau Montebello this past year. Their feel for the crowd on what was most appropriate to play was bang on! Coupled with her sweet voice – this group is a definite hire for corporate functions and we would highly recommend the band to others.

    Tracy Collins, Canavents

  • Le 15 octobre 2016, nous avons eu l’honneur d’être envoûté par la voix magnifique de ma talentueuse amie Alisha lors de notre grand jour. Elle a récité nos psaumes et chanté le Ave Maria à notre messe d’une voix pleine de foi, de passion et de justesse, qui a su rendre ce moment encore plus grandiose. Elle nous a également offert le plus beau des cadeaux en performant par la suite lors de notre soirée. Son écoute attentive, ses suggestions et son dévouement à s’assurer que sa performance soit parfaite font d’elle une grande artiste et nous avons été privilégiés de l’avoir avec nous. Nous n’avons eu que des compliments! Merci Alisha! Xox

    Christine & Emil

    Alisha assembled exactly the right ensemble and program we were hoping for. Our guests all loved her singing, and it was the perfect fit for the wedding we dreamed of. 

    Sandra & Peter

  • "You were really great at the wedding ceremony. We were very happy with the music and your voice was excellent. Alex and I couldn’t have asked for a better cantor. Thank you so much for singing at our wedding and I will definitely recommend you to our friends and family."

    Alex & Jenny

    Alisha assembled exactly the right ensemble and program we were hoping for. Our guests all loved her singing, and it was the perfect fit for the wedding we dreamed of. 

    Sandra & Peter

Frequently asked questions

I’ve performed in musical theatre, cabarets, corporate events, church services, weddings, and funerals. I’m always open to exploring new opportunities and adapting to different performance settings.
Yes, I enjoy songwriting and am happy to collaborate with others or write solo pieces.
Yes, my training has given me the flexibility to perform in classical, musical theatre, pop, jazz, and Christian music.
Yes, I offer vocal coaching and teaching, whether you’re preparing for an audition, looking to improve your technique, or simply want to sing for personal enjoyment.
Yes! Anyone can improve with practice informed by knowledge and self awareness. 
Not in class.  I am there to help you find the safest way to make sound.  
Outside of class, yes, you must take care of your voice and avoid things that will strain it: talking over ambient noise, yelling, alcohol, dehydration etc.  
There is a difference between regular fatigue and strain.  Think of a good workout at the gym: you are tired at the end and need rest/recovery time but you are not injured.  It is the same with singing.  You may feel tired at the end of a practise session but you should not feel strain or pain. Preventing strain has as much to do with what you do outside your training as during it.
Your repertoire is up to you.  I am happy to work on any style (aside from heavy metal or similar) but it is very helpful if you come in with ideas rather than me choosing blindly or spending lesson time hemming and hawing about song choices.  My area of expertise is musical theatre so if you are interested in that style, I will have more knowledge of repertoire in that area.
A piano or keyboard is really helpful for practising exercises and checking your pitch, or learning your music if you read music but it’s not required.  You are welcome to record your lesson (for your private use only) 
Yes!  I have sung in English, French, Italian, German, and Latin, predominantly. While I can’t provide diction specifications for each of those languages equally, I can still help you adjust pronunciation to get a clearer sound.
For my purposes, not very much!  Vocal coaching typically refers to performance aspects like interpretation, expression, and stage presence, where as voice/singing lessons focus more on technique and health.  All my classes involve both.
In person is preferred, especially at first, but online lessons are possible, provided you have a good internet connection.
My strong preference is to work with non smokers only as smoking (cigarettes or otherwise) is damaging to the voice.  While I do not have control of what my students do outside the studio, how they sound does reflect somewhat on me as a coach and all the technique in the world cannot erase the effects of smoking - though it can definitely help after you have quit!
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