AJ MARTINEZ
AJ MARTINEZ
MEET AJ!
Born and raised in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, AJ is an actor, singer, mover, music director, voice coach, and music theatre enthusiast. From wearing out his VHS of Annie and The Brave Little Toaster to playing the bassoon in concert band, he has always maintained a love for music and its incorporation into everyday life.
He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from the University of Texas at Arlington. Some of AJ's favorite onstage roles include Igor in Young Frankenstein and Roger De Bris in The Producers.
When he is not on stage performing, AJ is giving back by teaching, coaching, and mentoring the next generation of artists. He maintains an instructor position with International Music Camp in Dunseith, North Dakota, where he teaches and instructs for their Musical Theatre Week. AJ was also involved with the institution of the Disney Musicals in Schools program at AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, TX from 2018 to 2020. He then took part in teaching Dallas ISD educators how to begin their own musical theatre programs.
AJ has a particular interest in vocal pedagogy for the music theatre singer and has closely followed prolific pedagogues including Mary Saunders-Barton, Jared Trudeau, and Kevin Wilson, along with the many students they have taught over the years.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? ...Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
COACHING PHILOSOPHY
As a professional performer, singing/acting coach and private instructor, I practice all equally and intensively. I believe it is important to meet a student halfway in their training: find out where they are in their training, and build from there. This could mean focusing on fundamentals of technique, music in general, or fine-tuning what the student already possesses.
In my voice lessons, I focus on the students’ needs AND wants. This may be working specifically on technique, expanding their horizons into different styles of music, expanding range, or creating a smooth voice from treble to bass to blend a transitional point in the voice.
Vocal Technique, Audition Preparation, and Song Interpretation/Acting through Songs are my areas of intense experience.
