About Deborah Conquest
Artist. Coach. Mentor.
Meet Deborah Conquest
I hear what your voice could do. Let’s get it there.
After more than 30 years of teaching singers, I’ve learned to hear possibilities in a voice that its owner hasn’t yet discovered.
Maybe your range has stalled, or you can hear the sound you want but can’t quite produce it. Perhaps you’re preparing for an audition that matters enormously to you. You know what you want to do. You need a way to get there.
I’m Deborah Conquest, a soprano, founder of Conquest Voice Studio, and a member of the Vocal Jazz faculty at the Eastman School of Music. Based in Rochester, NY, I teach singers around the world through online lessons.
Classical Training. Contemporary Expertise.
My training includes a Master of Music and doctoral studies at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Bachelor of Music from SUNY Fredonia, and Level 3 training in the LoVetri Method.
I draw on classical foundations, contemporary voice science, and functional pedagogy to help singers understand their voices and develop the coordination to change how they sing. The goal isn’t to make you sound like someone else. It’s to give you the technique to make your own artistic choices.
I’m Always Listening
When I go to the theater or a concert, I can never quite turn off the part of my brain that listens like a voice teacher.
I’m fascinated by the choices a singer makes: the colors they find in a phrase, the way they shape a vowel, and the subtle shifts in sound that bring a lyric to life. I want to understand how they arrived at that sound and what makes it work.
That curiosity informs my teaching. Technique matters because it gives singers greater freedom to express what they want to communicate.
Hearing Potential
I first saw Lucas performing as Davey in Newsies. He was still in middle school, and I remember thinking, That kid had “IT”.
When Lucas began studying with me, his voice was changing. He’d lost nearly all his range and had just a fifth to work with. Together, we gradually rebuilt his range to an octave as he navigated that transition.
Lucas went on to compete on American Idol in high school and become a finalist on The Voice in college.
We still check in, though my role has evolved from weekly voice teacher to mentor as his career has developed. His story reflects something fundamental about how I teach: I want singers to become their own best teachers. My goal is to help them understand their voices well enough to make informed choices and work through challenges independently. Lessons can then become a place to refine their technique and keep growing, rather than something they depend on indefinitely.
Beyond the Studio
My performance career has included opera, musical theatre, and the Rochester International Jazz Festival. I’ve also lived and performed in Italy and remain fluent in Italian.
Outside music, I enjoy painting, hiking, rockabilly, and houseplants.
A Clearer Path for Your Voice
Whether you’re working through a vocal challenge or preparing for an important audition, we’ll focus on the technique you need to move forward.
Let’s talk about your voice.
How I Teach
Singing is alive, always shifting, always growing, and so are you.
At Conquest Voice Studio, I combine current voice science, functional pedagogy, and decades of experience to help singers build healthy, flexible, expressive voices.
Bridging classical foundations and contemporary styles, my approach draws on athletic training principles: efficient technique, consistent practice, and strategic rest over quick fixes.
Your voice doesn't have to fit someone else's mold. Let's build a reliable instrument and bring your artistry to life.
Professional Voice Trainings & Memberships
"Deborah Conquest excels in teaching the art of acting through song.
After just one year of study, my ability to audition improved dramatically.
I now approach auditions with confidence, a strong repertoire, and the technical foundation needed for both classic and contemporary musical theatre."
—Connor McGuire,
New York Actor
College & Conservatory Acceptances
Recent acceptances include:
The Juilliard School
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Michigan
New York University (NYU) Tisch
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM)
Eastman School of Music
Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BOCO)
Shenandoah Conservatory
Pace University
Ithaca College
Syracuse University
Fordham University / Alvin Ailey
Oklahoma City University
Marymount Manhattan College
Montclair State University
Rider University
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Fredonia School of Music (SUNY)
Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam)
Kent State University
Barcelona International Arts & Business School (IAB)
Where Conquest Voice Studio Singers Perform
Our singers have performed on some of the world's most respected stages, productions, broadcasts, and artistic platforms, including:
Broadway & National Tours
London's West End
The Voice
American Idol
MTV
Disney Cast & Cruises
Carnegie Hall
Alvin Ailey
Joffrey Ballet
Garth Fagan Dance
Tours with Josh Groban
Tours with Mannheim Steamroller
The Jimmy Awards
Recording sessions with major labels
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Post-show support. Always.
