Meet Billy
Billy Gollner is a singer, musician, voice teacher, actor, and acting teacher currently based in Vancouver, Canada.
Performance highlights of his career include appearing as a backing vocalist for Andrea Bocelli and having the honour of singing and playing piano for the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and for vocal legend, Sarah McLachlan. Billy has performed in virtually every performance setting from opera to rock concerts, singing over an orchestra to performing in musical theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe.
In addition to his work as a performer, Billy has been working full-time as a voice and music teacher since 2012. Currently, Billy teaches at Capilano University in the Musical Theatre and Acting for Stage and Screen Programs. At Capilano University, Billy teaches one-on-one singing and spoken voice lessons, a Pop/Rock Performance class, Voice-over acting, Actor's Business/Entrepreneurship, and Movement. In addition, Billy stays busy running his private teaching studio in Vancouver. While living in London, UK, Billy had the honour of teaching singing at the Urdang Academy (a London-based Performing Arts University) in their Bachelor of Musical Theatre Program. The program is very intensive and competitive, providing students with the requisite skills for success in London’s highly competitive West End. Billy feels so lucky to teach students from all over the world online, from London to Australia, Singapore to Alaska, Brazil to Japan. Billy's students include Grammy and Juno Award Winners, Broadway and Westend Vets, Voice Teachers, Music Therapists, Decorated Voice-Over Actors, Stage and Screen Actors, and people just starting out!
As a teacher, Billy has had the privilege of being mentored by and studying under Jeannette LoVetri since 2014. Jeannette LoVetri is a voice teacher of major celebrities including Adele, Daniel Radcliffe, Trey Anastasio (Fish), and many others.
His work as a voice teacher is well-regarded amongst his peers and colleagues. Billy was recently honoured when asked to contribute a chapter to Marci Rosenberg and Dr. Wendy LeBorgne’s second edition of their book, The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer (Plural Publishing).
Billy holds a Master of Arts degree from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Musical Theatre Performance, a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Vancouver Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Art, and Technology from Simon Fraser University, and a Certificate of Liberal Arts from Simon Fraser University. For his Bachelor of Music, Billy was honoured to be named the valedictorian of his graduating class. While attending Simon Fraser University, Billy received the Communications Alumni Endowment Award for excellence and creativity in writing; in addition, he was a member of the Golden Key Honour Society and on the Dean’s List.
Billy has attended The LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework™ and completed all three levels of certifications. Billy has since become a faculty member for The LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework™. Jeanie LoVetri created Somatic Voicework™, she is one of the most recognized names in the world for vocal pedagogy. Somatic Voicework™ is the main method that Billy uses in his studio; the results are astounding and can be applied to all styles, including classical approaches.
In addition to Billy’s Somatic Voicework™ studies, Billy has attended Shenandoah University's CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute and completed all three levels of certification, and has had the opportunity to attend workshops and has studied with Sheri Sanders (Rock The Performance Teacher Training), Robert Sussuma (Feldenkrais Workshops), Dr. Matthew Edwards (author, "So You Want To Sing Rock"), Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin (author, So You Want To Sing Gospel, Soul Ingredients™), Lisa Popeil (Lisa Popeil's Voiceworks™), Dr. Wendy LeBorgne and Marci Rosenberg (co-authors, "The Vocal Athlete"), and Marcelle Gauvin (Jazz instructor at Berklee College of Music). In addition, Billy has attended countless medical lectures on vocal health by incredible medical professionals like Dr. Adam Rubin, Dr. Claudio Milstein, Dr. Wendy LeBorgne, and Dr. Linda Rammage.
Billy is a member of The National Association for Teachers of Singing (NATS), is an active member of The British Columbia Registered Music Teacher's Association, and The Somatic Voicework™ Teacher's Association.