Michael J. Mayer is a singer and voice teacher based in Minneapolis, MN. He is available for voice training for singers, actors and speakers, as well as consultations, workshops and rehabilitation. He has experience training voice users of many backgrounds, including Musical Theater and Opera/Classical singers, Public Speakers, Business Professionals, and people suffering from vocal damage. Mr. Mayer holds a Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota in Vocal Performance/Pedagogy. His passion is singing and studying the vocal arts. As a tenor, Mr. Mayer was particularly interested in the vocal technique of the tenor Jussi Björling. He feels very fortunate to have come in contact with Maestro David L. Jones, a master teacher of the Old Italian School with the Swedish influence, which was significant in the development of Jussi Björling, as well as Kirsten Flagstad, Birgit Nilsson, Set Svanholm, Joel Berglund, and Karin Branzell.

In fall of 2001 Mr. Mayer moved to New York City for advanced study with the Internationally recognized teacher David Jones. While there he built a successful voice studio attracting students from New York, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Montreal. Since returning to the Twin Cities in summer 2005 his studio in Uptown Minneapolis has had visitors from Milwaukee,WI, Juneau, AK and Ann Arbor, MI. In addition through the wonder of the Internet he has helped singers from St. Louis, Texas, Florida, and even Ireland, Spain and Turkey. Mr. Mayer has appeared locally with Twin Cities Lyric Theatre, North Star Opera, The Bach Society and the University of Minnesota. In New York he appeared with Opera Company of Brooklyn, Lyric Opera of New York, Delphi Theater and with the Metropolitan Opera as a Supernumerary.

Maestro Jones' teaching descends from Allan Lindquest, who studied with many of the most prominent teachers of the twentieth century and taught Berton Coffin and William Vennard. Most significant was the time he spent in Sweden studying with the top students of Dr. Gillis Bratt (Kirsten Flagstad's teacher), Haldis Ingebjart-Iséne and Joseph Hislop (Jussi Björling's last teacher). Dr. Bratt was a Medical Doctor of voice in addition to a voice teacher and an amateur baritone. Dr. Bratt taught the bel canto principles of Lamperti and Garcia.

Mr. Lindquest also thought highly of his study with Madame Paola Novikova, teacher of Nicolai Gedda and George London.  Madame Novikova was the prized student of the great baritone Mattia Battistini, one of the last direct proponents of the Old Italian School.