Tessa and Johannes began their careers as opera singers, and have spent several decades studying opera and voice with the most celebrated teachers in the U.S. and Europe.  As performers, they have appeared on major stages worldwide and continue to perform regularly to sold out houses in the United States and Europe.  They have been singing together since they met in graduate school at the prestigious Richard Strauss Conservatory of Music in Munich, Germany.  

Shortly after graduating from the Strauss Conservatory, Tessa and Johannes began teaching in tandem with their opera careers.  In addition to their expertise in opera, singing, and voice, nearly twenty years ago, Tessa and Johannes were selected, out of hundreds of applicants, to undergo extremely specialized training in vocal science, vocal health, and laryngeal posturing. They trained extensively at the top vocal health centers across the country.  Tessa and Johannes have extensive experience with the Feldenkrais method, having spent over twenty years studying privately with Joan Pfitzenmaier, a student of Moshe Feldenkrais.  They integrate their extensive knowledge of body mechanics with their expertise in vocal production and vocal science, to provide students with a holistic approach to voice work.  They are regarded as world leaders in the fields of vocal science and vocal health.

With their students, Tessa and Johannes focus on the multifaceted connection between optimal sound production, proper alignment of the musculoskeletal system and vocal tract, and the most efficient pathway of breath. Tessa and Johannes are able to answer any questions students have about their individual voices/bodies/breathing mechanisms, including questions about optimum pitch, the pelvis-voice connection, resonance, correct breathing, healthy singing and speaking, etc.

When they are not busy performing and running their private studio in New York, Tessa and Johannes remain dedicated to Dreamgates Children's Movement, a non-profit organization they founded in 2007.