I went to Melissa for vocal lessons based on all the positive reviews I read here on Yelp, and…read moreafter working with her, found them to be 100% accurate. I was looking for a vocal coach that could help me, an inexperienced singer, prepare a song for a musical theater camp. Melissa was patient, supportive, upbeat and full of great suggestions. I never felt less-than even though she has the credentials to work with the highest level singers. I highly recommend her for anyone looking for a great vocal coach.

In the field of psychology, a "therapeutic alliance" encapsulates the relationship a…read morepsychotherapist and their client has to reach agreed-upon goals. When I reminisce on my voice relationship with Melissa--from autumn of 2019 until now (January 20th of 2025, as this is being typed)--the connotative strength of the word "alliance" accurately reflects the effectiveness of her pedagogical methods. Before I began working with Melissa, I intended to study with Lynn Helding, a renowned voice professor and pedagogue at University of Southern California. While a spot wasn't available for me in Lynn Helding's schedule, she referred me to Melissa, who was Helding's protégé as a USC DMA candidate at the time. If the concept of "when one door closes, another one opens" is to be embraced, then I will use the example of my path being directed to Melissa as evidence the concept is true. When I lived in San Gabriel Valley from autumn 2019 to February 2020, I would drive at least one hour to Venice from Alhambra for lessons with Melissa on a weekly basis, never regretting the time commitment (via another Yelp account, I wrote my first review for her on January 6th, 2020). As someone with a penchant for analytical thinking, I immediately benefitted from her extensive vocology research knowledge that would be applied to warmups and aria rep. Furthermore, my singing practice has always been spiritually rooted, and Melissa also engaging in music as a spiritual experience leads to her imparting memorable aphorisms that nurture my vocal growth; without her impactful communication skills, I wouldn't have been able to write the essay "Contemplative Consequences from a Decade of Singing" (https://web.archive.org/web/20220517012057/https://www.ruminatemagazine.com/blogs/ruminate-blog/contemplative-consequences-from-a-decade-of-singing). After I moved back to Bellevue, Washington due to COVID-19 lockdowns, I continued to train with Melissa via Zoom. Although I was nervous about doing lessons on screen, she ensured that the quality of the experience would be the same, even trying out different devices (ex. Google Hangouts) to figure out which would work best. The care that Melissa puts into her teaching was also demonstrated by her hosting monthly Zoom studio classes, in which her students would gather together for 2 hours in a weekend afternoon to perform for each other. I began studying with Melissa as a classical countertenor/sopranist at the age of 24 & a half 1/2, but her students represent a spectrum of ages and genre interests, such as CCM (contemporary commercial music). She currently works as an assistant professor of musical theatre at USC, in addition to singing in the LA Opera Chorus; if you're looking to improve your vocal technique in any way, I certainly recommend contacting Melissa now, before her availability becomes more limited. Though I took a three year hiatus from voice lessons to focus on my writing, I have retained my singing stamina because of Melissa's lasting pedagogical influence. Today, after my first lesson in three years with her, I experienced rejuvenation in my body, mind, and spirit, as her wholehearted commitment to developing potential in her students has remained apparent. Melissa: thank you so much for your vocal allyship. Through whatever is to come in the future, I know I will always be thrilled to continue growing with you singing.

When I came across Kimberly on the internet, I had no idea then what it was that drew me to her,…read morebut I knew I wanted to work with her. I knew that her work wasn't just about singing and improving skills. It was and is so much deeper than that, which I came to experience in my time with her. I worked with her for a few months, and during that time, I got to experience deeper levels of myself as she led me through exercises and experiences with such grace and presence. In my time with her, I got to breathe into my existence and feel, actually feel, not just mentalize, what it meant to be me as I am, beyond the labels, the roles, the expectations of life that I had bought into. She was the first coach I worked with that brought me back into my body every time. And still today, since our time together, I am constantly leaning into myself in such a fulfilling way, a way that's not about an outcome or 'getting someplace'. I learned a deeper level of presence within myself that I had been yearning for, and now that I look back, I feel like working with her kicked off a new 'era' if you will. If you are interested in accessing deeper parts of you that even you currently are not conscious of, but know you want to see and feel, I recommend getting into her sphere and allowing yourself to be led by her. She is so full of heart and love and a wisdom that trusts the wisdom in others. I'd be happy to work with her again in a heartbeat. Thank you, Kimberly!!!

The voice guidance, support, and coaching I received in this course ending in Nov 2023, by a more…read moreexperienced voice mentor, helped to develop and improve my voice. This mentoring was relevant to me in the arenas of public speaking, singing, acting, and podcasting. in this course, Kimberly offered advice on vocal technique, breathing exercises, speech clarity, intonation, and my overall vocal performance. It assisted my stage fright and built my self-confidence. I highly recommend this course for those wishing to hone their vocal skills, enhance communication abilities, and embody professional goals that involve using one's voice effectively. Thank you, Annie B

I love working with Ani! She's helped me grow my skills & confidence so much in just a couple…read moremonths. I love how she encourages me to be creative with my singing and she's helping my strengthen my ear and my songwriting skills too. I definitely recommend Ani!!

I can't recommend Ani highly enough! I have been working with her every week for over a year. I…read moresought out Ani because, although I have always loved to sing, I was unhappy with my lack of confidence singing in front of other people. Ani has not only helped me build my confidence, but she's helped me improve my vocal range dramatically. She's always very encouraging and quick to highlight wins; I really appreciate how she has helped me find ways to challenge myself and grow. I am definitely a better singer for having worked with her, but best of all, I feel joy (rather than shyness and embarrassment) when singing in front of others. Ani has amazing skills as a vocalist, musician, and teacher. She also has fun, positive energy, and I always leave my lesson feeling happy and energized. She is the best!!!

I am beyond impressed at how well Teacher Janine was able to engage and teach our child for vocal…read morelessons. My child is hard-headed and independent, knows exactly what she wants and how it should be done, so I was interested to see how the instructor would engage. It was a wonderful experience. Ms. Janine was able to modify her lesson accordingly to what my child wanted to focus on and it left her wanting additional lessons. Would definitely recommend these lessons.

My 6yo son has been wanting to learn how to play drums. He did his first lesson with Liam and it…read morewas great! Liam was patient, fun and encouraging. My son finished the 30-minute lesson feeling confident and ready for more!

Risa is in a class by herself & just brilliant ! You will…read morelove working with her & all , so amazing & we feel so fortunate to have been referred to her!

I took lessons with Risa last year to improve my vocal ability, coach me for a role in a musical…read moreand to get audition pieces prepared. She is an absolute dream. She has helped me find a more pleasing tone and resonance in my voice, helped me relax my jaw, had excellent song suggestions and warmups that I've added to my regular vocal practice. She has helped me become more confident and joyful in my singing and I always look forward to getting to see her. She has a beautiful, light-filled, airy, high ceilinged space with lots of windows and air circulation and it is very clean. Her lessons are reasonably priced. She is flexible with my desire for bi-weekly lessons. I'd give her 6 stars if I could!

Dot has truly brought my voice out of the dark cell I trapped it in for far too long, and has shown…read moreme the iridescent sparkle that has been inside me all along. In only three sessions I am completely giddy and falling in love with my voice. This isn't just an assigned affirmation I am TRYING to believe.... it is a TRUTH that has resided inside of me forever and now I am seeing its beauty. If you are looking for a safe person to explore your deepest vocal fears and trauma, look no further than Dot. She continues to nurture and hold my voice without judgement and lead me to my truth of my voice through breathe and song. I am in awe of her capacity to love and guide her students to the lightness of their being. Since working with Dot (again only three sessions) I have a newfound openness and confidence in myself that I really never thought I would have found by taking voice lessons. I was expecting to expand my vocal range, but I had no clue that I was actually going to be expanding my being into believing in ME! A "ME" I thought was lightyears away, but who was just waiting for the right coach to see my potential and be my mirror. If you're looking for a review or sign to invest in yourself and start working with Dot... HERE IS YOUR SIGN! You'll thank yourself after your vocal assessment. And then you'll thank yourself again for every lesson after as you uncover the goodness that has always been inside. YOU ARE WORTH THIS INVESTMENT! Your truest self has been waiting for you to love you. Let Dot help you do just that!

Dot is an exceptionally talented vocal empowerment teacher/coach whose unique and creative approach…read moreoffers a refreshing perspective. Her vibrant personality shines through in every session which also allows mine to comfortably shine as well. Her innovative methods have opened new doors for me, allowing me to explore my voice in ways I never thought possible. With Dot's guidance, my voice has undergone significant improvement, and I am profoundly grateful for the transformative tools she has shared. Her unique blend of expertise and creativity is exactly what we all need to unlock our full vocal potential. Thank you, Dot! You're the best!

I've been working with Savannah over zoom for about 3 years now and I'm so thrilled with the…read moreimprovement I've made! Not only has my vocal range improved, and I've gained a better understanding of the mechanics that go into singing, but I've gained confidence in my voice that I never had before. Savannah spends time getting to know you, your vocal journey, and your goals, so she can tailor each lesson according to your specific needs. Although the majority of my lessons are over zoom since I live across the country, Savannah doesn't miss a beat in staying organized and working with technology. This spring I was able to take a lesson in person at her studio which was incredible as well! If you have the opportunity to work with Savannah in any capacity, please do! You won't regret it!

I love working with Kathleen! She makes every lesson something to look forward to. She really…read morechallenges me to grow as a singer -- encouraging me to try new genres, teaching me the theoretical aspects of music, and making tiny adjustments to my performances to help my voice shine. I've been coming to The Singing Place for years now, and they have truly taught me everything I know about singing. I am so incredibly thankful to them. They not only helped me become a skilled singer, but they also helped me find my confidence.

i have been loving my sessions here. Betsy is amazing, so talented and knowledgeable. my voice has…read moreimproved tremendously since coming here