I took singing lessons with Joann for over a year. I know she offers group classes too, but I did the 1:1 45 minute individualized lessons. I was a complete novice, and loved the fact that I could bring whatever songs I wanted to sing, and she'll figure out how to help me achieve my goals, giving me homework like "practice your meows!". I improved a lot over the time with her, and figured out how to find different positions to produce different types of sounds. She's also flexible, I travel a lot, and she offers Zoom lessons or async lessons (you send videos to her, she send videos back of her feedback). She also formed a great community with her students, and we do group karaoke, dinners/outings etc, so the connection goes beyond lessons. I know she offers different packages (e.g. group classes) based on your time commitment and cost expectations, so I definitely suggest going over the options and figuring out what works for you. read more

Joann is a business woman. Money is all that matters to her. We just did a trial lesson with her. During the lesson, she stopped to remind me that I owe her $10 for the balance of the trial lesson. This already gave a red flag to me. She wants to secure your payment before anything else. She also has contracts that you need to adhere to for 6months. The contract does not include or indicate any cancellation policy so I presumed you will be obligated to stay and pay her for six months no matter what, even if you decide to stop in the middle. She does not give refunds. I paid her for the first month for a supposed youth group lesson, my son only went once. We're supposed to bring in the signed contract on the first day but I forgot so kept on reminding us to bring it. I find it excessive and sketchy.This made me decide not to commit. It seems to me she has to secure the payments first before teaching. I have no doubts that she can teach, of course she can, although you can never find any music school she went or any proof of formal training she claimed . I believe she just teaches by experience. I kept on looking at her numerous pages in fb,youtube, yelp and google but I can't find anything that says where she went for music school. All you can see is her experience as a singer and musician.One more thing,the studio is in her house. When students arrive for their timed lessons, they have to wait at the door standing and wait for her to let them in. She should provide at least chairs for those kids to sit. By the way I mentioned she does not give refunds but she does offer credits for you use it however you want it, private lessons or other stuff she offers(there are a lot).We refused the services she offered, I'll just count my loss. Too much commercial transactions, she's gearing away from the purpose of why students go to her. read more

I feel my singing has improved so much with Joann! For most of my life I've been musical, playing piano, drums and violin but singing never really made sense to me. I doubted I could improve and tried on my own for a while just by doing exercises. But I wasn't sure whether I was getting any better. I heard about Joann through a friend and signed up for lessons because I really wanted to enjoy my own voice and be able to sing for worship/praise! Joann has given me a step by step process to improve singing through exercises and focussing on the right things. In the 3 months I've taken lessons, people around me have been really surprised that I've improved this much and I feel a lot less strain when singing. It feels more comfortable and my voice is stronger. I think this is because Joann is able to diagnose problems really well and discover what is holding me back. I'm really happy with the progress I've made and think the cost is more than worth it! I highly recommend Joann's teaching because she has a wealth of experience in understanding what your obstacles are and giving quality feedback! read more

I wanted to improve my ability to sing in order to be able to pour out emotion in worship through my voice. I had no prior, formal training. In fact, I did not even have the vocabulary to describe what "better singing" meant. I just knew that some people sound great when they sing! I took the jump and worked with Joann on singing worship songs. The group classes with Joann were a great environment to learn how to sing. It felt safe and fun. Joann puts effort into developing technique and building up your confidence. The classes gave me vocabulary to begin to describe different aspects of singing and I learned practical exercises to help me improve. I was able to improve my singing and get honest and encouraging feedback in a community that helped motivate me to sing more. Also, I did my first singing performance in front of a crowd. The coaching aspect was crucial because each student gets individual feedback to help them improve. I would highly recommend Joann as a vocal coach. read more

As a complete amateur who was insecure about my singing voice but just wanted to sound a bit better at karaoke, I finally decided to take formal lessons with Joann. After a few months, I've never felt more confident singing in front of others, and have friends telling me they can really hear the difference. At first I wasn't sure if voice lessons would actually be useful in improving my sound. Joann helped me start from the basics, such as breathing techniques and then moving on to concepts like vocal closure that aren't obvious, but once you're aware can produce noticeable results. Her class structure comprises of both warmup and technique exercises plus practice with a song or two of choice. While I still have a ways to go, I'm always impressed with Joann's ability to tailor her instruction to my needs and provide meaningful, actionable feedback. With her, I've even had the chance to join a recital, and have had much more fun singing and performing than ever before. read more

We found Joann on Yelp and, based on all the reviews I read, we thought she was a good fit for my daughter. My daughter was preparing for a high school musical and never took voice lessons before. She was nervous with singing and not able sing high notes. After just 3 lessons, my daughter was able to sing with a lot more confidence and belt higher notes. She had a successful musical; we are so happy she was able to work with Joann. Joann is amazing! read more

I initially desired professional vocal coaching because I felt that while my voice sounded decent, there was an invisible wall separating me from legitimately good singers. I signed up for Joann's Monthly Master Class because I wanted to get a taste of her teaching style and methods before moving on to private coaching. Through these classes, I got exposed to a variety of valuable singing skills. In each class, Joann would go over the importance of mastering a singing skill, the specific vocal changes required to improve said skill, and the drills that I could use at home to practice said skill. Through the months, I could slowly feel myself beginning to understand the skills that I would need to master in order to become a really good singer. While I am still far from reaching this goal, Joann's Monthly Master Classes have been invaluable in getting me closer to being the singer I want to be. One thing I especially liked was how detailed each and every Master Class would be. Joann goes above and beyond in making sure that she covers a topic as thoroughly as possible during the one hour class. After taking her Monthly Master Class for a few months, I decided to move on to the Private Coaching Combo to receive more personalized feedback. These classes have helped me strengthen my foundational skills a lot more. Overall, I would greatly recommend Joann as a vocal coach. If you are still on the fence, I would recommend attending a Monthly Master Class. Go to this class, practice the drills she gives, and see if it improves your singing. If you find the teaching style to mesh well with you, then you can continue taking more classes! read more

I am a working parent who is a complete beginner to singing. I chose to work with Joann because 1) she was the by far the best at explaining HOW to do the vocal exercises along with WHY we were doing them, and 2) the flexibility in scheduling. I have been working with her since April 2024 under the Private Coaching Combo. Before working with Joann, I tried several vocal trials with other teachers/schools. One of the trials jumped straight into vocal exercises, whereas Joann's trial started me off with breathing and finding/using the diaphragm. Honestly, without Joann's trial first - I might not have had the strength/stamina to make it through the other trial since I was by default singing with my throat! Also, Joann always leaves time for questions, and really listens and asks follow up questions if I'm having trouble describing my issues. Many music schools also wanted a weekly in-person commitment. While this works well for kids on school schedules, it is actually very difficult for my work schedule. Joann's Private Coaching Combo gives me more flexibility: I schedule an in-person lesson every 2 weeks, and in between those weeks I send her videos of myself singing for feedback. Before I record the videos - I'll spend a few minutes deciding 1) what I need help on and 2) what questions I have. Knowing I have to record videos really help me focus during practice, and stay motivated to practice regularly ("as best as I can"). read more

We've been meeting with Joann for weekly in-person singing classes for over 4 months now, but we took a month off for travel. To keep the momentum going, we continued practicing our singing using Joann's set of online courses. The online courses provided us a great reference to both hear and visualize how each of the different techniques (e.g., lip trills, mixed voice, sirens, etc...) should feel like when properly executed. We're new to singing and music, so we don't yet have our ears fully calibrated to self-realize when our practicing has gone astray and how to fix it. There've been plenty of times when we've had to continually put portions of the online course on repeat while practicing along just to see/hear the differences and make the appropriate corrections to improve the quality of our practice and increase our own self-awareness of how we actually sound when singing. read more

I was struggling with a tough worship song I was planning to lead and Joann spent 3 minutes and I immediately stopped straining. I've taken many vocal lessons throughout my life but these 3 minutes did something for me that I never knew could be done. I not only hit the notes, I was proud of the sound I heard, and even more important, I was not hurting when I was reaching those notes. Thanks Jo! read more

I signed up my 13-year-old for "Essential Private Coaching Combo 1 video and 1 lesson", which was a nice hybrid option that accommodates our busy schedule. We've had a handful of lessons so far and I have already seen an improvement in my daughter's voice control. The one-on-one coaching provides customized direction which she did not get previously in school choir. Joann is responsive, organized, and lovely to work with - I highly recommend her as a vocal coach! read more

Over eight months, I worked with Joann to improve the upper register of my voice, an experience that developed both my vocal technique and singing confidence. Joann's kindness during my apprehensive first lesson set the tone for subsequent sessions, where she consistently showed encouragement and support. Notably, Joann's approach was both personal and professional. When specific exercises proved less effective, she promptly introduced alternative methods, always tailoring her approach to my needs. As a result, I improved my upper range quickly and learned about different vocal placements, resonance, belting, vibrato, and variations in tone. Moreover, Joann's lessons and recitals provided valuable opportunities to practice performing in front of an audience, helping me develop more confidence. Since my nerves impacted my performance, she taught me many breathing exercises and shared different mental strategies to manage anxiety. For those contemplating voice lessons, I recommend reaching out to Joann. Her responsiveness allowed me to book an initial lesson right away and from there, I could experience her effective teaching style. Joann's professionalism and expertise make her an invaluable asset for anyone seeking a transformative journey in vocal development. read more

I took Joann's group vocal class for 3 months and it didn't take long for me to see improvement. Joann is such a supportive teacher and she's really good at pinpointing the things that are holding your voice back and providing techniques to help overcome those obstacles. Everything from her coaching, masterclasses, and online course has provided me with so many insightful lessons on how to use my voice and my body to get the most of out my singing. Her Vocal class was also just a great way for me to get comfortable with my voice and singing in front of other people because while Joann herself is super supportive, she also fosters such a welcoming environment in her class that encourages us to support each other. I don't regret signing up for Joann's Vocal Breakthrough Coaching at all. The benefits vs the reasonable cost was totally worth it. read more

Joann helped my teen daughter improve her singing, gain confidence, learn sight reading and prepare for her high school's choir audition. My daughter enjoys every lesson with Joann! read more

Several years ago Joann taught my daughters hiphop dance and voice. After seeing several of Joann's online posts, I decided to take some lessons as well. I have been on my church worship team for years but still struggle with doing solos. I worked on my lower register as I am more comfortable singing higher. Now I am more well rounded in my singing. We also worked on my confidence and projection and breathing especially for a Christmas event which helped quite a bit. Joann is encouraging and knowledgable and a wonderful teacher. read more

I have been working with Joann for over a year now and the result has been more confidence in my own voice and being fearless in using it. I initially signed up primarily to fully utilize my breath and have better engagement of my diaphragm so that I can speak from a place of authenticity in my meditation coaching. I felt that I needed more strength and conviction in my manner of speaking. I realize that this was stemming from being caught up in my head in self-judgment and doubt. Working with Joann has helped me tap into a resonance that I never experienced before. I feel at ease under her expert guidance and her positive and enthusiastic energy has helped me muster the courage to allow my true voice to emerge. I love my sessions with Joann so much that I would gush about her to my 18 year-old leading to them signing up for their own weekly sessions. If you're looking for a vocal coach whose style is not only expert-level and professional but also approachable and fun, then Joann's your person! read more

I've been participating in the weekly group singing classes and am delighted to have Joann as my coach! I initially joined with no singing background and wanted to learn to express myself through singing. Joann has been an incredible resource and expertly guided me through various techniques, including vocal warm-ups and different ways to enhance singing capabilities. More importantly, Joann cares about her students and is willing to offer me a listening ear and additional solutions and resources to conquer my other life problems . Thanks to her, I've enjoyed a welcoming environment where I can learn, practice, and embrace my mistakes--turning them into learning opportunities. I have thoroughly enjoyed each session and strongly recommend Joann to anyone looking to improve their singing at any level. read more

Thank you so much Joann for helping me with the warm-up techniques and unlocking my voice in 10 minutes!! You are a very supportive and patient teacher. read more

My daughter, who is 11, takes singing lessons with Joann. Initially, I wasn't sure whether it would really make a difference for my daughter to take the lessons because while she has a beautiful voice, she's shy about singing in front of people. Over the last several years of voice lessons, I've been impressed with Joann's gentle, effective and caring instruction. She has a gift for nurturing and developing a voice. She's also gotten my daughter to feel comfortable singing in front of people (and on stage in musical theater). As a result of her lessons, my daughter's voice has grown richer and covers a wider range. read more

I sing for fun and took some lessons with Joann in order to improve my technique. I found Joann professional and also very warm and personable. She has helped me better understand my voice and walks me through specific exercises tailored to my weak areas. I always find myself having fun during the lessons and have gained confidence in my singing. I would recommend Joann to serious and casual singers alike. read more

Joann is a very kind, encouraging, and knowledgeable voice teacher. I started by watching the video replays of her monthly masterclasses on special topics (Mixed Voice, Belting, Riffs & Runs, etc.) and then decided to try them out in person after I saw their high quality. I was instantly wowed by how she gave very targeted exercises so that students could isolate the different elements of singing and practice them one at a time! For example, she has certain exercises for developing better breath control, other exercises for chest-dominant mixing, and more. This compelled me to take her Private Combo (1 private lesson and 1 Marco Polo asynchronous video review) in addition to the masterclasses. I have had only a few private lessons so far, but she has already taught me so many ways to practice effectively and develop a better voice in the long run. For example, even though I am far from mastering mixed voice, I feel like I finally understand how mixed voice works thanks to her explanations. Would definitely recommend! read more

Such a welcoming and helpful musical coach! Did some lessons with her and she taught tips and tricks that helped my voice. I was going to sing for an event in front of a bunch of people and she helped me gain the confidence I needed to do it too! And that night so many people complimented my singing. HIGHLY recommend her! read more

An effective teacher has to have a gentle, encouraging and loving heart to effectively bring out the best inside her student. Shall I say, I finally met that teacher in my life! I grew up in a toxic family, and it is still easy for me to feel full of shame and trauma, yet, when I take voice lessons with her, she heals me, she grounds me, she leads me gently to singing better. She genuinely has faith in me and my singing, which is truly a gift that I will cherish... I will forever be grateful that I have met Joann. If you love singing but are not confident in your abilities or even believe you can't sing, in my opinion trying a class with Joann is totally worth it! She could teach songwriting as well. So if you wanna bring your heart out with melody and lyrics but don't know how trying a lesson with Joann is my recommendation! read more

My daughter (7) has been taking piano and voice lessons with Mrs. Joann for over a year now. We are so happy to have found her. She is patient, joyful, but also sets high expectations with respect to practice and learning. It's a great experience and my daughter is enjoying the lessons and learning so much. read more

As a software engineer and lover of music, I highly recommend Joann to anyone who wants to become a great singer. In just 1 month, Joann took me from fumbling high notes, to being able to sing my favorite songs with ease. I was initially worried about whether I'd be able to find time in my schedule, but the lessons have been WELL worth it. I had taken vocal lessons for about six months in my home state previously, and Joann was easily able to adapt to my learning style. it's just a testament to her experience. So, if you want to achieve your vocal goals, sign up with Joann today. read more

I've been taking semi-private voice lessons from Joann for about 2 months and I've noticed so much difference in my voice already. I struggled a lot with my mixed voice and although I still have a long ways to go, I have a much better understanding of vocal technique and placement because of the feedback Joann has given me. The environment she creates during the lesson is comfortable and allows me to try new things with my voice without being afraid of judgement or failure. She is very encouraging, especially to me as a complete beginner! read more

I've been taking voice lessons from Joann for a bit over half a year and it's been a great experience learning from her! She's very good at figuring out how to personalize techniques to students based on our needs in a way that makes it easy to learn and understand. As a beginner, I was definitely nervous, self-conscious, and scared to try out voice lessons, but Joann has been very patient and encouraging, which has helped me feel comfortable and safe throughout the entire process. read more

I took a couple dance classes from Joann: ballet and modern. I am over 50 and always had the dream to take ballet especially. It was a dream-come-true because Joann is so encouraging and relaxed that she takes all fear away and makes it fun and easy to learn! I gained so much in just two classes! I feel so much more confident and in control when I dance. I can't wait to take more classes!! read more

Our daughter has been taking lessons since she was five years old with Ms. Joann. She is now eleven and she plays with grace and confidence. We've watched her bloom into a beautiful piano player. This past month our daughter has also been taking voice lessons and is super exited to play and sing. We highly recommend Joann. She is a true artist and graceful soul. We have been blessed to have found her. read more

I took voice and piano lessons with Joann. She was very encouraging. She believed in me and pushed me just enough to achieve my goals. Super thankful I got to work with her! She is the best! read more

My son has been taking piano lessons from Joann for about 9 months. She has the perfect balance of structure and freedom using lesson books that my son loves to go through, and she also picks up on musical interests he has or if he's leaning a song by ear and helps him figure out the song and add left hand chords to the song. She nurtures where his interests are to make the lessons and practice more enticing for him and he loves it. I sit in on most of the lessons and love how patient she is with him, how she lets him ask questions, and how she softly reins him back in when he gets a little distracted. I would recommend her to anyone! read more

Joann is amazing, she is a great teacher and a passionate musician. So kind and encouraging, helping her students reach and excede their goals. Joann has a fun teaching style that makes it easy to learn. I was a complete beginner to vocals and she has helped me grow immensely. Joann teaching Is well rounded covering all aspects. I look forward to learning piano after vocals or possibly dancing haven't decided. Joann Is such a gift and is great with kiddos. If your looking for an exceptional and well rounded teacher choose Joann you will be glad you did. read more

Ms. Joann is an absolutely beautiful soul as well as an incredible musician, artist, and teacher. I took private voice lessons with Ms. Joann for about four years while in high school and she helped me grow in numerous areas from learning more about music and musicality, improving songs for upcoming musical performances, and helping me prepare for college theater program auditions. She is very kind, patient, and knowledgeable about her craft, and I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking to grow more as an artist! read more

I found Joann C Chang while searching on the internet. I spent a couple hours trying to find someone to help me choreograph a dance for my wife at our wedding reception. From all the people in the Bay area. God guided me to the right person. Joann an I worked together on the making of what has been for me one of the most important things of my life. She proposed the plan to achieve what we wanted and scheduled the sessions. She was always open to making adjustments to our schedule and was always taking close attention to all the small details. After 4 sessions, we had the ready the dance and I went back to my Island to perform the dance we created for my wife. Joann was remotely there, she reached out and was excited as me, knowing the day to perform was close. It was an awesome experience, the way she taught me gave me the confidence and strength I needed to go out and perform as I wanted to do for my wife. I will forever feel blessed that God led me to Joann, I really appreciate all the work and heart she put on this dance we worked out together. read more

Joann C Chang Studios - Dance for my wife at our wedding - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me

I highly recommend Ms. Joann to anyone who is interested in learning to play piano! She is an absolutely wonderful, kind, patient, encouraging and supportive piano teacher. She adapts her teaching style to suit the needs of each person. Both my boys have enjoyed learning to read music and play piano from her. They have come a long way in the past 2 years. We are very impressed with her methods! read more

Website not good can't put your own feedback, you have to use their words. I wish they would have available for those outside Mountain View your own words. read more

A kid-friendly way to learn music. She is clearly experienced with not just teaching but also teaching little people. My kid has fun learning without feeling any pressure which in her case actually means she learns more and advances well. Very happy with pace and technique. In less than half a year, my 6-year old has progressed to reading and sometimes even writing her own music and feels encouraged to experiment when practicing at home. Highly recommend! read more

InMotion and Joann are amazing! I am currently taking voice lessons here and feel like I am learning a lot! I really enjoy that the lessons are structured well but also meet my individual needs. I am learning new techniques on how to use my voice properly and sound better, discerning between my chest voice and head voice and practicing various ways of using speech level singing. Joann is experienced with different types of singing styles and I have been able to figure out that my natural style is. She also has been very helpful with spontaneous singing technique. She has a way about her that puts me at ease and let's me fully embrace the notion that comes with each song- something I've never been able to do. It's a beutiful art form and Joann will definitely make you feel like an artist. I like that there is diversity of who Joann teaches - she has very young kids just starting out as well as adults. There are also recitals throughout the year for all her students where everyone is able to showcase their talent and what they learned in a totally non judmental, fun & comfortable setting. I'm loving the experience. High class training that I highly recommend for kids and adults! read more

My 7 year old son started piano lessons with Miss Joann, and we've been very happy with his progress over just a few months. She establishes clear and reasonable expectations for practicing with a very warm and encouraging approach, which is motivating for my son. He is learning to read music, but also developing his ear, which I appreciate. She pays attention to his interests, and is open to all styles of music. Overall, we have had an excellent experience! read more

I have wanted to take voice lessons for years as I wasn't sure if I was using my voice properly. After already a first few lessons with Joann, I improved immensely. Joann knows how to inspire confidence in a student, a skill that is indispensable especially when teaching someone how to sing! I believe it is because of her encouragement that I was able to learn so quickly. I thought it would take me years to learn how to control my voice, but I was surprised that I grasped what Joann said so quickly in just a few lessons! I was able to work on my own personal songs with her, and as a songwriter and artist herself, Joann encouraged me to develop my songwriting talents. She is easy to talk to, and since our very first lesson, we established a supportive rapport with each other. I would highly recommend her, especially for the timid singer, for she will ease your fears and help you develop your natural singing voice! read more