In the field of psychology, a "therapeutic alliance" encapsulates the relationship a psychotherapist 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. read more

Melissa is my first vocal coach and she's truly amazing! She's very knowledgeable and smart! My throat used to tense up quite a bit and also my voice is tense. She's helping me to work through it!! She's wonderful!!! read more

Melissa is a great teacher!I am enjoying every class, sometimes I feel down but after our lesson I always feel so much better. English is my second language and she's definitely the best teacher I've ever had. read more

I've had Melissa as a vocal coach for around 4-5 years now and I have loved every second of it! I notice great improvement in my technique and range, and I have learned a lot about how my voice operates on a scientific level. Melissa is very encouraging and creates such a lovely space to learn. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for voice lessons! read more

I have worked with Dr. Treinkman for two years now, and I continue to learn more and more about my voice every single lesson. Every minute of each lesson is valuable and informative. She has a deep knowledge of how the voice works biologically, and effectively translates how to navigate and train your specific voice in an individualized way. She can identify the areas that need the most attention, and provide tangible, active ways to improve those areas of the voice. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable, but she is kind and encouraging all while pushing her students to their fullest potential. If you're lucky enough to work with her, soak up every minute of her brilliance! I could not recommend her more. read more

Melissa is a great teacher!! I'm taking lessons just for fun as a hobby, but she's really helped me gain confidence in my voice. She is able to clearly determine areas that need improvement and gives exercises that are challenging, but doable. Her prices are also very reasonable given her impressive experience! read more

I've had 5 lessons with Melissa and have experienced a dramatic improvement in my vocal technique. There's a lot of knowledge she's imparted (she did just receive a DMA in Vocal Performance from USC last month) and I've loved getting the freedom to play around with finding approaches that work for me in nurturing growth. The lessons take place in a cozy space in Venice. While I live a bit far from here, it has been worth the drive! read more

I've been taking voice lessons with Melissa a little over three years now as a student at USC, and she is quite honestly one of the best teachers I've ever had. Not only does she have incredible talent, she has the ability to bring out the best in her students both musically and in their confidence as singers. I compare my voice from our first lesson to now and I can't BELIEVE the progress in my vocal support, expression, range capabilities, development of each register, and my ability to articulate what I've learned. I owe it all to her! What's so great and unique about her teaching is that she's very knowledgable about her craft, she's always prepared, provides excellent feedback, and COLLABORATES with the student. Not only does this create a comfortable learning environment, it allows the student to develop their confidence and encourages them to try their best. I HIGHLY recommend her for anyone willing to explore their craft at any level. Class with Melissa was definitely the highlight of my week for me :) Thanks so much, Melissa! read more

I have been taking voice lessons from Melissa for several months and she is great! I am a serous adult beginner and she has really helped me. I have been amazed at how well she understands the voice as an instrument and pleased as I have come to gain range, tone quality, and confidence in my expression. I feel that there is no technical limitation she could not help me overcome. By simply listening to me sing for a few minutes she is quickly able to identify the most important things to work on. She gives me simple clear exercises and I can hear and feel the improvement each week. She also honors that as an adult singer I know what I like and what I want to achieve. I bring songs that I want to sing to her and she helps me break them down in a way that I can practice them and get them sounding like I want them to sound. You can really tell that she loves what she does. She is a compassionate, talented and professional teacher. I'd recommend her to anyone! read more

Melissa is AMAZING! I was introduced to her when I went to a speaking workshop in Long Beach and she blew me away... Not only does she have an amazing opera singing voice, you immediately can tell that she practices what she preaches simply by the way she talks. Her pitch, vocal variety, and clarity are all world-class. I learned so much from Melissa already and can't believe how quickly I am progressing with her help. Don't be confused by all of the voice coaches out there, Melissa is the BEST! Book her for your first lesson and you will see the difference!.. read more

I've been taking vocal lesson from Melissa for about 6 months and I'm definitely a fan. Previously, I had absolutely no singing experience so even with the limited contact I've had with her, I have improved significantly and know the error of my ways. Melissa breaks things down into manageable pieces and is constantly upping the bar by challenging you with more techniques/skills/precision. In addition, I have seen her with work with teens and young adults, and she adjusts her delivery to suit each person's need. I am an adult, so for me, she has a warm and knowledgeable personality that is fun and lighthearted! Thanks, Melissa! Please note, I have not had any previous experience with taking any musical lessons. That said, I highly recommend Melissa. read more

I took a voice lesson with Melissa to help improve on some singing basics and to learn a how to sing a favorite song. She was very professional and provided expert feedback during the course of the lesson. Her instruction taught me how to improve my breathing to hit notes I didn't think I was able to sing. Even though it was my first lesson I felt encouraged and challenged. Amazing Teaching! read more

Melissa is amazing!!! Like another user, my husband had always wanted me to sing. While we were dating, we would ride in the car, he would sing and I would sit quietly. I was very fearful of singing. So for his wedding gift I learned how to sing and surprised him during our wedding reception. He was completely shocked and amazed. Many of our guests said this was the best part of the night, because of the look on my husband's face when I sang the first line. Melissa helped me find the perfect song, the right key, everything you expect from voice lessons. She was patience when she needed to be, and pushed me when needed. The best part of Melissa is that she is genuinely a positive and encouraging person. I always leave lessons feeling good and feeling like I am making progress. Her love of music shines in every lesson, she wants her students to enjoy and have fun with music. (I have also seen her with children, and she is the same way, positive and encouraging). Melissa recorded our lessons, so I knew what to practice between lessons. A couple weeks before the wedding, she had me sing in front of others, and then suggested that I perform at an adult recital. I was so nervous for the recital, but very thankful she made me do it. The recital gave me the confidence to sing at the wedding and I really had fun with it. I cannot thank Melissa enough, she is really wonderful. I loved working with her so much, and have developed a love for signing. Now, I am continuing lessons with her, but adding piano to the mix. read more

During the 4 years I took lessons from Melissa I learned so much. The first time I met her I recognized that she was very talented and that her rates were very fair considering how accomplished she is. Through her lessons I was able to expand my vocal range well over high C as well as to support my low notes since that is harder for my voice type. Melissa is very supportive and gave me such strong support even though I have a corporate job and will never sing professionally anymore. She treated me with a lot of respect right from the beginning, was well prepared, and encouraging. I feel thankful for her. read more

I'm not one to write reviews but, for Melissa, I have to. I'm relatively new to singing (only 2 years) and I'm largely self-taught. While dedication and the internet can take you far, I always felt that my voice was lacking, something was missing. So I did what any sensible person would do and I looked up the best-reviewed vocal coach on the west side! I have seen Melissa one time and in one hour she completely changed my singing. She taught me in simple, easy to understand vernacular, that made me completely change the way I saw singing and allowed my couple years of fierce dedication shine through. I can't say that I am an amazing singer yet, but after seeing Melissa I am so much more confident in my voice and, for once, I actually like how I sound. If this is the progress I have seen in a single session, you can bet that I will be continuing to see Melissa for the foreseeable future. I am so excited and relieved to finally know what singing actually is and feels like and I CANNOT recommend her more. She is concise, professional, and brings a positivity to her teaching that is essential in a craft as personal and vulnerable as singing. Melissa, thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am very very much looking forward to our next session. read more

Melissa is awesome. I have taken lessons from her for over a year, and she is a great teacher. Learning piano has been difficult for me, and I have been trying to make progress since high school twenty five years ago. I have only started to be able to play, since starting with Melissa. It is a rare trait to be both a good musician and teacher, and Melissa has both. Melissa also teaches my wife singing lessons, and my five year old daughter piano lessons, and our two year old daughter will start soon. She has patience with our five year old, who can sit through a 45 minutes lesson with Melissa, because Melissa makes the piano lesson for kids fun. Melissa is always on time, and if she needs to skip a class she tells us in advance. I read the negative review from San A, and Melissa is a professional musician, so she may need to change a lesson because of a performance. For example she is performing at the LA Opera next month, but being trained by a professional musician is a rare find in Los Angeles. Finally, Melissa has a nice and peaceful energy about her. My family and I spend a lot of time with Melissa one on one, and she has always been respectful, diligent, and she simply has a gift for teaching music. read more

Melissa is absolutely fantastic!! I started taking lessons with Melissa a little over a month ago and I am progressing much faster than I expected to. She does a great job of breaking down the mechanics of singing in a way that is understandable and useful for when you're practicing on your own. She also offers her expert advice on the types of songs that fit your look and vocal range, as well as how to prepare for auditions. As an actress, I really appreciate that she takes all those factors into account. She is professional, warm, thorough, and constantly pushes you to take your singing to the next level. I would highly recommend her to anyone interested in taking voice lessons. read more

Can I give 10 stars? Fantastic and amazing. I never ever thought I could sing and had absolutely no experience playing piano. I wanted to be able to sing a song for my girlfriend's birthday but only had 6 weeks. Yet Melissa managed to pull it off and 6 weeks later I actually performed the song for my girlfriend (& her family!) Thank you!! read more

My (now) wife and I wanted to perform a duet - "Lucky" - so we took a singing lesson with Melissa prior to our wedding. She is a WONDERFUL instructor. Patient, kind and encouraging, we both felt comfortable and confident under her guidance. She took the time to run us through tune-up exercises that were instrumental (pun intended) in making our wedding day performance a success. I highly recommend Melissa's services! read more

Melissa is an angel. She is both instinctive and knowledgeable as a teacher and as a musician. An hour with her is magic! She is curious and observant, and one of the kindest people you will come across. Brilliant! She is so present in her lessons, and makes everyone feel so comfortable and welcome. That being said, she will also be honest and thoughtful about how you can improve and what you should be focusing your attention on. Regardless of how experienced you are, there is much to learn from her at any level. You truly can't go wrong with this one. THE BEST. read more

I started going to Melissa last May and she has been amazing! She does everything to encourage you. One thing I loved about her was rather than be quick to assume that I was having hearing problems she worked diligently with me to figure why I was hitting certain notes. It was because they were the weak spots in my voice. We are now focusing on opera arias to strengthen that area. She takes the time to actually learn about your voice and what it is you are doing and need improvement on. In a way she is also a personal trainer. She has me doing squats to show just how much proper support I need in order to hit those note up by and over C6. She has been great in learning breathing, support, and strengthening my full range. She is very much worth it! read more

I always look forward to my vocal lessons with Melissa! She has a warm personality and has helped me become more confident in myself as a singer. Melissa has helped me gain more more strength and vocal power. I've seen an improvement in my breath control/support, as well as with my emotional expression when performing. Thanks Melissa :) read more

Melissa is such a wonderful teacher. She started off teaching my husband piano and my 5 year old daughter piano. Now I have joined in on the musical fun, and Melissa teaches me voice lessons, which has encouraged my 5 year old to also do voice lessons. Our two year old sometimes even gets involved! The whole family loves Melissa. She is hugely talented in her musical abilities, but she is also a gifted teacher. I was very self-conscious to start voice lessons, but Melissa is so encouraging that I quickly became comfortable being vulnerable in front of her. I now really look forward to my time with her, and always feel good after our lessons. My 5 year old goes in and out of her interest in the piano, but Melissa has found many ways to get her engaged on the days she is having a hard time. I highly recommend Melissa as a teacher of any age!! read more

Melissa is an amazing voice teacher! I noticed a huge improvement in my voice within the first couple weeks of taking lessons from her. I've now been a student for her for around a year and I'm very happy! read more

I never sang before and ive been working with Melissa for about 4 months and i feel she really has helped me improve my voice by so much. Every time i go she has such a positive attitude and tries her best to make you feel comfortable. Even though if the exercise she is teaching is difficult she will try her best to make you understand how to accomplish it. I highly recommend Melissa for anyone from beginners to experts. read more

If you want real results, go with Melissa. I have been taking private voice lessons from Melissa for almost 2 years now and I have noticed major improvements in the quality of my sound, techniques, and confidence when performing. Highly trained and educated in singing, linguistics and voice biology, Melissa's an expert at catching bad habits and instructing the proper technique. She always gives constructive guidance in a very nice non-condescending way that boosts your confidence and motivates you towards success. She sees your potential and hears the beauty in your singing, knowing exactly the proper techniques you need to "let the natural beauty of your voice shine through." Incredibly knowledgable about all types of singing (especially opera and musical theater), she has amazing song recommendations that flatter your voice and offer a fun challenge. She is also an expert in cultivating the mind-body connection and I have found our lessons to be very therapeutic and healthy for my mental wellbeing. I can't recommend her enough! read more

I have been taking lessons with Melissa for over a year and am extremely satisfied. She has made me a much more confident and all around better vocalist. Melissa is always fully prepared with a lesson plan that covers every minute of each session. There is zero down-time. She is fully engaged and keeps notes on strengths, weaknesses and areas that need focus in practice and future lessons. She has a fantastic demeanor, creating an extremely comfortable environment for someone (like myself) that would be shy in this type of setting. I can't say enough about her or her teaching technique and ability. A+ all around. read more

Melissa's a great teacher. Took voice and piano lessons for 3 months before moving out of town. In that time we drilled on fundamentals and technique and after a couple months everything started to come together and I started making very obvious progress on the end result. Melissa doesn't waste lesson time letting you just play or sing but will keep making small corrections to maximize progress. She tailors for your individual needs and abilities. read more

There is no doubt she has a wonderful voice. (about teaching method I can't judge yet since I just worked with her for 4 sessions) But in my opinion, when you work with someone, this can't be enough. First when we talked, the only time could work for both of us, was Sunday which she said she can't do it weekly and we can talk about it after the first session. It was good if she told me in advance that she doesn't accept credit card and I would bring check. But she told me I can bring the check next tome or pay online with 3% fee. ( which she didn't wait till next time and asked me to mail it or pay online). That was something I wish to know in advance. After our second session, she emailed me and asked me to not use my perfume and deodorant ! First, this is something to tell in advance, second, deodorant is so personal and has nothing with any other person. Also, on 4th session I saw her next student who has a very strong cologne on him. Is this behavior respectful when it doesn't apply to all students equally ?! I came random sessions she gave me since I really wanted to continue , ( Sunday, Friday, Wednesday and last one Monday !!) and at last she told me we can do Mondays from Dec first. And last night ( not even on second Monday) she txt me she can't do Mondays because of her job offer, and she can't work with any other time I said I can ! I am paying for my sessions and her job is also teaching voice lessons. I was part of her job. So, having responsibility is another lack I faced. These behaviors are not respectful at all. She could tell me in advance she doesn't like students use perfume or cologne in her class and she should apply this rule to all, not a specific person. She could tell me in advance she doesn't accept credit cards not when I see her.,or at least wait till next session I bring the check. Also, if someone is so busy that can't accept any new client, she should let you know in advance. Not when you set your schedule with her all the time and although it is so inconvenient, you come randomly to have your sessions. I am a person who likes to start with someone and continue with the same person till the maximum skill she or he can teach me. Now I feel kind of lost and bad, I feel not respected as I deserved and I feel it can be helpful for people who like to start with her to know these things in advance. read more

So glad I found Melissa! She is so intelligent and patient and opening me up in ways I didn't imagine. She handles both the technical and emotional aspects of singing with finesse. I'm learning a lot, improving, and having a great time! Her place and space are both nice and conveniently located. Give her a try--you'll be happy you did :) read more

Melissa is brilliant. My daughter Molly goes to her for voice lessons. The improvement in proper technique and her voice is amazing and Molly's confidence has soared. She has just recently started Piano lessons with Melissa as well. Melissa went out of her way to attend Molly's concert at the House of Blues. Thank you so much Melissa. read more

Melissa is a wonderful voice teacher and person. I recently went to her for some help with an audition and not only did my singing improve but she helped me go into the audition with a great attitude. She is highly trained and will teach you how to strengthen your voice without hurting it! She is also just so nice and encouraging person who makes you feel comfortable. Great teacher- I highly recommend her! read more

Melissa is such a fantastic voice teacher. She is extremely kind and very supportive. When I began, I signed up for 30 minute lessons. It is absolutely amazing how much she can fit into that amount of time. I learned so many new things about the voice just in 30 minutes. Melissa is a very focused and dedicated teacher! She has helped me learn how to use my voice and strengthen my weaknesses. She has also given me more confidence in my voice and has been very encouraging! Thank you so much Melissa! read more

Melissa is an excellent teacher. She is very flexible with scheduling and will work around your schedule, which is so helpful if you're working full-time. I had lessons as late as 7:30pm on a weeknight and others on Sunday mornings. I bought a 4 pack of 45 minute lessons after having an initial lesson with Melissa. Those five lessons were a wonderful experience and I will definitely be doing more in the future. She is encouraging yet challenges you with specific vocal exercises and notes to help develop your technique. She helped pinpoint problem areas for me and knew how ti fix the things I was struggling with. I am definitely a better singer after these lessons and feel that I now know how to sing without damaging my voice. Singing with Melissa feels fun and safe, and I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to improve their voice. Thanks, Melissa! read more

The superlatives mentioned here are not exaggerations. Melissa is truly one of the best vocal teachers and overall educators with whom I have ever had the privilege of working. She is very knowledgeable and has a genuine desire to help her students. Within minutes, she determines your strengths and weaknesses and addresses them immediately. She imparts the necessary tools to improve your skills right away. There is no time wasted and you feel productive, accomplished--a sense that you are not only learning a lot and improving your vocal skills but also that you are truly getting an incredible, valuable service. When I take a lesson from her, even a half hour yields appreciable results. I sense that she is able to do this with all of her students because she tailors each lesson based on a comprehensive knowledge of vocal mechanics and technique as well as an intuitive understanding of her students' individual needs and abilities. I look forward to each lesson whenever I have the time to go. She is awesome! read more

I can't say enough good things about Melissa and her coaching. She was able to broaden my range and make me a more confident singer. I felt very comfortable singing in her presence, which is not easily found for a newbie like myself. She has a very positive attitude and is quite encouraging. Every lesson Melissa raised the difficulty, but kept it at a pace that I could manage. I was amazed at how much practice we could squeeze out of just 30 minutes. She keeps you working from the time you show up until the minute you walk out the door. If you are looking for a relaxed environment, knowledgeable coach, then this is the place for you! read more

Love her! She is very helpful, and I appreciate that she really listens to me!! I feel like I am able to explain what I struggle with and she is so ready to find out how to fix it and make me feel more confident in with my voice. Her studio is also very nice and clean. I have learned a lot from her in the few lessons I've taken and am excited to see what happens in future sessions! read more

Melissa has truly helped me in every way, she has introduced me to so much and I'm so glad to have found her. She is honestly great at taking her time to help get everything perfect and sounding beautiful. She has an amazing gift and her passion for it shines right through. My voice has extremely changed over the course of a few months. If you need a voice teacher, she's the one! Melissa is awesome!!! Thanks for everything!! read more

Melissa is WONDERFUL!!!! My fiance was BEGGING me to sing at some point during our wedding day for our friends and family and I was more fearful than I could have imagined. That is what brought me to voice lessons in general. Melissa was AMAZING and ended up becoming a crucial reason that I did actually sing (and make my husband so happy!). She helped me find the perfect song, the right key, the right sounds, the right inflections, and the right feelings. She recorded CDs of warm ups for me to sing everyday, of my actual song with and without me singing, and of our lessons which acted as subsequent lessons on my own. She also brought in a few people to hear my song and help calm my nerves (which was critical, it turns out). She gave me tricks, ideas to calm my nerves, things to practice to simulate how I would feel once I was on stage, etc. Her positive nature and the ease of her lessons were amazing. I always look forward to working with Melissa and HIGHLY recommend her to anyone looking for vocal lessons. read more