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.

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

I cannot recommend Paloma enough. I started working with her for muscle tension dysphonia, and she…read morehas been such a gift in this process. She's incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and thorough. The laryngeal massages and targeted vocal exercises she's guided me through have made such a difference in helping me understand my voice and reduce tension. What I appreciate most is how supported I feel during our sessions. She truly listens and tailors everything to what my voice needs that day. If you're struggling with vocal tension or MTD, Paloma is someone you absolutely want on your team.

I'm not surprised that Paloma has perfect. Five star review on yelp - I'm so glad I went based on…read morethese recommendations when I reached out to her for lessons I had not sung in decades when I began working with Paloma in October, with one very meaningful goal: to prepare Ave Maria for my mother's 80th birthday Mass. Paloma is a seasoned professional with an absolutely beautiful voice, and she made the entire process approachable, easy to digest, and genuinely fun. She taught me how the voice truly works--breath support, diaphragm use, vocal anatomy, resonance, tongue placement, and effective exercises that rebuilt my voice with care and intention. Her depth of knowledge is exceptional, yet she explains everything in a way that feels clear and accessible. Most importantly, I felt extremely comfortable and supported every step of the way. Thanks to Paloma's expertise, patience, and encouragement, I was able to deliver a heartfelt and beautiful tribute to my mother. If you are returning to singing after time away or preparing for something truly meaningful, I cannot recommend Paloma highly enough.

I took piano lessons as a child (from a very grumpy old lady), and around 3 years ago (at 25) I…read moredecided to start back up again. Shannon was recommended to me by a fellow musician. From the first lesson I could tell why. She's professional, kind, and patient. Not to mention very musically talented. I work full time and go to school part time, and her lessons fit in perfectly with that schedule. She guides me at my own pace. Her lessons follow a really great piano book, but there are plenty of times where we'll seamlessly swap to a random song I want to learn, from rock-and-roll to classical to movie soundtracks. Her studio is immaculate and inviting and her musical instruments are top-notch. I've seen students decades older and decades younger than myself at her studio before and after my lessons, all with smiles on their faces. I highly recommend Shannon Moses!

It was my first time taking lessons with anyone... and I chose Shannon based off of her…read morecredentials. I was doing this for my own personal growth and I was very comfortable with her. Shannon is a great teacher, very patient with my airy voice and gifted. She teaches all types of music and helps you through whatever it is you are trying to accomplish! Would recommend to anyone if you are in the area and are looking for a good voice coach. She also teaches piano!

I'm a novice singer and have been taking lessons with Juliana for a few months. Already, I've…read morenoticed a huge improvement in my sound, tone, and--most importantly--my confidence. Juliana is a genius at making suggestions that help you visualize how small physical or mental changes can create a much better sound--for example, I've learned to notice when I allow my rib cage to collapse. As a beginner, I've often felt unsure about what's happening in my body when I sing, but Juliana's examples have made difficult things feel clear and achievable. The recordings of our lessons have been a game-changer for me. Re-listening to them not only helps me see how much I've improved, but also lets me revisit her advice and keep working on it between lessons. It's like having unlimited lessons because so much of learning to sing is about making time to practice. Juliana's studio is a warm and peaceful space where I feel completely safe to experiment and be loud without embarrassment. It's clear that she remembers her own learning journey very well and can really empathize with her students. I couldn't be happier with Juliana as my teacher.

I've retired and had never sung out loud! So the idea of singing lessons was very scary but it was…read morean inhibition that I really wanted to overcome. I did a lot of research on LA based teachers and Juliana's commitment to voice discovery for anyone got me through the door. I have never looked back. Juliana's teaching style is warm and constantly encouraging, giving you building blocks from physical preparation and relaxation through the many vocal techniques to enhance your sound. Her attention to detail is exemplary and she is an expert who always makes you feel you are in safe hands. She also goes above and beyond to ensure you have materials and videos to help you practice. My confidence has grown with every session and I continue to improve. For me, it is also a pleasure for my first audience to be her adorable cats and dogs who wander into our sessions. They are of course optional if you had concerns. I don't hesitate to recommend Juliana to anyone. Whatever your level, you will improve under her guidance. Simon

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!

Lauren Carter is an amazing vocal coach. I have been working with her and have transformed from…read morean off key hopeless singer to someone who can carry a tune and has the confidence to sing in public. She is patient and encouraging and highly recommend her.

My daughter has been working with Lauren for almost a year now. My little girl was diagnosed with a…read moreSpeech and Reading Disability and her psychiatrist recommended speech lessons as well as singing and piano classes to help her improve overall. With Lauren's expertise in singing and piano, and her calm patience, my daughter is speaking more fluently now and belts out songs all day long. Lauren is a pleasure to work with and my daughter just loves her. If you have small children who enjoy singing and want them to learn piano, Lauren is the best!

Brian is hands-down one of the best vocal coaches out there. He really understands the anatomy and…read morescience behind singing, and he explains what's happening in your body in a way that makes it easy to understand and recreate on your own. He's not cheap, but he's absolutely worth it if you want to learn efficiently instead of spending money on endless lessons that don't move the needle. I've been learning from him for almost a year, and I've learned so much more in that time than I did in four years at another studio. Thanks Brian!!

A little update here on yelp. It's only been four lessons, but I just wanted to take a moment to…read moreappreciate you by saying thank you very much for doing what you do!!! Music has always been there for me through many difficult parts of my life, but I've always felt like there was this gap between music and I that I could never close. I never felt like I had any talent to immerse myself, or further myself in it. Always just singing to myself, or when I'm alone, because that's the only time I have the courage to explore my voice. I have to say I've never felt this great singing before and it's only been four lessons. This year for me is big on self investment and rediscovering myself and where my interests/passion lies. You've gotta take some risks in life sometimes and taking a chance on vocal lessons with you has been by far one of the best decisions I've made in a while!. I'm still super stoked and I'm looking forward to what's to come!! Thanks voice dad!

Great at what she does! Really has a lot of experience and passion and is serious about her…read morestudents development as singers and song writers

I began working with Forbsey over a year ago now. I don't have a yelp and have never used it before…read more-- but this woman has completely transformed what I am capable of and, so, I had to come here and add myself to the praise around Forbsey. She's a vocal magician and will change your life. It will not only serve your voice, but will enhance your confidence and composure. I'm a better performer all around because of her.

Melanie is absolutely the best vocal coach I've ever had the privilege of working with. She's…read morehelped me improve my singing more than I thought I could and is unfailingly encouraging. She's also very honest and has good prices. I ten out of ten recommend her to anyone who's pursuing voice at any level :)

My teenage daughter is going to Melanie and things are going great. She loves it and appreciates…read morethe time they spend together. Already seeing improvements

Everything was terrific! Lauren is a gifted instructor; she's charming, informative, and able to…read morecoax wonderful tones out of everyone!

Loran was the best teacher ever. She has so much patience and she's so encouraging and found a…read moreplace for each person to be able to participate in sing and it was just so much fun. I've always been super shy about ever doing karaoke so this was the best way to start breaking into it.