Pauline is a great teacher. I really enjoy her constant, constructive feedback. She has helped me extend my range to areas I did t think were possible. read more

My daughter took voice lessons with Pauline and we found her to be so very encouraging, thorough, and inviting which was perfect for us. She really leaned into the music and style my daughter wanted to explore which made lessons fun yet educational in her explanation of technique. The quality of coaching was top notch for a novice and from what I researched, and can now assume, would be even for a seasoned vocal artist. Communicating with her was always clear and timely, and she was very proactive and flexible when there were upcoming schedule adjustments. I only have great things to say about our experience -- we only stopped lessons due to my daughter wanting to focus on other activities, which Pauline was also very understanding and encouraging about. If you're like me and are looking for a vocal coach in the Mountain View/Los Altos area I know there are a small handful of results coming up in your search. We chose Pauline and couldn't have been happier with our choice! read more

I checked out her website and she has award winning students. And a photo with Renee Fleming! I referred a client looking for a classical singer for a celebration of life because everyone I know is booked (May is wedding season!) so it's time to hire students. read more

Pauline helped me greatly in developing my mixed voice, vibrato, and practicing good vocal technique. When I brought songs to her that I had been struggling with, she immediately knew what I needed to adjust to approach the sound correctly, and made the notes a lot easier to hit. read more

I am thankful to Pauline for giving me the confidence to sing in front of a crowd. She was patient, and gave constructive feedback without squashing your self esteem. I wish I could have continued on but for anyone looking to learn or improve your voice/speech, I recommend Pauline. read more

I'm a long time student of Pauline's and she is AMAZING. Lessons with her are thorough, extremely educational, easy to practice and just fun. My singing has improved a lot since meeting her. Beyond singing itself, Pauline is a very special person- kind, intuitive, loving and strong. I'm a better person for having known her as a teacher and a friend. You must meet her too!! read more

I have taken classes with Pauline for good 5 years. I had zero singing ability before that I knew of, was always interested, but sounded horrible any time I'd try. I am also in my 50's, so it's quite an endeavor. Pauline has been amazing, getting me to learn from the very basics, discovering and widening my vocal range, identifying where I was making mistakes with various sounds and correcting them, helping me gain confidence, and eventually enabling over time to sing pretty complex songs, and with simpler ones, I now find I can sound decently after just a few tries to learn hte rhythm of the song. It's been a real fun process and a lot of patience from Pauline. When she hears mistakes she can diagnose what went wrong - a lot of times for me it's mechanical, not getting the jaw, the tongue etc. into the right places - and comes up with effective and simple techniques to help correct for them. She also knows how to keep the voice safe from being strained. When I sing on my own, sometimes I overextend myself and as a result may lose higher notes, but in the classes, this has never happened, and in fact, her exercises help smoothe things out even if I come in with an already strained voice. It's also great to receive an audio recording after each class, so I can listen and identify where things worked well and where they did not. Helps me be more effective next time. I sing just for personal pleasure, but I actually had an opportunity and courage to sing a few songs at our corporate party as well. This was quite an experience! Really appreciate how Pauline has made a big difference for me! read more

Very kind and experienced voice teacher! :) She taught me a lot about proper breathing, tongue/jaw position, useful vowel substitutions, and etc. in order to sing with a more pleasant tone and without strain. read more

I have been taking lessons with Pauline for over a year and she has been an amazing teacher! I have been singing on my own for much of my life and enjoy occasionally performing, but it wasn't until taking lessons with Pauline that I feel I really improved a lot. My control and usable range has increased but most importantly I feel I understand the mechanics of good technique (breath support, tricks to stop reaching, consonants, vowel modification depending on the word/note, mixing, etc) , how they physically feel, and how to break down difficult areas of songs on my own. I have had previous vocal teachers before but I would say Pauline has the best ear of them all. She was able to identify bad habits that other teachers did not and suggest variations of exercises to trick my brain to do the right thing. Even though lessons were moved to only online due to COVID, I didn't feel like the quality of the lessons were any worse (making sure you have something better than a laptop microphone helps a lot here). Finally, Pauline is just a great person overall and I feel she's really passionate about helping her students get better! Would definitely recommend her to anyone who is interested in singing or are looking to really improve! read more

I've taken classes from Pauline for almost five years. I started taking the lesson as total beginner and a non-native speaker. Pauline is always patient at helping me build up the foundations like through vowel/scale practice, finding resonance, and forming healthy singing habit. Pauline's lesson usually comprises basic vowel/scale exercise and singing songs of your choice. It's a perfect balance of hard work and fun. We even did some Chinese songs! Pauline is professional, always eager to help me improve, sometimes even goes over the scheduled time to provide more advice. After years of lessons from Pauline, I definitely find my self being able to sing songs I've considered really hard with wide ranges and I'm able enjoy music more. Pauline is also very friendly and considerate, so it's a really pleasant and satisfying experience for me overall. I definitely would recommend her lessons! read more

I started working with Pauline in middle school and continued lessons with her throughout high school. I have grown up singing, but didn't understand how to properly take care of my voice or sing in a healthy way before my lessons with Pauline. Pauline was always like family, and treated me with so much kindness and love, and I genuinely looked forward to every lesson with her. I am a college student at Boston University now, and am happily singing and situated in an amazing A Capella group, feeling confident and happy in my singing and voice thanks to everything Pauline taught me! I have and will always recommend Pauline to anyone who ever asks me where to get help with singing and technique, and I am so beyond grateful I got to work with her. read more

I've been taking voice lessons from Pauline for a year and a half. My techniques have improved quite a lot, and I feel much more confident when I sing. read more

I have only good words about Pauline's lessons. I have been taking lessons for 3+ years and I am still making visible progress. I have developed a fairly good understanding and command of most of the key points I can think of about singing - breath support, tempo, closure, pronunciation, posture, registers etc. If any future student sees this review, please note that you might not feel that you will immediately get results with Pauline's method or even understand it -- but that is the way it should be. For e.g., you might want to learn to get high notes or you want to develop healthy vibrato. But these are results that you get naturally when you walk on the right path. Pauline's speech level singing lessons provide the right path for you. I never questioned this because I had some training before but I understand it might not be easy to keep with the seemingly unrelated trainings -- while they are the essential building blocks. Singing techniques are not easy to understand or grasp, as there are a lot of subtleties there and a lot of things are not visible (they happen within your body). I sincerely hope you would trust and stick to Pauline's lessons and you will notice significant improvements. Besides that, Pauline is extremely great to work with and an outstanding human being. She will understand any issues or uncertainties if you communicate. read more

I had no prior experience before I started taking voice lessons with Pauline. I've been taking lessons for almost a year and she has been an excellent teacher. She is very good explaining the fundamentals and the right technics for good singing. read more

I have been taking voice lessons from Pauline for over a year. Being a very self conscious person and having the desire to carry a note brought me to her. Pauline is patient and encouraging. I am so happy with my improvement and no longer cringe with singing to myself :-) Thank you Pauline! read more

This is a reminder to myself to never contact this person again. She is uninterested in helping me improve anything on a path to success. Many don't know what to do with their music degrees so decides to teach. The result is bitter, close-minded people like Pauline. read more

Pauline is wonderful. She is very knowledgeable about the workings of the voice. She is detailed and interested in helping you with whatever your vocal situation is. She has a very comprehensive program that will get you singing well and can work with anyone from the beginner to a seasoned professional trying to get back on track. I would highly recommend! read more

Pauline is amazing! Great for beginner singers of all ages as well as experienced professionals. After years of talking about it, my husband and I finally started taking voice lessons a few months ago. We researched many different teachers and decided to go with Pauline because her reviews described her as being experienced and patient. Now that we've been working with her for a few months, I can vouch for both of these characteristics, and so much more! I can now hit notes that I couldn't before, my pronunciation and vibrato have improved, and I am overall much more confident singing. Other great things: * Pauline took the time to hear what we were hoping to get out of the lessons and tailors them to meet our needs. * She always has multiple ways of explaining concepts and lots of practical tips for learning them. If one thing doesn't work, she has several more up her sleeve. It's obvious that her decades of experience working with a range of different students has given her a large repertoire of techniques to draw on as a voice instructor. * Lessons start on time and she often goes overtime if she doesn't have another student afterwards. * She records every lesson and then shares with us via Google Drive so we can replay her feedback when practicing at home. * She is flexible with our schedules and always quick to respond via email and text. read more

I've been working with Pauline just over a year and feel a big difference in my vocal ability. Not only my voice got stronger, but I also learned techniques for improving my range and vibrato. I even started enjoying singing in public (something I was too shy/not confident enough to do in the past)! Pauline always gives detailed suggestions during practice and exercises tailored to my needs. She's always very professional and genuine. I would definitely recommend her to anyone interested in working on their voice. read more

Pauline is very patient and worked with me to improve my vocal range and strength. I see visible improvements after a few sessions with her. She also records each lesson and send it to me so I can practice throughout the week as well. I would highly recommend lesson with her for anyone who wants to improve their voice. read more

After years of practicing by on my own and trying to self teach myself through Youtube videos, I finally decided to go searching around for a vocal teacher, because I realized that I hit a wall in what I could accomplish on my own. I am very fortunate to have found someone as passionate as Pauline. She keeps a record about every student, and she thinks about how to help them improve, tailoring vocal lessons that are designed to help that particular individual improve. It has been about 10 months since I have started taking vocal lessons from Pauline. I can see improvements all over the board from vocal range to breath control, and it really shows in the recordings and when I go out with my friends to karaoke. I am happy with I have accomplished in my singing and I really have to give a lot of my thanks to Pauline for being such a good teacher. read more

I was only able to see Pauline for a few months, but my voice has greatly improved in the time we had together. I came in wanting to improve my voice in general but specifically better control of my breathing. I had no prior voice training and had only done choir for a few years in high school. I was frustrated after a few months when I didn't think I had improved, and I remember raising my concerns with Pauline. She made it a point to focus on my concerns for the next few lessons and show me that I was indeed improving. She records every lesson and I can easily tell the difference from when I first started. At my last lesson I sang some songs I had attempted in the very beginning and to my surprise they weren't as difficult as they were when I first started! Pauline's lessons will stick with me forever and I'm very glad that I came to her. read more

Our middle school daughter started taking lessons with Pauline several years ago. Pauline has helped her develop so well musically. She was able to continue and thrive in her school choir environment. We have loved Pauline's energy, professionalism, encouragement and care to our daughter. Pauline was so helpful in assisting our daughter to pick out appropriate pieces both for school choir auditions, as well as for passion pieces. Highly recommend! read more

I have been taking lessons with Pauline for almost a year now and the results outstanding. As someone who've been through many vocal teachers since middle school, Pauline really sets herself apart from other teachers - she is extremely knowledgeable about vocal chords, continues to find new ways to encourage you to learn muscle memory and is very patient to train you over and over again. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who wishes to do vocal lessons! read more

Pauline did an amazing job helping my daughter prepare for an upcoming play try out. My daughter spent her lessons with Pauline focused on how best to sing, how to enunciate the words while also understanding the tone. I strongly recommend Pauline and we'll be back again for my daughter's next play! read more

Pauline is an amazing voice teacher. I came in as a complete beginner, having never taken voice lessons before. After a couple months of working with her, I saw huge improvements. She does a great job at gauging your strengths and weaknesses, and tailoring each lesson appropriately. She even records every lesson for you, so you get to keep all the lessons you pay for! read more

My daughter has been taking voice lessons with Pauline for over a year since she was 10 years old. After couple of months I noticed big improvements in her singing. Pauline is a great teacher and my daughter always liked going to her lessons. Pauline helped her to choose her songs for musical auditions and prepare for them. I would highly recommend Pauline for voice lessons. read more

I love Pauline. She's incredibly patient, kind, and encouraging with her students. I highly recommend her for anyone looking to strengthen their singing voice with an excellent mentor. read more

My son has been taking lessons from Pauline for over 2 years now - in part because he was trying out for musical theater but also because he loves singing. Pauline was referred to us by a friend whose daughter was taking lessons and who was very pleased with the outcome. I have to say that I've been equally pleased. Between when we started and now, my son has gone through teenage hormonal changes, but Pauline has worked with him each week to focus on his new strengths and to understand his changing voice. She's also a master at keeping kids engaged by finding music they love to sing, which makes each lesson go by quickly for them. Overall, Pauline is not only a talented vocal teacher, but a wonderful person. I'm very glad we found her! read more

Pauline has a very unique teaching method. You will quickly see an improvement in your singing ability. I always thought that singing is a natural talent which could only be improved slightly with lessons. Not true. After 6 months my voice was 10 times better than when I started. I highly recommend Pauline if you want to reach your maximum potential. read more

Pauline is extremely patient and compassionate with singers at any level, and I've felt significant improvements in my voice since starting lessons with her months ago. We focus on vowel shapes, breath support and healthy voice habits so that I leave every session with something new to practice, and every session is recorded for my use. I can't recommend her enough! read more

Pauline has been an amazing voice coach for my daughter for 3 years. My daughter's vocal range and strength has improved tremendously and continues to improve with weekly lessons. Pauline is a dedicated professional and I would highly recommend her. read more

I'm a beginner who has worked with Pauline for over a year and my singing has improved quickly and consistently throughout the year. Pauline is a great teacher, expert at explaining things in different ways to find what clicks for you. I highly recommend working with her! read more

I took lessons with Pauline for a year and a half with no prior training and Pauline has really helped my understand the mechanics of singing: how to activate and relax the different muscles, the shape of the mouth for different vowels, the different 'rooms' of the voice (i.e. how different pitches feel like they're in different places in your head), etc. It has given me confidence in both my singing and speaking voice. Pauline is able to hear the smallest bad habits in your voice, even when you can't hear it yourself, and this is the expertise you can't get from just watching a YouTube video. She also is constantly trying to improve her lessons by trying out different exercises in hopes of accelerating her students' growth. It's also really helpful that she records and shares your lesson with you so that you can hear yourself and Pauline's feedback to guide you when practicing at home. Pauline genuinely cares about her students and is so supportive, I highly recommend her as a teacher! read more

What a satisfying experience! I began working with Pauline at weekly voice lessons about 6+ months before my rock band's reunion gig, which was to take place at a large venue on the East Coast. I had not performed for 5 years, and, not only am I not a particularly strong singer to begin with, but whatever skill I had retained was weak -- I was definitely rusty. I found Pauline to be supportive and a great teacher! Her professionalism and warmth and careful instruction made the experience a great one for me. I found the lessons challenging, but with practice my voice became much more robust. Stepping on stage by the time of my show, I did not feel that old familiar fear of losing my voice. What a difference! I could perform with confidence and feel joy in being able to sing. I recommend Pauline's voice lessons without hesitation :-) read more

From my review of Hope Street Studios ... Voice - Pauline Handley I am an adult. For the past couple of years I have been taking voice lessons with Pauline. Pauline has the unusual ability to listen carefully and then describe how to adjust what I am doing to change and improve. I've had two other voice teachers in the past and Pauline is the best. Location of Studio - convenient Recently the studio moved from downtown Mountain View (where parking was difficult) to a nice space that they have carefully prepared with good sound-proofing, on Old Middlefield off 101. read more

Pauline is a super kind soul who really cares about the people she teaches. I have 2 children and we have taken several lessons from Pauline to prep for the girls musical auditions. Their confidence have grown under her tutelage and so have their voices. read more

I've been taking voice lessons from Pauline for over four years now. Her methods are fairly rigorous, but because of her personal warmth and her clear passion for teaching, she manages to make lessons non-intimidating and fun. She's clearly a student of the craft -- she's constantly coming up with new ways of explaining and/or demonstrating the trickier bits of technique. Pauline has helped me tremendously. Since I started taking voice lessons with her, not only have I started singing in a working band, I'm now recording my first CD. Highly recommended. read more

Pauline has been an awesome teacher for my daughter. My daughter has been taking voice lessons from Pauline for over three years. Pauline has helped my daughter prepare for her auditions and her musical theater performances. Pauline is very patient with her and is able to guide her. We strongly recommend Pauline to anyone who is looking for a voice teacher. read more