Voice Teachers for Teens & Pre-Teens
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Voice Teachers for Teens & Pre-Teens
Feb 2012
I have a 16 year old boy who loves to play piano, drums, compose
and sing music. His voice is good, but he would benefit from a
voice coach, preferrably someone who likes jazz and rock n'
roll. Ideally, the voice coach would be male and close to
lamorinda, but any recommendations would be appreciated. Thank
you!
rock n' roll mama
Although I have no personal experience with him I know of the Director
for the teen section of the Piedmont Children's Choir. His name is
Clifton Massey. He also teaches at Head Royce and Acalanes High
School. His email is clifton.massey@gmail.com
My son who has been singing for 10 years used Carey Sheldon in Berkeley,
her phone # 510-843-9687, she helped him enormously. She practices the
Seth Riggs Method of voice training which helps the singer develop a very
fluid range even while there voices are stabilizing.
regina
June 2011
Hi,
My 13 year old is interested in voice lessons. We live in the
Glenview area of Oakland and would like to find someone reasonably
close. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.
Libby McLaren, right in your neighborhood, is fabulous! Our 17
year old daughter has been taking singing lessons from Libby
for 5 years, loving every session. Libby is warm, funny,
sensitive and a great teacher. They have an annual recital at
the Freight and Salvage too.
Good luck! Anon
Libby 510-482-9479, on Linwood Street, off Hampel.
anon
Liz Engan is a great musician/person/voice teacher, and has
taught my teenager. Her number is 510-236-6524.
jeanette
Would you be willing to travel to Berkeley near Ashby/80/ new
Berkeley Bowl for voice lessons? I think it would be worth it
for you. Cynthia Bythell is my daughter's voice teacher is so
fun, but exacting at the same time. She's a professional
singer/ performer so she has an ear that's way beyond my own
ear's capability. She's very patient and encouraging and gets
great results. My daughter is a preteen, but I've seen all ages
walk out of her house after a voice lesson. She's very
reasonably priced as well. You can contact Cynthia Bythell at
(510) 548-5839, or cynthiabythell@att.com
Happy with voice teacher
August 2009
My 13 year-old has developed an interest in musical theater. She's
realized that she won't be able to have significant parts without some
voice coaching. So we're looking for someone who would enjoy working
with a middle-school beginner. We're also interested in helping her
develop basic movement/dance skills if anyone knows of someone who
gives individual lessons, or a class that would work for a beginner
that age.
would-be drama queen's mama
We have a wonderful voice teacher who was in the Phantom of the Opera
in San Francisco a few years back and teaches at ACT. He generally
teaches over in the east bay once a week. My daughter and her friend
have had lessons with him for about a year now and I give him my
absolute highest recommendations--hopefully he will still be
available after posting this! Contact information: Robert Rutt:
646-391-7667 or rbrtrtt@aol.com
mom who wants to take lessons too!
I recommend you check out Youth Musical Theater Company - they offer
teens the opportunity to participate in workshops and wonderful
musical theater productions. The YMTC artistic director, Jennifer
Boesing, also offers private voice lessons for teens and adults. My
son takes lessons from her - enjoys it immensely - and I have even
taken a few so can attest to her wonderful professional yet
supportive and gentle teaching style. Their web site is
http://www.ymtcberkeley.org and Jennifer can be reached at
Jennifer@ymtcberkeley.org.
Judy
My daughter has been involved with musical theatre for years.She loves
her voice teacher- Erica Maier -who is near the Berkeley campus.She is
very nurturing and she is a great teacher. Her phone number is
510-225-5380.
Ellen
I don't know if the ''Broadway Babies'' program still exists. It was
run for years at CCCT by Judy Whiting. Judy also taught private
lessons on the side. I don't have contact info for her, but maybe
someone else knows whether she's still doing this.
anon
August 2008
Greetings - our daughter is newly interested in vocal
lessons. We'd love to find someone who is both an
excellent instructor and works well with teens - patient
and supportive as our daughter decides whether or not to
pursue this talent. She will be turning fifteen shortly
and attends BHS. Have checked the archives and not found
anything. Coach living in North Berkeley near Solano and
The Alameda would be ideal, otherwise accessible by bus to
that area would be very helpful.
Many thanks
My daughter (and several other girls we know) loved her
voice lessons with Cyrise Beatty. She was everything you ask
for - great with teens, patient and supportive as they
explore their interests, and a great instructor (as well as
one of the most warm and wonderful people I have ever met).
At the time (a few years ago), Cyrise was teaching at a home
on the Marin Circle (right in your neighborhood), as well as
at a location in El Sobrante. Her contact information can be
found at http://www.livinglanguagecamp.com/links.html
anon
My 18 year old daughter has taken vocal lessons for about
five years with a wonderful teacher named Jennifer Boesing.
She is very patient and encouraging. She works with teens
quite a lot. She herself is trained in and performs
classical music as well as having trained in theater. She
is also the artistic director of the Youth Musical Theatre
Company in Berkeley. My daughter and her friends love her
and are totally inspired by her spirit as well as her
technical expertise! Her studio is near MLK and Francisco
in North Berkeley. My daughter feels that she has been one
of the most influential adults in her life!
If you contact her please tell her Paul and Leah recommended
her. I don't think that you'll be disappointed! She can be
reached at info@ymtcberkeley.org
Paul
If she's still teaching private lessons, I highly recommend
Cary Sheldon for voice lessons. She's great with teens. My
daughter, who's now a college freshman, took lessons from
Cary during middle school and early high school. She
teaches from her home in North Berkeley and can be reached
at sheldon-hanes@sbcglobal.net.
anon
My daughter and several friends of hers take voice lessons
with Erica Maier. She is several blocks from the downtown
Berkeley bart on Channing. She is wonderful with teens, and
has also been the musical director for several teen
musicals. We just love her. Her phone number is
510-225-5380. Ellen
Ellen Adler
Cary Sheldon is an excellent voice teacher for teens. My daughter and many
of
her friends have taken voice from her and they love her. She's in North
Berkeley
and you can reach her at 510-843-9687.
Sarah
For Voice Lessons, I very highly recommend Ann Moss. She
has unfortunately moved to El Cerrito, but she picks up
her students from the BART to bring to her home for
lessons. My daughter has been taking Voice from her for
several years. Ann is not only an incredibly accomplished
singer, she is also a wonderful young woman. I feel like
I'm getting two for the price of one: voice lessons, and
a very healthy, happy, pleasant young woman (late 20's)
that my daughter feels very comfortable with and loves to
talk to. Ann herself is an opera singer, but teaches
anything, she teaches my daughter jazz, but there's a
group of young guys in a rock band that have sometimes
been before her! Prices are reasonable. Her email is
voiceclass@gmail.com webpage:
http://annmoss.googlepages.com/
Rhoda
For anyone looking for a voice teacher who works with
typical and special needs kids,teens, and adults, I can
highly recommend Ayelet Cohen. Her number is 510-684-3323,
and she teaches in Berkeley. She is trained in opera and
classical music, but will work with other musical styles
too. My daughter is 19 and has Autism Spectrum Disorder and
is cognitively challenged as well. When we started with
Ayelet a few years ago, my daughter could not sing on key,
and it was painful to listen to. So we started her on voice
lessons. Ayelet is sooooo patient and treats her students
with the utmost respect. My daughter actually sings on key
now and loves her lessons!
Lisa M.
March 2007
Can anybody recommend a voice teacher for a 12 year old
girl (and also for an adult, as I may do this also!)??
I live in the Lamorinda area, and would like to stay within
a half hour drive.
Many thanks!
I can highly recommend my wonderful voice teacher, Phoebe
Sorgen (528-9428), who lives in Berkeley. She's a very
supportive, experienced teacher, with a wide range of
techniques. She is with familiar with many styles of
singing, although we have been concentrating on opera for
several years. She works well with teens, also. And she
herself has a beautiful voice, which adds to my enjoyment of
our work together!
A very satisfied student
I was referred to Ruth Onstadt in Lafayette by the mother
of a girl (now in college) with an incredible voice. My
child lost interest, so I never called her, but she came
highly recommended. I was told that she does a great job
explaining to students how to breathe, etc. so they don't
hurt their voices. Her phone number is 253-0929 and her e-
mail address is onstadt[at]aol.com
Mom of teen in Contra Costa Co.
Jan 2007
My teen would like to begin lessons with a singing teacher. She
absolutely loves to sing, and does it constantly, and fantasizes
that she will do this professionally at some point but has never
had a lesson in her life. We need someone who has a gentle
approach, but will evaluate her potential honestly. Someone
with pop/hip hop/teen music-type performance leanings, hopefully
looking for names
My son's piano teacher,Heather Ross, also teaches singing. I took
singing lessons with her myself for a while. She is quite kind
and encouraging. You can reach her at hrmusiclessons@aol.com.
Good luck
Judith Whiting, who teaches privately out of her home in
Crockett, and through the El Cerrito Community Theater putting
on performances ''Broadway Babies.'' She is great and the kids
love her!!
anon
Oct 2006
My 15 year old son is interested in taking voice and piano
lessons to enhance his future career as a rock musician!
He took piano lessons a few years ago, so has some piano
background, but would like more keyboard training. He
plays guitar, writes and composes songs, and would like
voice training. Any suggestions in North Berkeley? This
can be the same teacher or different ones. Preferably,
we'd like lessons at home, but this is not a
requirement.Any suggestions?
musical mom
musical mom
Ellen Hoffman is a FABULOUS piano teacher and voice coach.
Especially that your son likes to write music...Ellen is
patient, REALLY FUN and sparks the creativeness in people.
She doesn't teach voice technique as much as performance
coaching....best key, stance, projection, attitude, etc.
Ellen is also director of the Berkeley Broadway Singers
choral group, writes music, directs, teaches, etc.
Her e-mail is ellenlouisehoffman[at]sbcglobal.net
She's on Cornell and Hopkins in. Bkly. Have fun
June
I would recommend Bryan Dyer as a voice and piano coach. He is an
amazing human being and would be a wonderful influence in any teenager's life.
He can also connect students with other talented young teens around the Bay
Area through Young Performers International, as well as offer extraordinary
opportunities for public performance in venues such as Yoshi's Jazz
Club in Oakland, Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, and for Bread&Roses in
Marin. You can reach Bryan at ypimusic[at]yahoo.com, see pictures of him working
with teens at www.youngperformersintl.org, or find out more about his life
as a professional musician at www.sovoso.com.
leela
Sept 2006
Looking for a voice teacher for 15-year old girl. Pop,
rock, theater preferred. Want someone who enjoys young
people and is good with relationships, interested in
mentoring. We already know about the jazz school.
Diana
I would recommend Sunshine Becker. A highly accomplished musician in her
own right (Sunshine sings with SoVoSo, a well-known Bay Area vocal band
that is a spin-off Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra), Sunshine is warm, vibrant,
knowledgeable, and a gifted teacher. She cares deeply about her students,
understands young people, and the progress I have seen her students make
in just one year of study is positively jaw-dropping. In addition,
Sunshine will
be able to connect your daughter to a whole network of young musicians her
age, and provide opportunities to perform in prestigious Bay Area venues
including Yoshi's, San Francisco City Hall, and for Bread&Roses in Marin. Your
daughter can try out a lesson before signing up for a whole series to see if it
is a good match. You can contact Sunshine at 510.507.SONG or at
www.sovoso.com
Leela
Oct 2005
Does anyone know of a singing group for teens that focuses
on show tunes, jazz, R+B? My 15 year old has never wanted
to join a traditional chorus as that is not the music she
loves to sing. I hear the Berkeley Broadway singers don't
take teens but maybe there is another group like them out
there. Prefer Berkeley/Oakland area.
Mom of a budding diva
To parents unable to find a singing group where teens sing
Broadway, jazz and R&B, I propose that you think about starting
one. I have been a member of the Berkeley Broadway Singers
since it started. In fact, it didn't begin as a large chorus doing
public concerts. It started as an idea in the living room of some
people with little or no musical training. They wanted to sing and
have fun. They found a dozen or so other inexperienced singers
and a musician/choral director to work with them. I'm not
suggesting that it's easy to get something like this going, but I
would be happy to share my experience with anyone who's
interested.
Nancy
You might check out the Broadway Babies program at Contra
Costa Civic Theater in El Cerrito. It's a class that does
Broadway music and teaches performance and audition. There
may be a teen class.
I also heard an 8-girl ''a cappella'' group do jazz, pop and
blues in the Albany Community Center last year. Can't
remember the event-- a school fundraiser? It wasn't a
school-based group. You might be able to ask and find out
where it's based-- SF Girl's chorus offshoot?
Albany parent
dear mom of budding diva,
sunshine becker, of sovoso (www.sovoso.com) is working
with a group of talented teen singers through YPI (young
performersintl.org) the idea behind this group is to
develop a group of dedicated, talented middle and high
school aged singers in the east bay who want to perform
both as a group and as soloists in ypi concerts all around
the bay area. sunshine is an extraordinary and gifted
teacher whose students progress with astonishing rapidity
in both confidence and professionality.
group classes run $40/class, individual lessons are
$75/hr. financial aid is available for low-income
students who show exceptional promise.
sunshine's student's have performed at yoshi's in oakland,
ted's in marin, and slim's and yerba buena gardens in san
francisco under the auspices of YPI
(www.youngperformersintl.org ), a bay area music school
that draws some of the most talented young singers and
musicians from all over the bay area, and as far away as
santa rosa, sacramento and edmonton, canada.
if you have any questions, please call leela at 415 420
2960.
Leela
Sept 2005
I am looking for a singing teacher for my 15 year old daughter
who is an actress and very interested in musical theater. My
daughter has an okay voice, but not a great range. She needs
someone who is okay teaching someone who is new to voice lessons,
open to teaching someone at a beginning level, and likes musical
theater. We live in Montclair, and I'd love it if it could be
someone not too far away.
Any suggestions?
Barbara
My son's piano teacher (Heather Ross: hrmusiclessons AT aol.com) also gives singing
lessons. I know that she has several young students (voice and piano) as well as
adults students, and I think that she has performed in musical theatre herself. As a
piano teacher, I find her to be quite patient, encouraging and sensitive to my sons
interests and pace of learning. She lives in Berkeley, teaches from her home but will
also teach at the student's home, too. I highly recommend her.
Good luck!
Ruth
Try Melanie O'Reilly, who teaches out of Harmony Road Music School at
Piedmont Piano Company. She is great with teens, and very strong in musical
theater. You can get referred to her by calling the Music School office at 510-
652-1222.
Kathy
You might try Erika Lee-Uribe Phone: 530-0842... she has taught
our daughter piano for 7 years but also teaches voice. She is a
skilled teacher and musician with her degree in teaching music.
She is young and enthusiastic and wants all the kids to enjoy
the music in their own way. Located in the Mormon Temple Area
which is close to Montclair. Tell her JM Drew referred you.
My fourteen-year-old daughter has been really inspired by her
voice lessons with Scarlett Hepworth, who is fairly new to the
Bay Area. Scarlett has taught her a great deal in a short
time, and yet kept the joy in singing. Her contact information
is below.
Phone: 510-601-1015
Email: scarletthepworth@gmail.com
conveniently located near Piedmont Avenue
Siobhan
Feb 2005
Hi,
I'm looking for voice coaching for my daughter, who loves drama.
She's very good with gestures, dancing, and facial expression,
but could use and says that she would like some work with her
voice - singing, projecting, diction. We're open to group and
private lessons - the main thing is that the teacher be both
skilled and fun.
Thanks.
I bet Judy Whiting would be a good match for your daughter.
She's run the ''Broadway Babies'' program at CCCT for years.
She's sung on Broadway, I think. She teaches private lessons.
Her number is 787-2504.
Mother of a drama queen
I highly recommend Regina Pontillo for anyone with a dramatic
bent seeking voice lessons. My 11-year-old daughter has been
doing voice lessons with her--they've been working together for
3 years now--and they work on dramatic aspects as well. Regina
is fun, experienced, and multi-talented. She has a beautiful
voice, is good at helping kids develop their own voice, and
she's great at dramatic and performance arts.
Her number is 486-0681.
Sara
joey blake, co-founder of oakland's premier a cappella group
SoVoSo (from the soul to the voice to the song) and member of
bobby mcferrin's voicestra, meets with a few talented 12 year
old girls on thursdays at his oakland studio. it is by audition
and kids come from as far away as novato to be part of this
experience, as joey is a gifted teacher. students who are in
this class have performed with the YPI KIDS in golden gate
park, yerba buena gardens and slim's in san francisco; for
bread & roses in marin; and at yoshi's in oakland. for audition
information, please call 415 420 2960, or email
ypi2000[at]earthlink.net. for information about upcoming YPI KIDS
performances or the ypi summer music camp, please go to
www.youngperformersintl.org
Leela
Mar 2004
Seeking recommendations for a good beginning voice teacher for my
daughter, a High School student. We are looking first for an
enthusiastic teacher who can teach singing and secondly someone
versed in a-capella technique and repertoire, and could possibly
instruct a girls a-capella group. Kensington/Berkeley area
preferable.
My 13-yr-old daughter recently began voice lessons at the
Berkeley Rep Theatre School. Her teacher is Joanne Seelig,
who she absolutely loves. Joanne's speciality is musical
theatre, but she offered to other types of music if that is what
we wanted. She can be contacted at:
''Joanne M. Seelig'' jseelig AT berkeleyrep.org
Marcia
I would like to highly, highly recommend a fabulous piano and
voice teacher, Ellen Hoffman.
Amongst many things, Ellen is director of the Berkeley Broadway
Singers choral group, arranges music, composes, directs various
other musical groups and teaches privately.
She is a brilliant, talented musician, an absolutely fabulous,
fun and patient teacher and an wonderfully kind and great person
to boot.
Ellen happens to have some openings right now for new students
in either piano or voice, or both, younger or older, beginning
or more advanced. I can't more highly recommend her. Her e-mail
is ellenhoff AT aol.com,
her phone number is 524-6220.
June
Laura Kakis Serper directs a small high school girls a capella
group called Kalones (Greek for ''Beauties''), as part of the
Kairos Youth Choir. She is a wonderful teacher. Call 486-8776.
Natasha
March 2002
Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good teacher of voice and guitar (singing and playing)
for an adult and an 11 year old beginner?
Thanks
I don't know how close you may be to Pleasant Hill, but my sister who lives there (Erika Vergeer-More) teaches
voice lessons and her husband (Chuck More) teaches guitar lessons. They are both very experienced, play/sing
a wide variety of musical styles, and work well with young people. I know they are both very upbeat, encouraging
teachers. They teach on the weekend as well as during the week. If you are interested, you can contact them at
evmore AT attbi DOT com
--Gwen
November 1999
Hi, My daughter wants to take voice lessons very badly. Can anyone
recommend someone? She is 16, sings pretty well already. This is going
to be one of her Christmas presents.
Thanks.
Regarding voice lessons, try calling the SF Girl's Chorus at 415-673-1511.
I'm sure they can recommend some good voice teachers.
In my opinion, the very best person for teaching children and grown-ups voice
and music theory is Marcelle Dronkers at 526-5425. She is a fabulous opera
singer and talented, enthusiastic teacher. She has taught my very active 5
year son 1 hour a week for over one year and he loves her dearly. She teaches
from her home in Kensington
I took voice lessons from Madi Bacon in Berkeley, 848-5354. I haven't seen
her for years, and she was rather advanced in years when I knew her, so I
don't know if she's still teaching. If not, she may be able to recommend
someone. She's a real pro, and a bit of a character, and a wonderful
teacher.
linda
Larry Marietta, the Music Director at the First Congregational Church of
Berkeley, is an extraordinary voice teacher for teenagers and adults.
You can reach him at the church, 848-3696.
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