Rachel Hall
Co-Founder, Voice and Piano Teacher
As long as I can remember, I have always loved to sing. From my earliest days of performing, creating plays and shows for friends and family, to singing on some of the most prestigious stages in the country, I love connecting with others through music and storytelling.
I was fortunate to have been brought up in strong music programs throughout my early education. I sang in every choir that I could, performed in musicals and found my calling on stage.
Although musical theater and popular music were my first loves, my fondness for opera came later when I started taking private voice lessons as a sophomore in high school. I remember the day that my voice teacher exclaimed after I made some kind of large sound, “I think we may have an opera singer on our hands here!”
In college I studied voice and saw my first opera. I still remember the excitement and curiosity seeing these people on stage singing over a full orchestra (with no microphone!) in fantastic costumes, telling wild and passionate stories. From then on, I was hooked! The challenge of singing in different languages, projecting your voice so beautifully without amplification and the sheer technique required for this type of performance art intrigued me deeply.
Fast forward a few years and here I am! I am a classically trained Soprano based in the Hudson Valley who has been performing and teaching professionally for over 15 years. I earned my MM in Voice Performance at Manhattan School of Music in NYC and my BM in Voice performance and Music Education at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. I have performed with Opera Companies and Symphonies all over the US, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, The Santa Fe Opera and Canton Symphony Orchestra.
I have been giving master classes and teaching privately since 2010. I am very passionate about sharing my love for music with others and I believe in creating a fun and positive learning environment. As well as learning technical skills, I believe it is important to empower my students to gain self-esteem, cultivate a sense of freedom in their bodies, gain performance experience and explore a variety of genres and styles during his/her/their musical journey.
I teach Voice (all styles/genres), Beginner Piano and offer Dramatic Coachings for Opera and Musical Theater.
Co-Founder, Percussion and Piano Teacher
At the age of nine, after years of not being able to sit still during my piano lessons, I convinced my parents to buy me a snare drum. I remember feeling a unique sense of excitement and, more than that, a sense of belonging.
With time, dedication and the passing on of wisdom from many gifted teachers and mentors, I have been fortunate to turn my love for the drums into my vocation.
I am very grateful to be able to collaborate frequently with some of the most talented artists alive today including: Postmodern Jukebox, People Vs. Larsen (lead by Tom Larsen), Casey Abrams, Scott Bradlee, Jesse Elder, Tim Kubart, Sara Niemietz, Andy Stack, Jeremy Baum and Chris Vitarello. I have performed on six continents and in over forty countries including shows at Radio City Music Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Roundhouse in London and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Along with live performances and recording opportunities, I find a deep sense of joy in teaching private lessons and clinics to musicians of all ages.
Special thanks to Zildjian, Vic Firth and C&C Drums for the generous support.