voice teachers
christopher nicholas - voice
Christopher has taught privately in the Bay Area since 2010, focusing on grounding young singers in practical techniques for careers in diverse genres of music. He has a dual BM from Berklee College of Music in Vocal Performance and Songwriting and an MM in Jazz Studies for voice from the University of North Texas. His biggest joy as a voice teacher has been researching and implementing methods on restructuring the voice when there are clear vocal deficiencies. He has investigated the techniques of the late Cornelius Reid, has studied under Dr. Stephen Austin, and under Kathryn Wright. Outside of his classical training, he has studied with R&B singer Marlon Saunders, a background singer for notable pop giants such as Sting and the late Michael Jackson, as well as acclaimed Jazz educator Paris Rutherford. He is confident he can offer vocal students more than just technical study but also illuminate paths in navigating their careers in the music business. Upon completion of his MM in 2010, Christopher moved to the Bay Area and co-founded a non-profit performing arts organization, Ensemble Mik Nawooj (EMN) where he currently serves as the executive director. A diverse Hip-Hop orchestra comprised of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, bass, piano, drums, 2 MCs and a lyric soprano, EMN samples Western European classical music and Hip-Hop aesthetics to create something completely new. As the executive director of the ensemble for the past eight years, he has worked with classical musicians of the highest caliber nationally, have organized and oversaw successful PR campaigns with Wall Street Journal, NBC, ABC, NPR, SF Chronicle, SF Weekly, East Bay Express, SF Examiner, and more. He has co-produced all of EMN’s music as well as sang most of the background vocals. EMN has been featured on Pitchfork Media, ESPN, and most recently, produced a theme song for the Global People’s Summit in partnership with the United Nations Office of Partnership. http://bit.ly/2DOSF17
Clif Payne - voice (online only)
Clif's strength as a teacher is rooted in his musical diversity, experience, patience, encouragement and passion for sharing what he has learned in performance and study to his students. "Sing not just to be heard, but to be heartfelt and believed. Sing to inspire!" Clif teaches from his years of experience as a pro singer working alongside the world's finest performers. As an Los Angeles resident, he studied voice with Seth Riggs (voice teacher to Michael Jackson and others) vocal coach assistant Chip Hand and Roger Burnley (vocal coach to James Torme). In the San Francisco Bay Area, Clif studied voice with Jane Sharpe. He studied music and performance with David Baker and Margaret Strong at Bloomington's Indiana University. Clif has performed with Freda Payne, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Norman Connors, Bobby McFerrin, Ellis Hall, Sheena Easton, American Idol judge & vocal coach Peggy Blu, Four Play drummer Harvey Mason, jazz fusionists Hiroshima and former Chicago vocalist Bill Champlin. Clif has opened for Dan Siegel, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis and Dionne Warwick. Clif was born in the Harlem Sugar Hill area of Harlem and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. His eclectic vocals span the genres of jazz, R&B, gospel, blues, rock, folk, pop and classical.
dana salzman - voice, piano (online only)
Pianist, singer, composer, producer and musical director Dana Salzman creates funky, flavorful tunes that re-imagine jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul, Latin and R&B music and illuminate her sultry voice, fine-tuned piano technique and talent for composition and arrangement. An enthusiastic collaborator and mistress of improvisation, she blends together fresh beats and lyrics into vivid arrangements that ignite all five senses and explore the intense dimensions of raw human emotion. Salzman began to study piano at age four with her mother (an internationally renowned classical piano teacher) and then went on to earn a degree from the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. Salzman has had the opportunity to work closely with many celebrated musicians and songwriters during her career, including Mike Marshall (Timex Social Club), Samuelle Prater (Club Neaveau), Tony Flores (Marvin Gaye,. Bobby Womack), Pete Escovedo, Rappin 4Tay, Valerie Troutt, Tiffany Austin, and more. Now based in Oakland, CA, Salzman does all her own production, writing and arranging and is also an in-demand piano and voice teacher.
Clare Hedin - Voice
Clare is a multi-disciplinary artist, with an emphasis on music, healing and creativity. A singer/songwriter and sound healer, she researches our evolving consciousness, exploring the nature of being through exploring energy awareness, connection and deep listening. Her focus is on developing our innate creativity. To this end she performs and speaks at Conferences, Events and Symposiums, and teaches Creativity & Innovation at SFSU, and in online workshops. Classically trained in piano and voice from a very early age, Clare finds her inspiration through her love of nature and transformational discovery. She has an MA in Consciousness Studies, Creative Arts and Transformative Studies. She studied voice, piano, guitar, and Shruti with mentors Rhiannon, Peter Apfelbaum, Syvila Nakkach, and at the helpful hands of various Jazz greats who came through Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, where she managed Artist Relations for two years. She co-created the Sound Healing Program at the CA Institute of Psychoacoustics in San Francisco (CIP), and took her original healing music into Oakland Children’s Hospital, CA and Middlesex hospital, UK for a number of years. Clare is also a lecturer at San Francisco State University, teaching Management students how to identify their creativity in relation to the metaphysical, the relational and the felt experience; both within business and their own everyday lives. Her teaching is about learning what it means to have a unique ‘shape’ and how holistic communication shifts business from a competitive environment to a cooperative one where Dynamic Emergence can reveal our collaborative potential. Understanding our creativity and complexity contributes to both business and life. www.clarehedin.com
Sarah King - Voice, Piano, gUITAR, Ukulele
Sarah is a seasoned teacher and performer hailing all the way from San Diego, CA. She has a broad background performing various church services, choirs, musicals, and operas. Her more notable roles include “Mother” in Amahl and the Night Visitors, “Martha” in Spring Awakening, and “Natalie” in Next to Normal. Sarah currently teaches basic musicianship, piano, and drama at Mission Hills Middle School in Castro Valley and Union City. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Sarah earned her degree in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University. She had taught about 200, ukulele, guitar, and piano students around the San Diego metropolitan area from 2017 to 2022. She is very excited to keep her dream of teaching alive at Notes Music Academy!