FAQs

At Once Upon a Voice, we believe every voice holds a story—and that singing and songwriting can help bring that story to life. Our trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approach honors each student’s learning style, communication method, and creative spark. Children explore both singing and songwriting through imaginative play until they are ready to choose a primary focus—or alternate between the two through private lessons. Adults follow a self-paced path through asynchronous instruction.

Regardless of focus, all students are guided through essential musical tools: piano (via MIDI keyboard), sight-reading and ear training, music theory, and music production (via BandLab and Ableton Live). These skills are never taught in isolation—they are woven into each student’s creative journey to help them bring their ideas to life with confidence and imagination. While our core emphasis is musical growth, students may also strengthen their skills in English Language Arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and history through our instruction. We value the connection between music education and these other academic subjects, gently encouraging them.

Below is a brief overview of our curriculum. While each level corresponds to an age group, students are never limited by age alone. Many learners move at their own pace—progressing early in some areas or taking more time in others. Every level can be adapted to meet the needs of each student. More details follow in the sections below.

• Pre-Beginner Curriculum (typically ages 0–6): Students explore singing and songwriting together through sound play, movement, gesture, and sensory-rich activities. Piano and production are introduced only through guided interaction—the instructor models simple keyboard patterns and plays loops while students explore sound, rhythm, and storytelling through play.

• Beginner Curriculum (typically ages 6–9): Singers develop chest voice, tone, and expressive phrasing through playful songs and call-and-response. Songwriters begin shaping early lyrics and melodies using imagery, rhythm prompts, and structured guidance. Piano instruction begins with white-key identification, simple five-note melodies, and early hand coordination. Students use BandLab to build beats with loops and one-shots—singers for vocal exploration and arranging ideas, songwriters for building the musical base of their songs.

• Intermediate Curriculum (typically ages 9–12): Singers strengthen resonance, mixed voice access, flexibility, and expressive shaping. Songwriters build full verses, choruses, and hooks. Piano expands into major/minor scales, chords, inversions, accompaniment patterns, and ear-led improvisation. In BandLab, all students learn multi-track recording, harmony building, and arrangement. Singers use production to shape vocal layering and understand arrangement choices; songwriters use production to deepen structure and texture.

• Advanced Curriculum (typically ages 12–15): Singers refine tone, agility, nuance, and genre-specific phrasing. Songwriters explore metaphor, harmonic movement, and structural variation. Piano expands into modes, extended chords, modal interchange, and stylistic accompaniment patterns for original music. Students move into Ableton Live, where the advanced stage focuses on exploring effects, automation, and sound design. Singers use production to sculpt vocal textures and expression; songwriters use production to define their sonic identity and arrangement style.

• Professional Curriculum (typically ages 15+): Singers develop stylistic mastery, ornamentation, and career-ready performance technique. Songwriters refine revision, pacing, and artistic identity. Piano instruction focuses on advanced voicing, improvisation, and arranging. In Ableton Live, students create polished, portfolio-ready music. Singers use production to shape vocal arrangement, strengthen stylistic choices, and understand how mixing and mastering affect their voice in a song. Songwriters finalize arrangements, define their sonic style, and mix and master full projects for college or career readiness.

✨ 0–6 Years: Rooting the Voice

Pre-Beginner Curriculum: This outlines the general progression for students ages 0–6 (pre-beginner level), with distinct stages for infants (0–18 months), toddlers (18–36 months), and preschoolers or kindergartners (3–6 years). All students in this group should register for services based on their current age, regardless of communication, attention, or musical ability. Instruction is always personalized—making room for children who are ready to explore skills that are typically introduced in later age groups, as well as those who need more time with earlier developmental milestones. Group classes use layered, multi-level activities so every child can participate meaningfully, feel successful, and grow at their own pace. These early experiences lay the foundation for future music-making through gentle modeling, caregiver-inclusive activities, and playful exploration.

• 0–18 Months

  • Singing: Babbling, cooing, and vocal play are encouraged through gentle imitation and emotionally responsive sound environments. The instructor guides caregivers in modeling expressive sounds and encouraging vocal turn-taking. Infants begin associating pitch, tone, and breath with connection and curiosity.

  • Songwriting: Not applicable at this age.

  • Piano: Infants observe the instructor demonstrating simple pitch and rhythm patterns on a MIDI keyboard. This builds early awareness of melodic direction and phrasing, even before active participation begins.

  • Sight‑Reading & Ear Training: Beat and tonal contrast are introduced through bouncing, rocking, and tempo changes. Caregivers help infants connect movement to sound, fostering rhythm awareness and attention.

  • Music Theory: Repetition and musical contrast are emphasized. While no symbols are introduced, early musical logic begins to form through exposure to recognizable sound patterns and structure.

  • Production: The instructor uses layered sounds and digital effects to create a soothing, emotionally expressive soundscape. Infants begin to respond to different musical textures and moods.

  • English Language Arts: Infants are immersed in speech, song, and facial expression. They vocalize back and forth with caregivers, react to sounds, and begin using gestures like pointing or waving to communicate.

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Music becomes a vehicle for exploring vibration, cause and effect, and auditory sequencing. Through sensory-rich interaction, infants begin building sound-to-sensation connections.

  • History & Culture: Lullabies and cultural songs support emotional bonding and introduce infants to music as a form of human connection across time and community.

  • Accessibility: American Sign Language (ASL) is gently modeled alongside speech and music. Visuals, gestures, and movement are used to support communication and comprehension. All lessons include caregiver support.

• 18–36 Months

  • Singing: Toddlers develop confidence through gesture-based singing and emotional vocal play. Phrasing, breath, and basic call-and-response patterns are introduced through stories and games.

  • Songwriting: Not yet developmentally appropriate in a structured form. However, toddlers invent vocal play sequences or “songs” spontaneously, which are encouraged through affirming feedback.

  • Piano: The instructor continues to model patterns on the MIDI keyboard. Students begin responding to changes in pitch and rhythm through sound, gesture, and movement—even though they are not playing directly.

  • Sight‑Reading & Ear Training: Same/different, high/low, and fast/slow are explored through movement and imitation. Students practice responding to tempo and pitch with their bodies, laying the groundwork for future reading and listening skills.

  • Music Theory: Basic rhythmic values—quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes—are introduced through body percussion and visual games. Symbol recognition is not expected, but repetition fosters early internalization.

  • Production: Toddlers help shape real-time changes in musical mood or tempo by expressing preferences as the instructor adjusts loops and digital instruments. These interactions introduce basic cause and effect in production.

  • English Language Arts: Children build two- and three-word phrases, follow simple directions, and begin asking questions. Lyrics and rhythm games help reinforce vocabulary, sentence structure, and sound play.

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Students explore sequencing, logic, and pattern through musical play. Beats and loops act as auditory building blocks for early math and problem-solving.

  • History & Culture: Students are introduced to musical traditions from around the world—especially those tied to family, celebration, and community life. These songs invite movement, expression, and curiosity.

  • Accessibility: ASL is used alongside speech. Nonspeaking students are supported with gesture-based activities, caregiver scaffolding, and sensory-friendly pacing.

• 3–6 Years

  • Singing: Preschoolers and kindergartners begin experimenting with dynamics, phrasing, and expression through imaginative, language-rich songs. Breath awareness and vocal clarity are supported in a playful, nontechnical way.

  • Songwriting: Children begin creating simple lyric lines using rhyme and repetition. Visual prompts and verbal sentence starters help guide original ideas. Story-based songs invite creative input.

  • Piano: The instructor plays 3–5 note melodic patterns while children follow along visually. With caregiver support, some students may begin imitating pitch direction using color-coded or labeled materials. At this stage, children are also introduced to the music alphabet (A to G) through songs and games, building early recognition of pitch names without formal notation.

  • Sight‑Reading & Ear Training: Preschoolers and kindergartners are introduced to bar lines, double bar lines, repeat signs, simple measures, and 4/4 meter. These are taught through games and stories that link visual patterns to musical structure.

  • Music Theory: Students encounter symbols like ties, fermatas, and rests (quarter, half, and whole). Classes are play-based, using rhythm cards, movement, and call-and-response to build an internal sense of timing and form.

  • Production: Children make expressive choices (tempo, mood, instrumentation) while the instructor builds short musical sections. These choices are connected to storytelling and character themes.

  • English Language Arts: Children begin telling short stories, identifying rhymes, and tracking print. Lyrics become a literacy tool, supporting phonics, sequencing, and early writing skills.

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Students explore coding-like thinking through loops and rhythmic patterns. They engage in musical design tasks that build foundational logic and creative problem-solving.

  • History & Culture: Preschoolers and kindergartners explore music linked to heritage, holiday traditions, and folktales. Stories behind the songs deepen emotional understanding and connect them to broader communities.

  • Accessibility: ASL is phased out at this stage, but multimodal access remains central. Visuals, gesture, repetition, and movement support learners with diverse needs, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users and nonspeaking students.

✨ 6–9 Years: Awakening Expression

Beginner Curriculum: This outlines the general progression for students ages 6–9 (beginner level), with instruction always adapted to meet each learner’s developmental needs. Students who are newer to music—or who need additional support with communication, attention, or emotional regulation—may review foundational concepts introduced in the Pre-Beginner Curriculum (ages 0–6). While those concepts may be reinforced, students must register for services designed for their age group. The Intermediate Curriculum (ages 9–12) may be explored earlier if a student is developmentally ready, with careful instructor support. In group settings, such as adult masterclasses and youth workshops, multi-level activities are layered so that each student can engage at their level and grow with confidence.

• Singing: Students must be able to vocalize simple syllables or words and use a reliable form of communication, such as speech or AAC. At this stage, singers explore tone, resonance, and articulation through playful songs, call-and-response patterns, and short melodic phrases. Chest voice becomes a central focus, supported by musical theatre repertoire that fosters speech-like phrasing, character expression, and emotional confidence. Popular and commercial music remains at the heart of vocal development, with every activity designed to help students grow into contemporary, expressive performers. Songs are chosen for vocal accessibility and developmental fit, guiding students through breath awareness, phrasing, and pitch exploration in a joyful, low-pressure way. The focus is always on progress—not perfection.

• Songwriting: Students craft original lyrics and melodies using sentence frames, rhythm-based prompts, and visual imagery. They explore repetition, rhyme, and sequencing while shaping short musical ideas into structured verses or choruses. Support is tailored to each learner: students may sing, speak, dictate, or draw their ideas depending on their communication strengths. Tools such as color-coding and graphic organizers help make the process accessible across learning styles.

• Piano: Students begin learning the names of white keys, finger numbers, and basic hand position. Simple 3–5 note melodies are played using white keys, gradually expanding to include black keys as students develop fluency and coordination. Visual and kinesthetic supports—such as color-coded guides or on-screen animations—help students understand melodic contour, interval spacing, and finger independence. At this stage, sharps and flats are introduced aurally and visually, but not through full notation or key signatures.

• Sight-Reading & Ear Training: Students deepen their familiarity with concepts introduced during the preschool and kindergarten years, gaining more fluency with rhythmic tracking and basic notation. The grand staff is introduced at this stage, helping students visually connect note direction with pitch movement. Through movement, clapping games, and on-screen tools, students explore beat division, tempo changes, and musical phrasing. Ear training focuses on identifying and imitating major and minor seconds through echo singing, call-and-response, and listening games. Students are also gently exposed to the contrast between consonance and dissonance to strengthen tonal awareness and expressive listening.

• Music Theory: Students reinforce their understanding of ties, fermatas, and 4/4 meter first introduced during the Pre-Beginner years, and start reading and counting rhythms in 2/4 and 3/4 meters. Eighth notes, eighth rests, and triplets are explored through movement and imitation, with triplets experienced by feel rather than formal counting. Students continue applying their knowledge of the music alphabet (A–G)—first introduced in the ages 3–6 curriculum—by identifying note names on the staff and keyboard using visual supports and kinesthetic games. Separately, the Nashville Number System is introduced as a developmentally appropriate tool to recognize scale degrees and create simple chord patterns, building a strong foundation for singing or creating popular and commercial music.

• Production: Students begin in BandLab, where they build their first beats by combining loops and one-shots. Instruction focuses on rhythm, repetition, and phrasing through step-by-step, fully guided activities. Students experiment with tempo and mood by choosing contrasting sounds—such as bright vs. dark or smooth vs. sharp—while learning how different elements shape the feel of a song. Caregivers may support younger learners as needed.

• English Language Arts: Students expand their storytelling, sequencing, and sentence structure skills through lyric analysis or songwriting. Whether they write, speak, or dictate their ideas, all students participate in activities that promote vocabulary, grammar, emotional expression, and creative fluency. Phonics remains embedded as a support tool, helping students connect lyrics to sound, shape, and meaning.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Musical activities support early math, logic, and coding concepts. Students manipulate loops, adjust sound parameters like volume and pitch, and explore pattern-building in ways that mirror basic programming. Activities encourage curiosity, cause-and-effect thinking, and musical problem solving through play.

• History & Culture: For beginners, history focuses on classical music and events that impacted it, helping them explore the building blocks of musical form, expression, and storytelling through short excerpts by composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. These activities may include short narratives, on-screen visuals, or movement-based responses that bring the music to life in developmentally appropriate ways. While classical history is the focus at this stage, it is always presented in a way that supports—not replaces—the studio’s primary emphasis on popular and commercial music. Classical excerpts are used because they offer clear examples of form, motif, and dynamic contrast, which support early musical listening skills.

• Accessibility: All instruction is designed to support diverse learning needs. Singing services require students to vocalize and use a consistent communication method, but songwriting services remain open to all communicators. AAC users and those with sensory needs benefit from multimodal entry points, including visuals, movement, guided pacing, and flexible response formats. Caregivers may support younger learners with technology setup, transitions, or platform navigation as needed.

✨ 9–12 Years: Growing Confidence

Intermediate Curriculum: This outlines the general progression for students ages 9–12 (intermediate level). Instruction is always adapted to each learner’s developmental needs. All students in this age group must register for services specifically designed for 9–12-year-olds. If their skills align more closely with earlier or later stages, instruction will adjust to meet their skill level in age-appropriate ways, but their placement will always remain within services designated for ages 9–12. Students who are newer to music may learn foundational concepts introduced in the Pre-Beginner Curriculum (ages 0–6) or the Beginner Curriculum (ages 6–9). Likewise, developmentally ready students may begin exploring the Advanced Curriculum (ages 12–15) with care and support. In adult masterclasses and youth workshops, multi-level activities are layered so that every student can engage meaningfully and grow with confidence.

• Singing: Students begin to take greater ownership of their sound, learning how vocal choices shape meaning, mood, and musical identity. While instruction centers on popular and commercial genres, classical vocal technique is interwoven throughout to strengthen breath coordination, head voice access, phrasing, and resonance. At this stage, singers explore tone, placement, falsetto, vowel modification, and twang, developing tools to sing with intention and variety. Technique is never taught in isolation—it is always connected to emotional storytelling and authentic expression. Vocal health, curiosity, and artistry are emphasized, helping students shape their voice with skill and self-esteem.

• Songwriting: Students learn to write songs that tell a story—not just express a feeling. Lessons guide them in shaping lyrics with character, setting, plot, and point of view. Rhyme grids, sentence starters, and metaphor-building activities support both structure and imagination. Melodies are developed through pattern play, stepwise improvisation, and application of scale structures that reflect the tone or genre of a piece. Students build full sections—like verses, choruses, and bridges—and begin planning transitions and hooks that engage the listener.

• Piano: Students move beyond beginner melodies into full harmonic and rhythmic development. They learn to play all twelve major and minor scales (first hands separately, then hands together), along with blues and pentatonic scales used in popular styles. They practice chord shapes (major, minor, diminished, augmented), learn inversions, explore suspensions, and play power chords to support arrangements and songwriting. Self-accompaniment becomes more fluid as students combine rhythm, harmony, and structure. Ear-based exercises and chord progressions from commercial music help connect theory to practice.

• Sight-Reading & Ear Training: All scales listed above are introduced in this age group. Students build fluency reading treble and bass clef lines, recognizing accidentals, intervals, and basic chord symbols. They develop confidence in reading rhythms across 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and compound meters. Ear training includes identifying intervals such as major and minor thirds, perfect fourths and fifths, and tritones. Students use call-and-response, loop-based listening, and playback tasks to track melodic movement and simple chord progressions.

• Music Theory: Students are introduced to key signatures, complex meters (such as 5/4, 6/8, 7/4), and increasingly intricate rhythmic values (dotted rhythms, sixteenth notes/rests, thirty-second notes/rests). While clefs, staff notation, and rhythmic symbols were introduced earlier, this stage builds fluency through real-world application. The Nashville Number System is used as a framework for identifying and building chord progressions in popular and commercial styles. Music theory is taught as a storytelling tool—helping students shape the energy and emotion of their work through structure.

• Production: Students continue in BandLab as they learn multi-track recording, harmony building, and arrangement. They begin layering vocals or instruments to create musical depth, using MIDI to sketch short melodic or rhythmic ideas. Instruction emphasizes expressive structure—how sections connect, how transitions work, and how arrangement choices support the story of a song—rather than technical processing.

• English Language Arts: Songwriting continues to support narrative development and literary analysis. Students practice using figurative language, sensory details, and structured writing frameworks (such as beginning-middle-end, or cause-effect). Sentence structure, transitions, and word choice are emphasized in both collaborative and independent work. Lyrics become a tool for strengthening grammar and emotional vocabulary. Students learn to analyze existing songs, track themes, and compare lyrics across genres.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Music production deepens students’ understanding of sequencing, design thinking, and real-time decision making. Students manipulate loops and MIDI sequences to create song form, using tools like tempo mapping, velocity adjustment, and rhythm layering. These activities mirror core coding concepts like logic sequencing and input/output awareness. A key activity at this stage is remixing a short piece—by reordering, editing, or layering sound elements to shift its mood or structure.

• History & Culture: Students explore the roots and evolution of jazz music, with a focus on how this genre reflected and influenced American history, racial identity, and global movements. Musicians like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Miles Davis are highlighted. Students engage with jazz standards, call-and-response practices, and improvisation games. While jazz is the focus of history at this stage, its role is always framed as complementary to the studio’s foundation in popular and commercial music. Connections are drawn between jazz, hip hop, R&B, and other forms of modern storytelling through song to help students see how these traditions inform their creative work.

• Accessibility: Not all content is adaptable, but all services include multimodal access points—such as visual models, echo-based imitation, tactile tools, movement, and interactive pacing. Caregivers may support students with technology or communication during independent tasks.

✨ 12–15 Years: Building Expertise

Advanced Curriculum: This outlines the general progression for students ages 12–15 (advanced level). It builds on the fluency developed in the Intermediate Curriculum (ages 9–12) and prepares students for the Professional Curriculum (ages 15+), where style and career preparation become central. Students in this age range must enroll in services designed for them, even if they are new to music or need additional support. If a student is just beginning—or navigating communication, coordination, attention, or confidence challenges—they may benefit from learning earlier material. The Pre-Beginner Curriculum (ages 0–6) supports early exploration through sound play and syllable vocalization, the Beginner Curriculum (ages 6–9) strengthens basic rhythm, melody, lyric writing, and pitch matching, and the Intermediate Curriculum (ages 9–12) builds fluency with scales, harmony, structure, and musical vocabulary. Instruction is always personalized to meet each learner where they are, but services remain grouped by age. In adult masterclasses and youth workshops, multi-level activities ensure every student can participate meaningfully and grow at their own pace.

• Singing: Vocalists refine their identity through expressive phrasing, improvisation, and genre-based nuance. Students explore mixed voice variations (head-dominant, chest-dominant, and balanced), safe belting, and tone shaping. Jazz-informed techniques strengthen flexibility, interpretation, and emotional presence, while popular and commercial styles remain the foundation.

• Songwriting: Songwriters craft songs with greater emotional depth and narrative complexity. Sessions highlight metaphor, symbolism, irony, and advanced rhyme schemes. Students shape melodies through contour, variation, and harmonic interplay, and they refine structural choices across sections such as verses, choruses, and bridges.

• Piano: Instruction expands to modes, modal interchange, diminished and altered scales, and extended chords (6ths, 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths). Students practice accompaniment patterns that support original songwriting, vocal performance, and stylistic exploration.

• Sight-Reading & Ear Training: Students work with advanced meters (6/8, 7/8, 13/16), syncopation, tuplets, and chromatic passages. Ear training emphasizes identifying intervals from sixths through thirteenths, tonal memory, and improvisation by ear.

• Music Theory: Students explore borrowed chords, secondary dominants, altered scales, and non-diatonic progressions. Instruction emphasizes harmonic rhythm and emotional movement, connecting theory to expressive storytelling. Both the Nashville Number System and Roman numeral analysis are used.

• Production: Students transition into Ableton Live, where they deepen their creative control through sound design. They explore effects, sculpt textures, shape timbre, and use automation to refine expression. This stage includes synthesis, modulation, sampling, and other tools that help students build distinct sonic identities—always tied to artistic intention rather than technical complexity for its own sake.

• English Language Arts: Themes like identity, transformation, and resilience are explored through lyric writing and journaling. Songs serve as literary works, helping students strengthen vocabulary, editing, and narrative structure.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Students apply logic and systems thinking through sequencing, automation, modulation, and layered digital arrangements.

• History & Culture: Students study the evolution of popular and commercial music across genres such as pop, R&B, hip hop, rock, country, and folk. Instruction highlights how these genres emerged from the innovation of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities, helping students understand how cultural movements and systemic forces shaped the music they create today.

• Accessibility: Instruction includes multimodal entry points—visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and AAC-based—so that all students can participate. Singing services require vocalization and a consistent communication method, while songwriting is open to all communicators.

✨ 15+ Years: Shaping Identity

Professional Curriculum: This outlines the general progression for students ages 15 and older (professional level). It extends the skills gained in the Advanced Curriculum (ages 12–15), moving from expressive fluency into stylistic mastery and real-world application. Instruction emphasizes career or college preparation, helping students refine their artistry for job opportunities or higher-level study. Students in this age range must enroll in services designed for ages 15–18 or adults, even if they are new to music or need additional support. If a student is just beginning—or navigating communication, coordination, attention, or confidence challenges—they may benefit from earlier material. The Pre-Beginner Curriculum (ages 0–6) supports early exploration, the Beginner Curriculum (ages 6–9) strengthens rhythm, melody, lyric writing, and pitch, the Intermediate Curriculum (ages 9–12) develops fluency in scales and harmony, and the Advanced Curriculum (ages 12–15) builds versatility and control. Instruction is always personalized, but services remain grouped by age. In adult masterclasses and youth workshops, multi-level activities ensure every student can participate meaningfully and grow at their own pace.

• Singing: Students develop stylistic mastery and career-readiness. Training includes vocal ornamentation (runs, flips, riffs), expressive effects (vocal fry, growls, controlled distortion), and genre-specific phrasing. The goal is to shape a signature style rooted in storytelling and authenticity.

• Songwriting: Songwriters refine songs through revision, pacing, and emotional impact. They explore advanced lyric craft, collaborative writing, and genre blending, strengthening personal artistic voice while shaping full sections such as verses, choruses, and bridges with clarity and intention.

• Piano: Students refine voicing, accompaniment patterns, rhythmic nuance, and improvisation. Instruction emphasizes flexibility in performance, arranging, and songwriting contexts.

• Sight-Reading & Ear Training: Students transcribe real-world melodies and harmonies, sharpen rhythmic accuracy, and develop strategies for professional rehearsal and collaboration.

• Music Theory: Functional harmony, advanced chord substitutions, and Roman numeral analysis are taught alongside applied use of the Nashville Number System. Focus is on using theory to support arranging, performance, and career-level songwriting.

• Production: Students work in Ableton Live to create polished, portfolio-ready songs. They refine their artistic style while using advanced tools such as resampling, synthesis, plugin chains, and velocity shaping. Training includes mixing and mastering so students can deliver fully developed projects suitable for career advancement or college readiness.

• English Language Arts: Songs are analyzed as literature, with attention to narrative, voice, and cultural resonance. Students practice editing, journaling, and crafting long-form creative work.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Music production supports skills in coding logic, physics of sound, and computational problem-solving. Students connect technical fluency with artistic expression.

• History & Culture: Students analyze current issues in the music industry, music education, music therapy, and creative expression. They explore how modern genres—such as pop, R&B, hip hop, and alternative music—interact with cultural movements, systemic forces, and evolving artistic landscapes. Pathways into music careers or music degrees are discussed, alongside opportunities for lifelong music-making as a hobby.

• Accessibility: Participation is flexible and student-centered, with options for AAC, adaptive pacing, and alternate forms of demonstration. Singing services require vocalization and a consistent communication method; songwriting and production remain open to all communicators. The goal is to prepare every student—regardless of communication or sensory needs—for meaningful and authentic music-making as an adult.

At Once Upon a Voice, piano and music production are not just extra skills—they are part of the musical adventure. These tools are woven gently into every service to support vocal development, songwriting, and creative independence.

The MIDI keyboard is introduced early in playful, age-appropriate ways, helping singers strengthen pitch and rhythm while giving songwriters a way to build melodies and harmonies. BandLab is the first digital tool, where beginners start by using loops and one-shots to build beats. As students grow into the intermediate stage, they unlock multi-track recording, harmony-building, and arrangement skills that give them more control over their songs. By the teen years, students transition into Ableton Live, where the advanced stage focuses on exploring effects and deepening their work through sound design. At the professional stage, students refine their style by mixing and mastering to create projects with the depth required for college or career readiness.

All students 7 and older receive integrated piano and production instruction because learning to bring your ideas to life—musically, visually, and emotionally—can be an important part of being a well-equipped artist. Whether building a beat, shaping a melody, or accompanying their voice, students gain agency by learning how to make their ideas real.

These tools also naturally complement learning goals from K–12 English Language Arts and STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Piano reinforces pattern recognition, rhythm, and musical structure. Music production invites exploration of sound physics, digital sequencing, and audio engineering. While our focus remains musical, these connections help students grow as both artists and thinkers.

For children ages 0–6, there is no expectation to play piano or produce music independently. Instead, they are gently introduced to these tools through observation and guided interaction. The instructor models keyboard patterns, plays musical loops, and invites curiosity—laying a playful, sensory-rich foundation for future creativity.

Piano and production never overshadow the voice. They are companions on the journey—helping singers refine their sound and helping songwriters express emotion, story, and identity through music.

At Once Upon a Voice, we specialize in contemporary commercial music (CCM)—including pop, R&B, hip hop, rock, country, and folk genres—to help students grow as modern artists and prepare for real-world music careers. Students ages 6 and up explore these styles across every service we offer—adult masterclasses, youth workshops, and private lessons. For students ages 12 and older, this training expands into more advanced techniques—deepening artistry, vocal development, songwriting structure, and recording through piano and music production. Instruction is guided by an experienced self-producing artist who has studied under celebrity mentors, collaborated with Grammy-winning producers, and developed an artist-centered approach to both expressive and technical growth.

As part of this training, all workshop and private lesson students also study classical, musical theatre, and jazz—not as separate career paths, but as tools that strengthen their style. Classical music supports breath control, resonance, and pitch accuracy for singers while helping songwriters understand melodic shape and emotional pacing. Musical theatre enhances storytelling, character, and phrasing—skills that enrich both vocal delivery and lyric writing. Jazz invites rhythmic freedom, vocal color, and harmonic creativity, which can inspire adventurous melodies, unique progressions, and dynamic song forms. These genres are not offered as full-track specializations, but they are treated as meaningful components of a well-rounded popular music education.

We do not prepare students for careers in the classical or theatrical worlds, which often require intensive training in operatic technique, foreign-language repertoire, or audition preparation for acting roles. However, we do teach diction, phrasing, and pronunciation across multiple languages using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and we apply speech science and vocal pedagogy to help students sing sustainably in any genre.

At Once Upon a Voice, every student is supported in discovering their individualized sound—whether they are singers, songwriters, or both. Some focus on self-expression, others on skill-building or creative production. No matter their path, we help them move forward with clarity, care, and joy.

Yes. Research consistently shows that online music instruction can be just as effective as in-person lessons—and in some cases, even more impactful, particularly when designed with care and intention. At Once Upon a Voice, we embrace online learning not as a compromise, but as a powerful way to meet students where they are—emotionally, neurologically, and creatively.

Multiple studies have found no significant difference in musical skill development between online and in-person learning. For example, MacRitchie et al. (2022) showed that students learning piano online made comparable technical and expressive progress to those studying in person. Wu et al. (2023) found that virtual instruction was especially effective for autistic students when tailored to their cognitive and sensory needs.

Online learning offers distinctive benefits for neurodivergent students. Features like screen recording make it easier to revisit complex material, supporting memory and processing for learners with ADHD, auditory processing differences, or executive functioning challenges. Many students appreciate being able to reduce visual clutter, control their learning environment, or use fidget tools or movement breaks without judgment. Because our lessons, weekly workshops, and monthly masterclasses can incorporate multiple forms of communication—including speaking or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)—students can participate in the ways that feel most natural to them.

For students with trauma histories, online instruction can ease the pressure of being in unfamiliar spaces or traditional performance dynamics. Students may choose to turn their camera off, adjust posture freely, or step away from the screen momentarily if needed. These options offer emotional regulation tools that are difficult to access in most in-person settings. Virtual learning also helps avoid some of the environmental triggers—such as harsh lighting, crowded rooms, or unpredictability—that can lead to shutdowns, freeze responses, or dissociation.

But the benefits of online instruction extend far beyond specific needs. For many students—regardless of trauma history, neurotype, or disability—virtual lessons offer greater flexibility, reduced commute time, and the ability to learn from the comfort of home. This is especially helpful for those living in areas with limited access to arts education, juggling busy schedules, or simply thriving best in familiar surroundings. It also allows caregivers to observe or participate when helpful, deepening support and connection.

At Once Upon a Voice, we use Zoom for live instruction because it supports high-quality online music education while also expanding accessibility and structure across our services. Zoom allows us to combine clear teaching with practical tools like screen sharing, session recording, and breakout rooms—features that make it easier to differentiate instruction in real time, offer brief one-on-one support within small group services, and provide a private space for students who need a moment to regulate or refocus. Because Zoom is widely familiar, it reduces technology barriers for adult musicians and families, and recordings make it simple to revisit material for practice and processing. Rather than treating online learning as a compromise, we use Zoom intentionally to create an experience that is organized, flexible, and supportive for diverse sensory, communication, and learning needs.

We also use BandLab, a free cloud-based music platform, so students can collaborate on music projects. BandLab allows students to co-write lyrics, record vocals, and build tracks together—even from different locations. This tool helps foster community and shared creativity across our programs, making musical collaboration more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Looking ahead, Once Upon a Voice plans to offer optional hybrid experiences. In-person participation will never be required, but students will be invited to join special conferences, recording sessions, showcases, or creative retreats that complement their virtual learning. These experiences will offer opportunities for collaboration, deeper immersion, and skill application through projects that benefit from a shared physical environment. Whether online or in-person, every student will remain a full participant in their own creative journey—and every pathway will be designed with access, expression, and care at its core.

Sources

1. MacRitchie et al. (2022): This study examined the transition from face-to-face to online group music instruction for older adult novices during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting both successes and challenges.

2. Chmiel et al. (2025): This research objectively measured musical learning in older adult novices over a 12-month online study, demonstrating significant improvements in aural and keyboard performance skills.

3. Wu et al. (2023): This paper explores the design space of virtual tutors for children with autism spectrum disorder, providing insights into effective digital learning systems for this population.

4. San Ramon Academy of Music: This article discusses the benefits of online music lessons, including flexibility and accessibility, which can be particularly advantageous for students with diverse needs.

At Once Upon a Voice, we believe every student has a voice—whether it arrives through sound, text, gesture, or song. All communication methods are welcome, as long as the instructor (and peers, when applicable) can understand them.

Students may communicate using:

• Speech-generating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices

• Typing or text-based chat

• Symbol boards or picture cards

• Gestures or facial expressions

• American Sign Language (ASL) with interpretation

If a student’s communication method is not easily understood by others, we do require that a caregiver or support person be present to interpret. This helps ensure that the student can be heard, seen, and supported throughout the session.

Students who use sign language are warmly welcomed—but because the instructor is not fluent in ASL, an interpreter must be present. The instructor knows basic signs used with infants and toddlers, but full conversation requires fluent support.

Students are encouraged to express themselves in whatever way feels natural, but all communication must be accessible in English. This includes spoken English, written English, AAC programmed in English, or ASL with interpretation.

Vocalization is required for all singing-based services, including singing lessons and singing workshops. Students do not need to form words, but they must be able to make sounds in some way—so we can help them shape, support, and explore them. Students who are not yet forming words will still work toward musical goals like breath management and vocal phrasing. No other services—including adult masterclasses, group classes for ages 0–6, songwriting workshops, or songwriting lessons—require vocalization.

Whether a student speaks, sings, signs, types, or taps, they are always welcome here. What matters most is that their voice—however it shows up—has room to grow and be heard.