top of page

Learn

At Once Upon a Voice, we support singers and songwriters of all ages in developing their voices and exploring creativity in a safe, inclusive environment. Rooted in trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming values, the company centers care, accessibility, and artistic growth. Entry into Once Upon a Voice’s teaching services begins with free or paid membership, allowing learners of any age to start in a way that fits their goals and circumstances. Singing and songwriting remain at the heart of everything we do, with piano and music production woven in as supportive tools. We utilize a sophisticated recording pipeline designed to be inclusive of all collaborators, including those who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, or use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). For students who begin creating original work, Once Upon a Voice also offers optional guidance through its music industry wings: Voicebound for music publishing, Commonvoice for its record label, and Voicefair for stage and television production. These structures exist to help students understand how musical compositions, sound recordings, and shows are handled in entertainment contexts, without pressure to publish, release, or perform before they are ready. Adult study begins through Masterclass, a shared learning experience designed specifically for professional musicians, emerging artists, and students studying contemporary music in college. Masterclass meets twice each month and includes full access to the studio’s self-paced courses. Adults may deepen their experience by enrolling in Masterclass and Asynchronous Coaching, which provides structured monthly feedback, or Masterclass and Live One-on-One Coaching, which offers monthly 30-minute coaching calls focused on immediate questions, creative decisions, and applied learning. Adult members may also choose to engage in projects as optional add-on experiences. Projects offer guided, collaborative opportunities to apply skills through real creative work shaped within a professional workflow. These experiences include the benefit of industry feedback and are proposal-based, with creative boundaries designed to support clarity, sustainability, and meaningful growth. In addition, Once Upon a Voice accepts professional commissions through the studio, and select adult students may support this work under Marcellé’s direction, allowing real-world music industry opportunities to inform learning while remaining accountable and client-centered. For younger musicians, Once Upon a Voice offers small group classes for ages 0–5, along with weekly workshops, private lessons, and course access for students ages 6–18. We categorize our skill levels to match development: Beginner (typically ages 6–9), Intermediate (typically ages 9–12, Advanced (typically ages 12–15), and Professional (typically ages 15+). If a student is "ahead" or "behind" in skill-building, we make accommodations to help them learn at their own pace while participating in their age group. Creative projects for children and teens are embedded within these services rather than offered separately, allowing students to work on developmentally appropriate music projects as part of their ongoing education. As students mature and begin creating original material, guidance around ownership, publishing, and release may be introduced in age-appropriate ways through Voicebound, Commonvoice, and Voicefair, with families included in decision-making as appropriate. These experiences support vocal development, creativity, and musical confidence through approaches that honor each student’s age, communication style, and readiness. To support access across the studio, partial need-based scholarships are available for all services. Low-income and middle-class families can choose the tier they need at checkout through our trust-based financial assistance program. Full merit-based scholarships are offered each year exclusively for private lessons, where one-on-one instruction provides the most individualized support. Whether building confidence, developing craft, or shaping original work, every voice matters at Once Upon a Voice.

Once Upon a Voice's Second Logo
Ornament

Projects

Step into a creative realm where learning happens through real collaboration and finished work takes shape with care. Projects at Once Upon a Voice are optional, educational add-on experiences available to adult students—whether you are a professional musician, an emerging artist, or a music student at the collegiate level. These offerings reflect the same trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming values that define our studio: clear boundaries, thoughtful collaboration, and a deep respect for your unique creative process. Projects sit alongside your monthly services and are completed within the same professional ecosystem that supports Marcellé’s work as a self-producing artist. This process is designed to be inclusive of all collaborators, including those who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing and those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Projects offer a supportive way to apply your skills through guided creation, with a pace that prioritizes your focus and sustainability over industry urgency. Project work can center on singing, songwriting, or a combination of both, with piano and music production used as helpful support tools. Singing projects guide you through a professional workflow, including session preparation and collaborative production, while songwriting projects support you in developing complete songs from the ground up. Because these projects reflect how the music world actually works, they include the benefit of industry feedback; in-progress work will be shared with Marcellé’s trusted colleagues for the kind of quality control and critique that helps you grow. While we handle the recording phases, we intentionally stop at the demo phase to allow for test marketing, leaving final mixing and mastering to specialized external engineers for a fresh, professional perspectives. As your music moves toward the world, our music industry wings provide clear pathways for your development. Support for your musical composition ownership and publishing is available through Voicebound, our internal music publisher, while navigating sound recording ownership and release is supported by Commonvoice, the studio’s internal record label. For students ready to focus on stage or television production, Voicefair serves as our internal show producer for performance design and public presence. These pathways are optional and are designed to help you navigate the business side of music with transparency and confidence. For children and teens (ages 6–18), projects are woven naturally into their weekly workshops or private lessons to match their age and readiness. For adults, projects are accessed through a simple proposal process to ensure we are aligned on expectations and timing. If you are a student receiving a need-based scholarship, that support is also reflected in your project pricing. It is important to note that projects are different from commissions: projects are educational journeys that include coaching and process transparency, whereas commissions are completed works delivered to external organizations and individuals.

Studio Microphone Setup
Ornament

Courses

Step into a learning experience built around a growing library of self-paced courses designed to support integrated musical practice over time. Created through a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming lens, these courses provide structured, in-depth instruction in how sound is supported, created, shaped, and communicated across singing, songwriting, piano, and music production. The course library begins with a set of foundational courses, which establish the core skills students use across all musical work. At this time, Respiration is the first foundational course available. Respiration is intentionally designed as four parallel courses in one, with dedicated sections for Voice, Songwriting, Piano, and Producing. Rather than treating breath as a singing-only concept, the course explores how breath supports phrasing, stamina, timing, and expressive choice across multiple musical roles—how a singer shapes a line, how a songwriter builds flow, how a pianist manages physical coordination, and how a producer designs space and energy in recorded sound. Additional foundational courses—Phonation, Resonance, and Diction—will be released individually as the course library grows. Each foundational course follows the same four-focus structure, allowing students to see how shared principles apply across voice, writing, instruments, and production. Together, these courses form a base of knowledge that supports sustainable technique, creative clarity, and expressive control. Once the foundational sequence is complete, the course library will continue to expand with additional courses that build on this foundation. These may include deeper exploration of specific skills, creative applications, stylistic studies, or project-based learning, allowing students to continue developing beyond the fundamentals at their own pace. Course access is included for all paying students and scholarship recipients at Once Upon a Voice, regardless of age or service type. Adults receive course access through any Masterclass pathway. Children and teens ages 6–18 receive course access through weekly workshop or private lesson enrollment, whether tuition is paid or covered by scholarship. Parents and legal guardians of children ages 0–5 receive full access to the course library through their child’s small-group enrollment. The course library is protected by a digital key shared once registration is complete. Each course is organized into clear sections and smaller subsections to reduce overwhelm and support self-paced learning. Concepts are introduced gradually and revisited across musical contexts so students can see how the same ideas function in different creative situations. Exercises are woven throughout the material rather than grouped into a single block, allowing learning to unfold in manageable, meaningful steps. Exercises are offered in multiple formats to support diverse learning needs. Visual learners engage with imagery and spatial cues; auditory learners explore sound, tone, and rhythm; kinesthetic learners work through movement, touch, or physical awareness; and reading- and writing-oriented learners respond through structured prompts and reflection. Adaptations support learners who use augmentative and alternative communication, including sign language, gesture-based systems, or speech-generating devices. Deaf and hard-of-hearing learners are supported through clear written design, visual pacing cues, and tactile strategies, while sensory seekers and sensory-avoidant learners are offered options that help practice feel grounding, regulating, or energizing. Optional images, audio examples, or short video demonstrations are included when they meaningfully enhance clarity or accessibility. These courses are educational in nature and do not replace clinical services such as music therapy, applied behavior analysis, or speech-language pathology. When therapeutic support may be more appropriate, alternative resources can be recommended. Beginning with Respiration, students build a cohesive understanding of how their voices, songs, keyboards, and productions function together. As the foundational courses are completed and new courses are added, students continue developing deeper coordination, creative confidence, and expressive choice—layer by layer, over time.

Audio Equipment Rack
Ornament

Masterclass

Step into the vibrant land of our trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming masterclasses, where adult singers and songwriters—whether new to music or refining years of experience—gather twice each month for artistry, exploration, and connection. Designed for professional musicians, emerging artists, and students studying contemporary music in college, these 90-minute sessions alternate focus: the first masterclass each month centers on singing, and the second centers on songwriting. Piano and music production are woven into both as supportive tools, enriching vocal work, lyric development, and creative decision-making rather than standing apart as separate disciplines. Through this integrated approach, participants explore how their voice, lyrics, and musical ideas can be strengthened through harmony, accompaniment, arrangement, and recording. Singing sessions may emphasize breath coordination, resonance, phrasing, stylistic nuance, and interpretation, while songwriting sessions may focus on lyric craft, melodic development, song form, and musical storytelling. In both, piano is used to demonstrate harmony and self-accompaniment, and production tools are introduced to illustrate layering, texture, and effects that shape a song’s emotional impact. Each masterclass begins with a structured teaching segment and flows into guided activities designed to meet participants where they are. Live attendees utilize breakout rooms for peer networking and collaboration, though the instruction is designed to be equally valuable as replay content for those unable to attend. Whether an adult is just beginning or has years of experience, everyone engages with the material through practical application—exploring phrasing, setting lyrics to melody, or experimenting with how production choices reshape interpretation. The emphasis remains on growth, curiosity, and expression rather than perfection. Adults may enroll in one of three ways. Masterclass Only participants receive access to all live masterclasses via Zoom, full access to self-paced courses, and recordings of every session to review or catch up if a meeting is missed. Masterclass and Asynchronous Coaching participants receive everything included in Masterclass Only, along with one round of personalized feedback each month submitted through a guided form. Masterclass and Live One-on-One Coaching participants receive everything included in Masterclass Only, plus one 30-minute monthly online coaching call that provides focused space for technical, musical, or creative refinement tied directly to the masterclass material. All masterclasses are recorded and shared privately with enrolled adults. Partial scholarships are available to low-income and middle-class adults to support accessibility. Masterclasses are educational experiences and are not a substitute for clinical services such as music therapy, applied behavior analysis (ABA), or speech-language pathology. Participants must be able to engage with instruction in ways that support learning and artistic growth. When therapeutic services may be more appropriate, alternative resources can be recommended. All participants are invited into The Lyric Isles, our private online community hosted on Discord, where adults may connect with Marcellé's other students and colleagues by sharing progress and continuing creative exploration between sessions. With each month, a new page is added to the participant’s artistic journey—where singing and songwriting remain at the heart, supported by piano, production, and experimentation to build confidence, creativity, and connection.

Ornament

Adult Coaching

Step into a story shaped at your own pace, where every note, lyric, and creative question receives thoughtful care. Adult coaching at Once Upon a Voice is accessed through two pathways: Masterclass and Asynchronous Coaching or Masterclass and Live One-on-One Coaching. Both options build directly from the Masterclass experience and are designed to support adult singers and songwriters with focused, individualized guidance that fits into real life. Coaching is intended for professional musicians, emerging artists, and students studying contemporary music in college who want expert feedback without the structure of traditional private lessons. Adults enrolled in Masterclass and Asynchronous Coaching receive one thorough round of personalized feedback each month, delivered in written, audio, or video form. Students submit a coaching form through our secure online portal, outlining their work, questions, or creative decisions. Feedback is intentionally in-depth and reflective, offering clear insight, guidance, and next steps rather than brief check-ins. This single, comprehensive response allows adults to absorb feedback at their own pace, revisit it as needed, and apply it thoughtfully between masterclasses, while maintaining sustainable boundaries for both student and instructor. Adults enrolled in Masterclass and Live One-on-One Coaching receive a thirty-minute live coaching call each month, in addition to everything included in Masterclass Only. These sessions take place on the Saturdays when Masterclass is not in session, utilizing the same dedicated time block to keep your weekend schedule consistent. Live coaching is designed to support forward momentum through targeted guidance rather than extended lesson-style instruction. This ensures every session remains well-suited to adult schedules and project-based work. Vocal coaching is open to adults who can vocalize words. Coaching for songwriters is available to both speaking and nonspeaking adults. Those who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, or communicate through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) such as sign language, gestures, symbol systems, or assistive technology are welcome to participate in either. All coaching is offered within contemporary commercial music styles including pop, R&B, hip hop, rock, country, and folk. Classical, musical theatre, and jazz may be referenced as supportive contexts but are not the focus of asynchronous or live one-on-one coaching. Piano and music production tools are woven into coaching as supportive elements rather than separate disciplines. Piano may be used to reinforce pitch accuracy, phrasing, harmony, or self-accompaniment, while production tools support arrangement, layering, texture, and emotional tone through guided exploration with MIDI keyboards and Ableton Live. These tools are always used in service of the song and the student’s artistic vision. All adult coaching participants receive access to the studio’s protected submission portal and, when applicable, the live coaching booking page. Access is granted through a secure digital key to keep materials private and ensure that only active learners engage with coaching spaces. Partial scholarships are available to low-income and middle-class adults to support access. Adults enrolled in coaching are also invited into The Lyric Isles, the studio’s private online community, where they may connect with Marcellé's other students and colleagues by sharing progress and continuing creative exploration between sessions. Whether returning to music after time away, refining an active project, or building confidence in their voice and ideas, adult coaching offers a clear, contained, and supportive way to grow—one thoughtful exchange at a time.

Audio Mixing Studio
Ornament

Early Childhood

Step into a gentle world of musical discovery, where little voices and curious hands find joy in sound, song, and play. These live, online weekly group classes support creativity, connection, and early growth in a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming environment. More than musical play, each session is a safe, joyful space where every child’s communication style, sensory preferences, and learning pace are honored. Guided by an experienced instructor, children explore rhythm, melody, and movement in ways that support language development for singing, social-emotional growth for future songwriting, and self-expression—inviting music into daily life as a story that unfolds over time. Limited to 18 families, these 45-minute sessions feature natural transition points to honor a child's evolving attention span. While infants under 18 months may focus on the first 15 minutes of sensory play and 2-year-olds might engage through the 30-minute mark, families are always welcome to stay for the full duration if a child is curious and regulated. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 are expected to stay for the entire class to participate in activities that prepare them for formal music training. All activities are multi-level by design, allowing every child to participate at their own pace. Foundational American Sign Language (ASL) is woven into the sessions to support early communication. For those staying for the full class, phonics is gently introduced through rhythm and pitch to support early music literacy. Group classes welcome children who speak as well as those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including ASL, gestures, and speech-generating devices. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children are warmly invited to engage through movement or visual interaction, choosing the forms of expression that best reflect their sensory world. All classes include caregiver participation to support communication and regulation in real time. Because the instructor is not fluent in ASL, children who rely on it may need caregiver or interpreter support. Children who use other forms of AAC may also benefit from caregiver assistance, particularly for individualized systems. These classes are educational and exploratory; they are not a replacement for clinical services such as music therapy, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), or speech-language pathology. Should a child require clinical support, we are happy to recommend alternative resources. Families receive session recordings and suggested home activities each week. Semi-annual progress reports celebrate milestones, and families may request brief parent-teacher check-ins as availability allows. Partial scholarships are available for low-income and middle-class families. While families provide their own computer and internet access, tuition assistance is adjusted to reflect the cost of these essentials, ensuring equitable participation. All early childhood families are invited into The Lyric Isles, our private Discord community, to connect, explore activities, and celebrate progress together. Through song, story, and play, these early years become the first pages in a child’s musical journey—laying a foundation of creativity and connection that grows alongside them.

Ornament

Weekly Workshops

Step into an enchanting workshop where music becomes an online circle of friendship and discovery. In these small-group sessions, students ages 6–18 grow skills and confidence in a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming environment. These hour-long workshops function as combined creative labs where singers and songwriters collaborate in real-time, mirroring a peer-driven, studio-style experience. Activities are multi-level and flexible, meeting students where they are—whether just beginning or continuing a musical journey already in motion. Limited enrollment per age group allows for peer-to-peer breakout partnerships alongside meaningful individual attention. Students choose to focus on either singing or songwriting, with piano and production training provided to all as the primary tools for creation. Singing students focus on breath coordination, vocal technique, and expressive delivery, with piano study supporting pitch accuracy and vocal production used to record and layer performances. Songwriting students explore melody, lyrics, and storytelling, using piano for harmony and production tools to build full arrangements. By working together, singers and songwriters collaborate on tracks where everyone uses their piano and production skills to bring the music to life. Popular and commercial music remains the primary focus, while classical, musical theatre, and jazz are introduced as supportive tools for technique, expression, and context. Weekly workshops are educational in nature and are not a replacement for clinical services such as music therapy, ABA, or speech-language pathology. Students must be able to engage with instruction in a way that allows for learning, interaction, and artistic growth—independently or with caregiver support. If a student would benefit more from therapeutic services, we are happy to help families explore alternative resources. To focus on singing in a workshop, the student must be able to vocalize words and have a reliable method of communication such as speech or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Because the instructor is not fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), students who rely on ASL expressively will need a caregiver or interpreter present. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are welcome and may engage with singing through breath, phrasing, and resonance in ways that reflect their sensory preferences and style. Both speaking and nonspeaking students may focus on songwriting. Learners can communicate through speech or AAC, such as ASL, gestures, and speech-generating devices. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students may participate through lyric writing, piano-based harmony, visual composition, and production tools. Instruction emphasizes structure, pattern, and storytelling across diverse communication styles. Workshops also complement K–12 English Language Arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning through lyric analysis, musical structure, rhythm, and technology-based creation. Each session includes focused instructor guidance and breakout rooms for peer partnerships, with semi-annual progress reports shared with families. Partial scholarships are available for low-income and middle-class families through a trust-based system. We do not determine eligibility; instead, families are invited to choose the tuition tier at checkout that best fits their financial situation and access to resources. All workshop families are invited into The Lyric Isles, our private online community, where students and caregivers connect with peers, share progress, and continue learning between sessions.

Ornament

Private Lessons

Step into a story where each student becomes the hero of their own musical journey. Private lessons are the most individualized instruction offered at Once Upon a Voice for students ages 6–18, blending vocal and creative development in a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming environment. These weekly one-on-one sessions support confidence, artistry, and long-term growth through personalized guidance that honors each student’s goals, communication style, and developmental needs. Whether a student is brand new to music or building on prior experience, private lessons provide a focused space where imagination, skill, and self-expression can grow together. Private lessons are educational in nature and are not a replacement for clinical services such as music therapy, applied behavior analysis (ABA), or speech-language pathology. Students must be able to engage with instruction in a way that allows for learning and artistic growth—either independently or with caregiver support. If it becomes clear that a student would benefit more from therapeutic services, we are happy to recommend alternative resources. Students may enroll in singing lessons, songwriting lessons, or alternate between the two when appropriate. Singing lessons focus on vocal technique, breath coordination, and song interpretation, with piano supporting pitch accuracy, music theory, and self-accompaniment. Production tools are introduced to record vocals, layer harmonies, and explore acoustic and electronic textures that shape tone, phrasing, and emotional delivery. Songwriting lessons develop melody, lyrics, and musical storytelling, using piano to explore harmony and structure while production tools guide students in arranging, layering instruments, and building complete tracks. Contemporary commercial music remains the primary focus, while classical, musical theatre, and jazz are introduced as supportive tools that strengthen technique, expand expressive range, and provide musical and cultural context. To participate in singing lessons, students must be able to vocalize words and have a reliable method of communication such as speech or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Because the instructor is not fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), students who rely on ASL to communicate expressively will need a caregiver or interpreter present to support instruction. Students who use other forms of AAC may also benefit from caregiver assistance, particularly if their system is highly individualized or requires translation. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are welcome and may engage with singing through breath, phrasing, and resonance in ways that reflect their sensory preferences and expressive style. Songwriting lessons are open to both speaking and nonspeaking students and support a wide range of communication needs. Students may express ideas through speech, gestures, ASL, or other forms of AAC. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students may participate through visual composition, lyric writing, piano-based harmony, and track-building with production tools. Instruction emphasizes structure, pattern, and storytelling while remaining flexible enough to support diverse sensory and communication styles. Private lessons also complement K–12 English Language Arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) standards in ways that remain rooted in musical goals. Lyric writing supports literacy development through storytelling, phrasing, and meaning-making, while music production introduces students to the physics of sound, digital technology, and musical structure. Whether shaping a lyric, exploring harmony, or building a track, students strengthen communication, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving through developmentally appropriate musical experiences. Private students receive personalized lesson notes, session recordings, and weekly practice suggestions to support growth between lessons. Families receive semi-annual progress reports to celebrate milestones and track long-term development, and parents or guardians may request brief check-ins as availability allows. All private lesson families are welcomed into The Lyric Isles, our private virtual community, where students connect with peers from both private lessons and weekly workshops. To ensure access remains aligned with our trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming values, partial scholarships are available for low-income and middle-class families, reducing financial barriers to private instruction. Full scholarships are also available on a merit basis to students who demonstrate strong artistic readiness, commitment, and potential for private lessons, regardless of financial circumstance. Together, these options allow students to be supported based on both access needs and depth of engagement. Each private lesson becomes its own chapter in a student’s musical story—a space where curiosity meets skill, effort grows into artistry, and every voice is honored as worthy of being heard.

bottom of page