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Teaching

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. Students learn to enrich harmony, accompaniment, and recording through guided exploration of acoustic and electronic elements, allowing their songs and performances to grow in depth, clarity, and expressive range. All instruction takes place within our online studio environment, where learning and hands-on music-making happen side by side. For students who begin creating original work, Once Upon a Voice also offers optional guidance around ownership through its internal music publisher, Voicebound, and internal record label, Commonvoice. These structures exist to help students understand how musical compositions and sound recordings are handled in professional contexts, without pressure to publish, pitch, or release before they are ready. Adult study begins through Masterclass, a shared learning experience designed specifically for adult singers and songwriters. 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 live coaching calls focused on immediate questions, creative decisions, and applied learning. Together, these offerings support professional musicians, emerging artists, and adults studying contemporary music in college through flexible, project-centered instruction. 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, such as singing or songwriting projects shaped within a professional workflow. These experiences are educational in nature and proposal-based, with timelines, expectations, and 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 advanced learning while remaining accountable and client-centered. For younger musicians, Once Upon a Voice offers small group classes for ages 0–6, along with weekly workshops, private lessons, and course access for students ages 6–18. 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 and Commonvoice, 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 and are awarded in tiers based on financial need. Full merit-based scholarships are offered each year exclusively for private lessons, where one-on-one instruction provides the most individualized support. Adult students and youth families remain responsible for required supplies, with tuition assistance structured to reflect each student’s overall financial context. In the future, required supplies will be funded by Voicelore, a developing nonprofit organization that we are partnering with. Whether building confidence, developing craft, or shaping original work, every voice matters. At Once Upon a Voice, each student’s story is honored, and every creative path forward is respected.

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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 who are professional musicians, emerging artists, or studying contemporary music at the collegiate level. These projects offer a structured way to apply skills through guided creation, grounded in the same trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming values that define all studio services. Projects sit alongside monthly services rather than extending or replacing them. They are proposal-based and intentionally contained, allowing adult students to work deeply within a clear framework that supports sustainability, clarity, and respect for creative process. Guidance is provided throughout planning, creation, and revision, with pacing shaped to support focus rather than urgency. Projects for adult students may center on singing, songwriting, or an integrated combination of these areas. Each project is shaped around the student’s goals and the skills they wish to develop, with piano and music production used as support tools. This allows adult students to engage in creative work that reflects how music is actually made in professional settings, where vocal, writing, instrumental, and production decisions often evolve together. Because projects are designed to reflect real professional workflows, they may also include limited exposure to external perspectives. Finished or in-progress work may be privately shared with trusted industry colleagues for feedback when relevant to the student’s learning goals. In some cases, a project may involve collaboration with another musician or specialist when a specific contribution is needed that falls outside the student’s current skill set. Any such collaboration is approached intentionally, with transparency around roles, credit, and compensation, and always in service of the student’s education and the integrity of the creative process. Singing projects, for students who can vocalize words, focus on vocal work within a professional creative workflow and may include delivery, session preparation, collaborative vocal production, and editing. Piano may be used in service of the vocal work, or explored more intentionally when relevant to the student’s goals. Songwriting projects support the development of complete songs through guided collaboration. Depending on the student’s focus, this may involve melody, lyrics, piano-playing, arrangement, sound design, or engineering. Songwriting projects are open to both speaking and nonspeaking adults, including those who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, or communicate through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). For children and teens, projects are embedded within ongoing education rather than offered as a separate service. Students ages 6–18 work on developmentally appropriate projects as part of their group classes, weekly workshops, or private lessons. These experiences are paced to match age, readiness, and learning goals, allowing creative work to grow naturally alongside technical and expressive development. When projects involve writing, recording, or preparing music for use beyond the studio, guidance around ownership is handled with care and transparency. Support related to musical compositions and publishing is available through Voicebound, the studio’s internal music publisher, when a student or family chooses that pathway. Support related to sound recordings and release is available through Commonvoice, the studio’s internal record label, when a student elects to work within that framework. Participation in either is optional and never automatic. Projects for adult students are accessed through a proposal process to confirm expectations, timeline, and pricing. The proposal form is locked and requires a digital key, which is sent to students after registration to ensure privacy and protect the integrity of the studio’s project spaces. When an adult student receives a need-based scholarship for monthly services, that support is taken into account when pricing project work, recognizing that projects are part of an educational pathway rather than a separate professional commission. In addition to studio-based projects, Once Upon a Voice donates project work through its partnership with Voicelore. Through this pathway, select projects are offered at no cost to survivors and allies whose work meaningfully addresses gender-based violence. These projects are not income-based and are guided by mission alignment rather than financial criteria. This ensures that important stories can be created and supported even when paid project work is not accessible, while maintaining the same care, professionalism, and respect for creative process that defines all work within the studio.

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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 0–6 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.

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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 adults studying contemporary music in college, these 45-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, multi-level activities designed to meet participants where they are. Whether an adult is just beginning or has years of experience, everyone engages with the material at a meaningful stage through practical application. Activities may include exploring phrasing through vocal experimentation, setting lyrics to melody, refining melodic ideas, or experimenting with how production choices—such as effects, layering, or electronic textures—can 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 two structured rounds 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 peers, share progress, and continue 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.

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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 adults 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 a 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 are intentionally concise, allowing adults to focus on specific questions, creative decisions, or technical challenges in real time. Live coaching is designed to support forward momentum through targeted guidance rather than extended lesson-style instruction, making it 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 share progress, connect with peers, and continue 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.

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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 through creativity—inviting music into daily life as a story that unfolds over time. Limited to a small number of participants per class, these sessions welcome children from birth through age six into a warm, supportive circle. Infants under 18 months engage in gentle, sensory-rich experiences that support early music-making skills. Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners participate in interactive activities that encourage growing creativity to prepare for formal music training. All activities are multi-level by design, allowing each child to participate meaningfully at their own pace—whether beginning to explore sound or already engaging with melody and early musical patterns. Foundational American Sign Language (ASL) is woven into infant and toddler classes to support early communication and language development as tiny musicians. In preschool and kindergarten, phonics is gently introduced through rhythm and pitch, supporting early music literacy. Group classes welcome children who speak as well as those who communicate through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including ASL, gestures, and speech-generating devices. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children are warmly welcomed and may engage through movement or visual interaction—choosing the forms of musical expression that best reflect their sensory world. All classes include caregiver participation, allowing families 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 when systems are highly individualized or require translation. These classes are educational and exploratory and are not a replacement for clinical services such as music therapy, applied behavior analysis (ABA), or speech-language pathology. If it becomes clear that a child would benefit more from therapeutic support, we are happy to recommend alternative resources. Families receive session recordings and suggested home activities each week to support learning between classes. Semi-annual progress reports help celebrate milestones and track development, and families may request a brief parent–teacher check-in as availability allows. Partial scholarships are available for low-income and middle-class families. While families must provide a computer and internet access, tuition assistance is adjusted to reflect how difficult it would be to access these essentials, ensuring equitable participation even in the earliest stages of learning. All early childhood families are invited into The Lyric Isles, our private online community hosted on Discord, where caregivers and students connect in age-appropriate spaces, explore musical activities together, and celebrate progress within a supportive, creative community. With songs, stories, and play, these early years become the first pages in a child’s musical journey—laying a foundation of creativity, confidence, and connection that can grow alongside them.

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Weekly Workshops

Step into an enchanting workshop where music becomes an online circle of friendship and discovery. In these small-group singing and songwriting sessions, students ages 6–18 grow skills and confidence in a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming environment. 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 collaboration alongside meaningful individual attention. Students choose between singing workshops or songwriting workshops. Singing workshops focus on breath coordination, vocal technique, and expressive delivery, using piano to support pitch accuracy, harmony, and self-accompaniment. Production tools are introduced to shape tone, layer harmonies, and explore acoustic and electronic textures. Songwriting workshops explore melody, lyrics, and musical storytelling, using piano for harmony and structure and production tools to build arrangements, blend sounds, and develop complete tracks. Popular and commercial music remains the primary focus, while classical, musical theatre, and jazz are introduced as supportive tools for technique, expression, and musical context. Weekly workshops 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, 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 participate in singing workshops, 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 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 expressive style. Songwriting workshops are open to both speaking and nonspeaking students. Learners may communicate through speech, AAC, gesture, ASL, or other expressive methods. 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 learning through lyric analysis, musical structure, rhythm, sound physics, and technology-based music creation. Each session includes focused instructor guidance, with semi-annual progress reports shared with families. Students ages 9 and up may participate in optional online performances during the year. Partial scholarships are available for low-income and middle-class families. Tuition assistance is adjusted to reflect overall financial access, including the cost of required equipment. 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.

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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. Students ages 9 and up are invited to participate in optional online performances, offering a supportive, low-pressure opportunity to share progress and celebrate artistry. 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.

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