Contemporary Voice
Designed for students who want to sing in pop, country, folk, soul, or jazz styles. Students are guided to identify what they love about their favorite singers and explore how they can apply those techniques in their own, authentic way. Lessons always begin with breathing and vocal warmups, and students are taught how to care for their voice between lessons. Per individual goals, we may work on singing specific songs, learning to improvise, experimenting with different vocal registers, and practicing dynamics.
Singing with Guitar
Dual-focus coordination is often the first difficult hurdle for aspiring singer-songwriters to overcome. We break down rhythm and fingerpicking patterns on guitar. Vocalists learn to maintain steady groove and clean chord transitions without losing vocal breath or lyrical phrasing. Together, we arrange complete songs you can play and perform without needing separate accompaniment.
Songwriting and Applied Theory
Turn voice memos and notebook scraps into finished songs. We study the music you love and work together to write songs you'll feel proud to share.
Instructor Philosophy
Music lessons that foster creativity and confidence
Ellen Hoffman is a lifelong musician. She grew up taking voice and guitar lessons and enjoys sharing music with students of all ages. She spent her freshman year of college studying vocal performance at the Berklee College of Music, but found the rigidity and single focus of the conservatory environment distanced her from what she loved most: authentic, creative expression. Ultimately, she transferred to Kenyon College where she received a liberal arts education alongside continued music studies.
Over the years, Ellen has had the pleasure of working with various vocal, guitar, piano and composition teachers, which shaped her own individualized and flexible approach. She is passionate about encouraging play and creativity in students, alongside theory, technique and dedicated practice. Outside of teaching, Ellen records and releases original music under the moniker e ruth.
Begin your weekly lessons
Share your favorite artists, preferred lesson times, and location.