About Chelsea
Chelsea Carlson is an award-winning musician, songwriter, humanitarian, and music teacher who has been teaching music for over 12 years. Chelsea has nearly two decades of musical experience under her belt, from attending Berklee College of Music, to winning Top New Female Act at the 2013 Jersey Acoustic Music Awards, to having her debut album “The Broken Road” premiere in Songwriting Magazine in 2016. She has played at over 100 venues across the tri-state area including the Hard Rock Cafe, Bitter End, Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, Strand Theater, Sherman Theater and more. Her original music has been played on radio stations across the country, and she has been featured in publications including the Aquarian Weekly and Elmore Magazine. Chelsea has also worked as an actor and music director, performing in community theater plays, short films, and renaissance faires throughout the state.
Growing up, Chelsea knew she was destined to be a musician from a young age. She picked up her first instrument, the alto saxophone, at age nine and was immediately bitten by the music bug. In the years that followed, she began learning guitar, piano, and bass, and also started voice lessons. She began dabbling in the idea of songwriting when she was still in elementary school. By high school, Chelsea had joined the Long Valley School of Rock, through which she played at the Gramercy Theater and Highline Ballroom, and performed for a VH1 documentary shooting of “Woodstock: Then & Now” with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In high school, she was a member of the marching band, women’s choir, drama club, and was principal chair for alto saxophone in symphonic band.
Following high school, Chelsea attended Berklee College of Music for music business and electric bass. At Berklee, Chelsea took courses in songwriting, lyric writing, history of rock music, music business, music technology, and many classes in music theory and performance. In 2015, Chelsea attended the Vocal Pedagogy professional development workshop at Boston Conservatory with a focus on musical theater vocals, which featured classes in anatomy and physiology of singing, belting, vocal health, Alexander technique, breathing, and more. Chelsea also studied Teacher Education with a focus on child psychology at County College of Morris. While at CCM, she attended a student program in New Orleans that aimed to explore the roots of American folk and blues music.
Currently, Chelsea is based in Brick, NJ where she is focused on her teaching, music, and volunteer efforts. She has recently recorded several new original songs that are slated for release in the coming months. Chelsea is also in a folk trio called Bardy Pardy, who will be releasing their debut album in summer 2022. Since Fall 2021, Chelsea has served as Director of Music & Media on the board of the Artist Collective Troupe, a nonprofit organization and theater company dedicated to supporting the arts in Ocean and Monmouth County through providing opportunities for performance, education, and collaboration. Chelsea has always believed in paying it forward and using her love of music to give back, and in March 2022 she was given the Legion of Honor Award for her volunteer work and humanitarian efforts, which have included organizing several benefit concerts, donating proceeds from record sales, performing and volunteering at several hospitals and nursing homes, and more, as well as arranging for her students to be involved in volunteer work as well.
About Lessons
Chelsea began teaching private music lessons in 2010, and instantly developed a passion for opening up the world of music and performance to the next generation. Since she began teaching, Chelsea has taught over 140 private music students ages five to adult lessons in voice, guitar, piano, ukulele, and bass with a focus on cultivating creativity, musicianship, and artistry. Her unique approach to teaching offers students a well-rounded curriculum, which will help them explore music through classical exercises in technique and music theory, while providing them with a creative outlet through learning songwriting and performance skills. It is Chelsea’s hope not only to teach her students how to be great musicians, but also to provide them with the tools necessary to have a future career in the music industry. Chelsea’s students have gone on to attend the Berklee College of Music 5-Week Summer Performance Program on scholarship, be selected for and attend the Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Conservatory, receive music scholarships to their colleges, be nominated for the Paper Mill Playhouse’s Rising Star Awards, receive recognition through the Mayo PAC for vocal technique, have their original music be played on BBC Radio, and have successful music careers on the local music scene themselves. In addition to teaching private music lessons, Chelsea has taught preschool music at Long Valley Christian Nursery School since 2014.
Chelsea has had experience working with a diverse group of talented young musicians, including experience working with transgender voice students, helping them re-learn and access their voice and adjust to their new vocal texture while undergoing HRT.
Chelsea has worked with several special needs students such as those on the autism spectrum, and those with developmental and/or emotional special needs, including teaching Vocal Lab at Hunterdon Preparatory School, a high school for complex learners.
It is Chelsea's goal to help her students become well-versed in the music they love. In addition to learning proper technique, lessons will cover building a repertoire and learning songs selected both by Chelsea and the student for a fun, motivating approach to learning. Chelsea specializes in musical theater and contemporary music genres.
Chelsea is available for in-person lessons at Red House Music & Rehearsal Studio in Point Pleasant, NJ. She is also available for virtual lessons no matter your location!