Chelsea Carlson Music Lessons

January 01, 2020

It was so fun having Emma and Layla join me during my performance at the Long Valley Pub and Brewery yesterday! Emma played a short set on my break and sounded seriously amazing (and played some of my favorite songs!) Layla surprised me and came to see my show, and sang a spontaneous performance of “Shallow,” which was totally awesome!

I always love giving my students the opportunity to perform at shows like this and gain some “real world” performance experience, especially during this year where there are practically no performance opportunities to be had anywhere. We had a great time and I am so proud of them both!

September 21, 2020

Now that it is public - it is with great sadness that I share the news that Valley Music Center will be closing at the end of the month. Valley Music has been such an important part of my life, not just for the nearly nine years that I’ve worked there, but since 2007 when I myself started taking lessons there during my sophomore year (pictured left). They were the first place to officially hire me as a music teacher, and in the 13 years they’ve been in my life, I have learned and experienced so much. VMC is a huge part of why I am the musician and teacher I am today, and it is truly the end of an era to see them close.

Over my time working at Valley Music, I have had the privilege of meeting and working with so many amazing students, families, and coworkers. I have formed friendships and connections I’m sure will last a lifetime. I am proud to have been part of the unmistakable mark Valley Music has left on the arts community in Long Valley.

Thank you so much to Dave and George for being great bosses and mentors through the years and for taking a chance on a young music teacher back in 2012! To my wonderful coworkers, it has been a pleasure working with you. I wish we could all have a proper goodbye. (Stupid pandemic!)

To all my current Valley Music students and those who took off for the summer, you are welcome to continue lessons directly with me beginning in October. Please be in touch if you’d like more info.

Here’s to Valley Music Center, the heart of the arts in Long Valley - thank you for the great memories!

September 09, 2019

While our in-person annual concert has been postponed to later in the school year, I just couldn't let an October pass without a student performance! So I'm excited to announce our next Virtual Concert will be taking place next month! All current students have been emailed with details on how to submit songs for this show. If you are a former student and would like to participate, please let me know and I'll pass the info along to you as well. Stay tuned!

January 01, 2020

A big thank you to everyone who tuned into last night’s fourth and final session of our virtual Summer Showcase Series! Not only did Olivia, Grace, and Charlotte sound amazing in their performances, but they handled some technical difficulties and last minute changes like complete pro’s, and I could not be more proud! This was a great show, and a wonderful grand finale for our summer series.

Thank you one more time to all the students who participated in this series over the last few weeks - Hannah, Layla, Megan, Lauren, Emma, Kaitlyn, Grace M., Maddie, Olivia, Grace C., and Charlotte! You were all fabulous and I’m so happy you joined us for this unique rendition of our annual showcase!

And finally thanks to all who tuned in for our series and shared with friends and family! All four of our sessions are still viewable on Facebook and YouTube. I had a lot of fun putting this series together and I hope you had a lot of fun watching!

Have a great rest of your summer, stay tuned for more student shows in the coming months!

August 20, 2020

Thank you to everyone who tuned into our third summer showcase session last week! Grace, Kaitlyn, and Maddie were fantastic and I had so much fun getting to listen to their performances

It’s hard to believe but our FINAL showcase session is in just a few days! Join us at 6:00 on Tuesday for the finale to what has really been an incredibly fun summer student event!

August 08, 2020

Thank you to everyone who tuned into last night’s session of our virtual Summer Showcase! Amazing job to Emma and Lauren, it was so fun hearing your amazing performances and I know it brightened up everyone’s power-outage filled week!

Provided everyone has power, our next installment of the showcase will be this Wednesday August 12 with Grace M., Kaitlyn, and Maddie! Hope to “see” you there!

July 30, 2020

Thank you to everyone who tuned into the first session of our virtual Summer Showcase last night! Megan, Layla, and Hannah did an amazing job and we had a ton of fun putting this show together for you! If you missed it, you can still watch the replay right here on Facebook and also on Youtube. And make sure to tune in next Friday, August 7 for our next installment of the Summer Showcase Series featuring Emma and Lauren!

July 20, 2020

It was so awesome having my student Emma join me at my gig yesterday (the first one since quarantine began!) at the Long Valley Brew Pub! She played a few songs on my break and she sounded amazing! It was also so nice actually seeing one of my students in person for the first time since March! Kept our distance at all times (and held our breath when that second pic was taken lol!)

July 14, 2020

I am so excited to announce that, in spite of COVID19, we will be going ahead with our fourth annual Summer Showcase - only this year, it will be online!  Unlike our previous two virtual concerts, the Summer Showcase will be a LIVE event streamed on Facebook and Youtube.  Instead of doing one large show, we will be doing four smaller shows featuring a few students in each, resulting in an exciting Summer Showcase Series.  Each show will be done "musicians in the round" style.  The shows will stream at 6:00 PM on the following dates:

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Wednesday July 29 - Hannah, Layla, and Megan

Friday August 7 - Lauren and Emma

Wednesday August 12 - Kaitlyn, Maddie, and Grace M.

Tuesday August 25 - Olivia, Charlotte, and Grace C.

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Join us for an amazing summer filled with music!

June 30, 2020

Ten years ago today, on June 30, 2010, I taught my very first music lesson!  Who knew then that my "summer job" would turn into my passion, and that a decade later, I would have taught over 140 private students and made countless memories and friendships!  The journey has been a spectacular one that I wouldn't trade for the world.  Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my amazing students these past ten years.  It has been a fantastic adventure so far, and I know we're only getting started.  Here's to one wonderful decade down, and to all the musical adventures I'm sure the next one holds for us!  You can check out my anniversary video here to hear some of my thoughts about reaching this milestone, and take a look back on some of the amazing memories we've made together.

May 26, 2020

Last night we held our second Virtual Concert on Youtube!  After the success of our first Virtual Concert, I just knew we had to do another.  I am so proud of all of the students who submit video performances to be part of the show.  Everyone sounded amazing!  You can watch the show here.

May 18, 2020

Yesterday, my student Lauren and former student Izzy joined me for an online Songwriters in the Round performance on Facebook and Youtube.  I started working with both of these talented musicians when they were in fifth grade, and we have been part of many performances together throughout the years.  Now that they are finishing up with their high school careers, I thought it would be fun to unite for another show together - and it was!  We had a great time catching up and getting to share our original songs with everyone.

April 20, 2020

It was so exciting to see my student Layla appear on ABC7 Eyewitness News, which aired a clip of her performance from our Virtual Concert!  Layla performed her school teacher's favorite song for the concert, "Don't Stop Believing," and shared the video with him to brighten his day.  Word of this act of kindness made its way to the Eyewitness News!  As a teacher, I just live to see moments like these, and during these trying times, this really put a smile on my face.  Congrats Layla!  Keep being a rockstar!  

April 06, 2020

Last night, we debuted our first ever Virtual Concert!  With so many of my students' school performances cancelled, and everyone "staying at home," I wanted to give my students the chance to perform and have some fun in light of our current events!  With the intention of spreading positivity and bringing everyone together, 20 of my students (both past and present) ages kindergarten through adult, submit videos of themselves performing songs which we premiered on Youtube as a concert.  I am so impressed by how amazing everyone sounded, and am so happy to see the power of music bringing us all together in such trying times!  Who knows, maybe we'll just have to do it again!  You can watch the virtual concert by clicking here.

March 19, 2020

Quarantine can't stop us from making music!  Currently ALL lessons (private, Valley Music Center, and Red House) are all being held remotely via Skype or FaceTime.  I am happy to be able to provide some fun, music, and a sense of normalcy in these strange times.  Please stay tuned for when we will be resuming our regular lessons!  For now, please stay healthy and safe everyone!

January 03, 2020

Congrats to all of my students on their successful auditions! (Updated 2/13)

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Megan: cast as Young Fiona in her middle school's production of "Shrek"

Hannah: cast as a Munchkin in "The Wizard of Oz" at Brundage Park Playhouse; cast as the White Rabbit in her middle school's spring musical "Alice in Wonderland"

Violet: cast in "Sing Down the Moon" at the Growing Stage

Olivia: cast as Tweedle Dee in her middle school's spring musical "Alice in Wonderland"

Sarah: cast as a Card in her middle school's spring musical "Alice in Wonderland"

December 17, 2019

Last weekend the Figgy Puddings had our final show, at Garden Terrace Nursing Home in Chatham, making this our final student performance of the decade! The girls did a wonderful job. It is always such a great feeling to see my students not just perform - but use their love of music to pay it forward and spread holiday cheer to those who need it most! I am extra proud of this year’s Figgy Puddings, all of whom were first or second year members, for learning a complicated show in just two rehearsals, working together with other kids many had just met, and putting on two amazing performances. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the year or the decade! Thank you so much to my students for all their hard work, and to their parents for bringing them to rehearsals in the snow and driving all the way to Chatham and Sparta for our shows! Happy Holidays! 🎄❄️🎶😊

December 09, 2019

This past Saturday we had our first Figgy Puddings caroling show of the season at the Lake Mohawk German Christmas Market and it was a blast! I am so proud of these girls for putting on such an amazing show full of fun and holiday spirit after just two rehearsals! We sang to a packed house and definitely spread some Christmas cheer 😊 I can’t wait till our next performance this weekend. Thank you to Margaret for booking this performance, we had a great first time playing at the market and hope to be back in the future!

October 22, 2019

This past Sunday was our 7th Annual Fall Concert and without a doubt, it was our smoothest and best concert yet! I am so incredibly proud of all of my students for the hard work they put into preparing for this show, and the amazing performances they gave onstage (and we had a real stage this year!). We had one of the largest age ranges we've ever had - from kindergarten to high school senior - and the show featured all sorts of fun music including pop, rock, country, showtunes, classical, and original songs. My students really rocked, getting the audience to clap along to their songs and even laugh during our more comedic pieces ("Fur Elise +" anyone?). This year was also home to many "firsts," including having a real stage for the first time, we had the biggest audience we've ever had, a record breaking musical goals contest overall score of 65 points by our youngest ever winner, and even I performed - I sang a duet of "For Good" from Wicked with senior student Lauren, who was my very first vocal student ever and who will be graduating this year, making this her last Fall Concert with me.

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This was definitely one for the memory books! Thank you to everyone who made the 7th Annual Fall Concert possible - my amazing concert volunteers: my parents Karen and Paul, my aunts Cathy and Linda, and my boyfriend Eric; the wonderful people at Vasa Park; the families and friends of my students; and of course my students, the stars of our show :)

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Until next time everyone!

October 20, 2019

My student Violet was awesome as Matilda in "Matilda" at the Growing Stage yesterday!  It is really something to see my student's name topping the bill at a community theater show.  I am so proud of Violet for doing an outstanding job, she was a fantastic Matilda!  Congrats to the whole cast and crew on a job well done!

September 18, 2019

Congrats to my students on their successful auditions!  Updated 9/18/2019:

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Violet: cast as Matilda in "Matilda" at the Growing Stage

Hannah: cast as Gertrude in "Cinderella" at Brundage Park Playhouse; cast as the Dutch Girl in "Miracle on 34th Street" at County College of Morris

Grace: cast as Margo in her high school's production of "Bright Star"

Lauren: accepted to Paper Mill Playhouse's Summer Conservatory Program and New Voices Concert

August 04, 2019

Yesterday I saw my student Lauren in the Paper Mill Playhouse’s New Voices Concert, and I am SO proud of her! Lauren attended Paper Mill’s Summer Conservatory for the past month, a highly competitive program that only accepts 120 participants from the state, for her second year in a row. It is an intensive five-week program giving kids a taste of what it takes to be a professional performer in the musical theater world, and culminates in the New Voices Concert. Not only was Lauren in the show, but she was on the advertisement poster for the show! 

Paper Mill has always had a special place in my heart as the first professional theater I ever saw shows at as a kid, long before I saw a Broadway show, and it was so special for me to see one of my students perform on that stage. Lauren was part of full-company numbers, and the “Prom” section of the show in which she had a solo song (“It’s Raining on Prom Night”)! She did an amazing job! I am so proud of her for all her hard work and dedication to becoming the best musician, performer, and actress she can be. I know she’s going to go really far!!

June 24, 2019

I'm excited to announce that I will be joining the team at Red House Guitar Studio in Point Pleasant this summer!  I will be teaching lessons on Thursdays in voice, guitar, piano, ukulele, and bass.  I'm looking forward to new adventures in teaching "down the shore!"

May 30, 2019

Today I had the opportunity to see three of my fantastic students in their middle school’s production of “Annie,” and it was awesome! Congrats to Olivia (Annie), Hannah (July), and Sarah (Duffy) on a job well done!! This was my favorite show as a kid, and it was so special seeing my students bring it to life on stage today. Great job to the whole cast and crew of “Annie,” and good luck with the rest of the performances!

March 27, 2019

I had so much fun seeing my student Lauren in a preview of her high school's spring musical, "9 to 5," last night! Lauren played Judy, and did an absolutely amazing job! This show is fantastic and I wish Lauren and the whole cast and crew of "9 to 5" much luck in the official shows this weekend! 

March 15, 2019

Amazing job to my student Emma, who played Mrs. Potts in her middle school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” tonight! She did an outstanding job, I am so proud of her!  Congrats to the whole cast on a job well done!

March 10, 2019

Congrats to all my students who have had successful auditions this winter (updated 3/10):

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• Lauren: cast as Judy in her high school's spring musical, "9 to 5"; cast as the understudy for Sandy in "Grease" at the Mayo PAC

• Emma: cast as Mrs. Potts in her middle school's spring musical, "Beauty and the Beast"

• Grace: cast as Josephine in her high school's spring musical, "Big Fish"

• Olivia: cast as Annie in her middle school's spring musical, "Annie"

• Hannah: cast as July in her middle school's spring musical, "Annie"

• Sarah: cast as Duffy in her middle school's spring musical, "Annie"

December 16, 2018

Our student Christmas caroling group, the Figgy Puddings, had so much fun singing at Garden Terrace Nursing Home today! I’m so proud of the girls not only because they put on a great show, but because it’s so nice to see them sharing their love of music with the residents here at the home. Thank you so much to everyone who made the Figgy Puddings possible this year, and amazing job!!

December 10, 2018

I had so much fun appearing in "It's a Wonderful Life" at County College of Morris with my student, Hannah!  I played Miss Carter, and Hannah played Janie Bailey.  It has been great getting to see Hannah hold her own with a cast that is mostly adults, and perform in such a big production.  Thank you to everyone who came out to see the show, including my students Grace and Kristen, and my boss at Valley Music, George!

December 03, 2018

Congrats to my students on their successful auditions this fall (updated November 13):

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Lauren: cast as Elsa in her high school's Disney Musical Revue

Kristen: cast as Cinderella in her high school's Disney Musical Revue

Grace: cast in the featured ensemble of her high school's fall play, "It's a Wonderful Life"; accepted to her school's Show Choir

Ella: cast in the ensemble of her high school's fall play, "Mermaid"

Hannah: cast as Janie Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" at CCM

Emma: cast as Mrs. Potts in her middle school's spring musical, "Beauty and the Beast"

November 18, 2018

I had a great time seeing my student Grace in her high school’s fall play, “It’s a Wonderful Life” tonight! Grace was originally cast as Mr. Potter’s secretary but due to a last minute scheduling change with this week’s snow, tonight she played Mother Bailey with hardly any rehearsal and she was awesome!! I am so proud of her for stepping in and doing a - pardon the pun - WONDERFUL job 😊 Congrats to the cast and crew of this fantastic show!

October 27, 2018

I had so much fun seeing Lauren and Kristen in their high school's Disney-themed Broadway Night last night!  Lauren played Elsa and Kristen played Cinderella.  Lauren also played Elsa in our student Disney Musical Revue back in 2015, and it was so cool getting to see her progression since then.  This was Kristen's first high school production, she was awesome and I'm sure it's the first of many like it!  Congrats to the amazing cast, crew, and directors of Broadway Night 2018!  It was fantastic as always.

October 22, 2018

I'm so proud of my student Emma for being named Outstanding Middle School Vocalist in Morris County at the Mayo PAC for the month of October!  This is such an honor and she deserves it so much.  Emma is such a hard-working, dedicated student and I am so happy for her.  Winners throughout the year are offered the opportunity to perform in a show at the Mayo PAC in the spring.  Congrats to Emma!

October 16, 2018

This past Sunday we had our fantastic 6th Annual Fall Concert at Vasa Park, and I am so incredibly proud of all my students for putting on the most seamless, wonderful show we've put together yet! This year, eighteen of my students from 2nd-11th grade performed, and everyone did a really great job. Every year, I wonder how on earth my students can possibly top their last show - and every year, they step up to the plate and raise the bar even higher! I'm so proud of them for putting on an amazing show, and for putting so much time and dedication into their performances :)

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This show takes a lot of time, work, and preparation, and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who made our 6th Annual Fall Concert possible: my amazing concert volunteers - Karen and Paul Carlson, Cathy Lee, Linda and Rocky Rivera, Eric Pertgen, and Leah Kallins; Vasa Park for hosting us; my awesome students; and of course, the amazing and supportive friends and family of my students who came out to support what I think is the next generation of great musicians!

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Already excited for next time!

August 09, 2018

We had so much fun at the Middlesex County Fair today for our mini student showcase! Amazing job to Rebecca, Kristen, and Lauren for a fantastic performance. The three of them have been taking lessons with me longer than most of my other students and will be in 9th-11th grade this year, and in watching their awesome performance tonight I'm reminded of just how much they've grown as musicians since they were in elementary school. Great job!! Thank you so much to Alida for having us back at the fair this year!

August 07, 2018

Today I said goodbye to my student Izzy, who is an honorary “graduate” of my lessons as she will be moving to the U.K. later this month! Izzy has been my student since 2013, first in my Rock Instruction Program class and later as my guitar student and a member of our student a cappella group the Valley Voices. She has accomplished so much as a musician, not only within school and lessons but on the local music scene itself. Izzy first came out to one of my shows to play a few songs when she was in 6th grade, which quickly turned into open mic performances, followed by her own shows at venues throughout the area before even finishing middle school. She has written countless songs and is well on her way to a career as a professional singer/songwriter. It has been great getting to watch her grow over the past five and a half years, not only as a musician but as a person. Izzy has been a fantastic student and role model, and she will definitely be missed within our student community! Izzy will be attending an amazing performing arts school across the pond, and while it’s tough to say goodbye, I know this is just the beginning of her very bright future in music and life. Good luck Izzy, we will miss you!!

July 23, 2018

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Last Thursday we had our 3rd Annual Summer Showcase at the Morris County 4H Fair! Ten of my amazing students performed as part of the show; Chloe, Hannah, Anna, Sebastian, Aley, Emma, Lauren, Kristen, Ella, and Kaitlyn performed all types of music from Elvis to Grace Vanderwaal and everything in between! I am so proud of them for doing an absolutely fantastic job and making our third summer showcase a success! Thank you to Linda Kabis for inviting us back to the 4H Fair again this year. Hoping to be part of it again in the future!

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July 11, 2018

We have officially booked our 6th Annual Fall Concert!  The biggest student event of the year will be happening on Sunday October 14, 2018 at Vasa Park in Budd Lake NJ.  All students are invited to participate in the two-part show, which is followed by our annual Awards Ceremony.  Stay tuned for more information, but for now, mark the date in your calendar!  You won't want to miss it!

June 06, 2018

Congrats to my students who have had successful auditions this season (updated June 6):

• Lauren: accepted to the Paper Mill Playhouse's summer conservatory program; cast as Wendi Jo in "Footloose"

• Ella: cast in her high school's musical revue; cast in "Legally Blonde" at Pax Amicus Castle Theater

• Sumaria: cast as Nautica in the premiere of "Bring It On: The Musical Jr" at Union County PAC

• Grace: accepted to her school's show choir

• Kristen: received solo for eighth grade graduation concert performance of "This is Me"; cast in the ensemble of "Footloose"

May 21, 2018

My first grade student Chloe performed her first "gig" this weekend!  She performed at a Girl Scouts campfire event.  She has been hard at work over the past few weeks to learn 20 minutes worth of campfire songs, and I am so proud of all her hard work!

May 14, 2018

Congratulations to my students who have been recognized by the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for their performances in their high school musicals!  Lauren was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Brenda in "Catch Me If You Can," and Ella received an honorable mention for her part in the Ladies in Waiting featured ensemble in "The Pirate Queen."  Both shows also received numerous other nominations and honorable mentions.  I'm so happy my amazing students have received this prestigious recognition!

April 17, 2018

It was great having my student Rebecca open up for me this past weekend at the Coffee Potter in Long Valley.  Rebecca is a very talented songwriter, and actually played a set made up of entirely original music.  Someone even asked if she had a CD available!  Rebecca is a very talented songwriter, and she did an amazing job at the show!

April 03, 2018

It was so much fun having my student Eliza join us for a round-robin style performance at Espresso Joe's in Keyport this past Friday.  Eliza performed two sets as part of the show, debuting a bunch of her original songs, and she closed her performance with the ambitious "Praying" by Kesha!  This was Eliza's first real gig, and she did an awesome job.  I'm sure it is the first of many great performances!

March 28, 2018

​Congrats to all of my students who have had successful auditions this season (will be updated as more news comes in!):

• Emma: playing Aquata in her middle school’s spring musical, “The Little Mermaid”

• Lauren: playing Brenda in her high school's spring musical, "Catch Me If You Can"

• Sumaria: cast in the ensemble of her high school's spring musical, "Catch Me If You Can"

• Ella: accepted to Regional Honor Choir; cast in the ensemble of her high school's spring musical, "The Pirate Queen"

• ​Ian: cast in the ensemble of his high school's spring musical, "The Pirate Queen"

• Grace: cast in her high school's annual Broadway Night; cast as featured ensemble in her high school's spring musical, "Footloose"

• ​Izzy: cast in the ensemble of her high school's spring musical "Seussical"​

• ​Angelina: cast in the ensemble of her middle school's spring musical "Aladdin"​

• ​Isabelle N.: cast in the ensemble of her middle school's spring musical "Aladdin"​

February 06, 2018

I'm excited to announce (extremely early of course!) that we are booked for our third annual Summer Showcase at the Morris County 4H Fair!  This year, the event will be split across two stages.  The first half will take place from 6:00-8:00 PM on the Coffeehouse Stage, and the remainder of the event will be from 8:00-10:00 on the MainStage.  More information about the show and who will be performing TBA as we get closer to the date.  For now, put it on your calendar because this is a summer highlight you won't want to miss!

February 01, 2018

As my time working at Hunterdon Prep winds down, I'm excited to announce that I will be returning to Long Valley Christian Nursery School to teach music and movement classes for the rest of the school year!  It was so much fun to come back this week and get to see my old students and coworkers again, and meet some new students too!  This month, we learned about "the beat" through a clapping game, rhythm stick songs, and dancing!  Can't wait to see what the rest of the school year holds!

January 23, 2018

It was great having my student Isabelle open up for me at the Sacred Bean Coffeehouse this past weekend!  She performed a full 45 minute set featuring some awesome originals and covers.  She has come so far since the first time she came out to play at one of my gigs when she was in sixth grade!  We also got a fun surprise – my student Chloe came out to watch us play!  

December 18, 2017

I always love closing out the year with our student Christmas caroling group, the Figgy Puddings!  This year, the Figgy Puddings performed independently for the first time while I was on vacation – on December 2, they performed at the Califon Christmas tree lighting, and from what I hear, it was great!  This past weekend we had our second show, with our first ever student performance at Garden Terrace Nursing Home.  The girls did a wonderful job, and it is always so nice to see them share their love of music and spread holiday cheer to those at the nursing home.  Already looking forward to next year!

November 18, 2017

It was awesome seeing my students Lauren and Sumaria perform in their high school's fall production of "Little Shop of Horrors" last night!  This is one of my favorite musicals and it was a fantastic production.  Lauren played Crystal and Sumaria played Chiffon.  It was an awesome show and had me laughing the whole time!  Congrats to my students and the whole cast on a job well done! 

October 25, 2017

I am excited to finally announce that I have accepted a job at Hunterdon Preparatory School in Annandale!  I will be working as a substitute teacher for the next few months, teaching Vocal Lab class.  Hunterdon Prep is an amazing school and provides many opportunities for its students to excel in music and I am very excited to be joining their staff and working with their fantastic students this fall and winter.  

October 23, 2017

Yesterday, 26 of my fantastic voice, guitar, piano, and ukulele students took the stage to perform in our Fall Concert at Vasa Park, and they did an absolutely wonderful job. This was by far the best concert we've had yet and I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of them for all the hard work they put into this event and for putting on an awesome performance! Thanks to everyone who helped to make this event possible. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

October 21, 2017

Lauren and Sumaria did an outstanding job in their high school's Broadway Night yesterday!  The show featured a series of medleys from various musicals.  Lauren played Kim in the "Miss Saigon" medley and Sumaria played Maria in the "West Side Story" medley and they both did absolutely fantastic!  Congrats to everyone involved with this show on an amazing production.

October 20, 2017

Congrats to Julia on winning her high school's acoustic Battle of the Bands last night!  Julia played "Say You Won't Let Go," "The Middle," and "Love on the Brain" and put on an absolutely amazing performance.  She works so hard and I'm so happy she won!  Congrats!

October 03, 2017

Congrats to all of my students on their successful auditions this fall! (Updated 10/3/17)

Lauren: Crystal in her high school's fall musical “Little Shop of Horrors”; Kim in the “Miss Saigon” tribute at her school’s annual Broadway Night

Sumaria: Chiffon in her high school's fall musical “Little Shop of Horrors”; Maria in the “West Side Story” tribute at her school’s annual Broadway Night

Grace: Ensemble in her high school's fall show  “The Great Gatsby"

Catherine: Ensemble in her high school's fall show “The Great Gatsby"

Isabelle: Loud Stone in her high school’s fall show “Eurdyice”

Ella: Accepted into her high school’s mixed a cappella group, the Howlers

Ian: Accepted into his high school’s male a cappella group, the Noteworthys

September 23, 2017

Last night, Lauren opened up the show at Dragonfly Music & Coffee Cafe with a full set of covers and original songs.  Lauren was one of the first students I brought out to do full sets, and back in 2013 she opened up for me at Dragonfly when she was in 6th grade.  It was great seeing her open up the show again last night, now a high school sophomore, and see how much she has grown as a musician and performer!

September 07, 2017

For the first time ever, this year I had to say goodbye to two of my amazing students as they headed off to college! Sara and Gabby both graduated high school this past spring and said their "see you laters" to me a few weeks ago after both having taken 4+ years of lessons. After their final lessons, I asked them about their favorite memories from lessons, advice for my other students, and their plans for the future. Check out what they had to say here.  Good luck to you both in college and beyond!

August 19, 2017

Today I said goodbye to my second college bound student, Gabby! Not only has Gabby been taking lessons with me since she was in 7th grade (five years ago!) she has been my "oldest" student in that she has taken lessons with me longer than all my other students. It is going to be so weird not having her here every week! Gabby took piano and bass lessons with me, as well as assisted me when I ran the Rock Instruction Program 101 class. She has accomplished so much over the past few years, having been a member of marching, jazz, and pit band throughout high school, earned scholarships to Berklee's summer program, performed in her own bands and written her own music, and most recently receiving the music scholarship to the college she will be attending, as well as so many other achievements! It has been awesome getting to watch Gabby grow as a musician over the past five years, and see her become the fantastic person she is today! I know she has a very bright future, and I wish her all the best of luck in college and her future musical endeavors!

August 13, 2017

Awesome job to my students Julia and Lauren on their performance today at the Middlesex County Fair! They each performed two sets round-robin style to a packed entertainment tent. This fair is one of my favorite places to play every summer and I'm so happy my students had the chance to perform this year. Thank you to Alida for inviting my students to play! And thanks to the awesome audience for all your support!

August 11, 2017

I had so much fun seeing Hannah perform in Kid's Cabaret at Brundage Park Playhouse last night! Hannah was part of a few group songs and also sang a solo, "Somewhere That's Green," from Little Shop of Horrors. She sounded amazing and the show was fantastic!

August 02, 2017

Congrats to my students who have been cast in summer productions!

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Hannah: Hansel in "Hansel & Gretel" and soloist in "Kids Cabaret" at Brundage Park Playhouse

Lauren: Deloris in "Sister Act" at Montvale Summer Theater Program

Kristen: Ensemble in "Sister Act" at Montvale Summer Theater Program

Ella: Ensemble in "Annie" at Pax Amicus Castle Theater

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July 20, 2017

I'm so excited to see three of my students – Ella, Kaitlyn, and Isabelle – featured in the Observer Tribune this week!  All three of them were interviewed last week at the Coffee Potter open mic regarding their participation in the open mic and their own individual musical ventures.  Thank you so much to Mark Kitchin for the great article!  You can read the whole thing here.

July 20, 2017

I am so proud of my students who participated in our second ever Summer Student Showcase at the Morris County 4H Fair yesterday!  This year, ten of my amazing students performed – Chloe, Hannah, Anna, Eliza, Catherine, Emma, Ella, Kaitlyn, Izzy, and Julia – and they all did a fantastic job.  Most of them performed from 20-30 minutes completely on their own, featuring songs from all different types of genres, original music they wrote, and a variety of instruments.  Thank you so much to Linda at the 4H Fair for welcoming us back this year!  And thanks always to the parents, families, and friends of my students for always being so supportive.  Already looking forward to next year!

July 15, 2017

It was so much fun having my students Izzy, Catherine, Ella, and Kaitlyn join me for the second ever open mic at the Coffee Potter in Long Valley.  We were even able to perform two of our Valley Voices songs!  Everyone really enjoyed what they performed and I am so happy that they came out to play music and support such a great new business in our area.

July 14, 2017

Our student a cappella group, the Valley Voices, had an amazing performance at Bridgeway Care and Rehabilitation in Hillsborough this past Thursday!  They performed as part of a belated 4th of July celebration.  This was also our first performance with our newest member, Lauren!  I am so proud of them not only for putting on such a great show, but for taking this opportunity to share their love of music with the residents at Bridgeway.  Hopefully we can do it again soon!

June 27, 2017

Saturday night at Dragonfly Music & Coffee Cafe was so much fun!  Our student a cappella group, the Valley Voices, kicked off the night with a wonderful performance featuring a few of our new songs.  Then Izzy performed a full set as a featured performer, along with myself and local band Zoochie.  Dragonfly is such a great place for local music, and I want to give a shout out and thank you to Peter Prasa for always being so welcoming of my students and giving them a great place to perform!

May 23, 2017

I had so much fun seeing Grace and Catherine's middle school production of "Seussical" last night! Grace played Horton and Catherine played Mayzie LaBird, and they were both fantastic – as was the whole show! I always love seeing plays at this school, because you can always tell how much fun the kids are having and how much love they put into these performances. Congrats to Grace, Catherine, and the entire cast on another wonderful show!

May 22, 2017

Today I said goodbye to one of my graduating senior students, Sara, for the very first time. Sara started taking voice lessons with me the summer before she began high school, and has accomplished so many amazing musical things since then – she's been a member of numerous choirs, performed at Carnegie Hall, and even led her school's female a cappella group this past year – and I am so proud of everything she has achieved. It has been great getting to watch her grow as a musician over the past four years, and into the awesome person she is. Congrats on your graduation and good luck in college this fall!!!

May 18, 2017

I had so much fun seeing my student Kristen in her middle school's production of "The Wizard of Oz" last night!  Kristen was in the ensemble and had a featured part during "In the Merry Old Land of Oz."  Amazing job to Kristen, as well as the entire cast and crew of this awesome show, for putting on an wonderful performance.

May 16, 2017

I've been to lots of plays – but never one that my student WROTE before! Congrats to Ella on a wonderful performance of an original play, "Curious in Wonderland," inspired by "Alice in Wonderland," which she wrote the songs for and co-directed! She also played Elizabeth the Chef and Tweedle Dum. She did an absolutely awesome job both in helping to create this show and in the performance. Congrats to all the talented kids who put this show together!!! 

May 13, 2017

I am so proud of all my students who came out to the very first open mic at the Coffee Potter today, which I hosted.  Emma, Julia, Ella, and Kaitlyn all sounded amazing.  It was great having them there to be a part of kicking off music events at this new coffeehouse!  Hopefully this is the first of many awesome open mics, and awesome performances by my students, at the Coffee Potter!

April 30, 2017

I'm so proud of my student Lauren for hosting yet another awesome Young Performer's Coffeehouse last night at the Sacred Bean.  She was an excellent emcee, and she and my other students who performed (Grace, Ella, and Izzy) all did a wonderful job!

April 14, 2017

A huge congratulations to my student Gabby, who received the music scholarship to Washington College which she will be attending this fall!  Not only did she work hard preparing her for her audition, but she works hard to be the best musician she can be all the time and she most definitely deserves this scholarship.  Congrats!!!

April 14, 2017

We had such a good time attending Dragonfly Music & Coffee Cafe's open mic night last night! The Valley Voices performed for the first time this year and everyone really enjoyed their performance. Then Izzy, Grace, and Ella & Josh all performed solo/duo sets as well.  It's always fun going to Dragonfly!

April 10, 2017

It was great having Emma join me to play a few songs at Redwoods Bar & Grill in Chester this past weekend!  Emma played "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift and "This Town" by Niall Horan – which was her first ever finger-picking song and she did an amazing job.  :)

April 04, 2017

I had so much fun seeing Lauren in her high school production of "All Shook Up" last weekend! Lauren played one of the lead roles, Lorraine, and she did an amazing job!  The whole show was absolutely fantastic.  A big congrats to Lauren on her first lead role in a high school show and to the entire cast and crew of this wonderful show!

March 20, 2017

Thanks to Valley Voices mom Jean for setting up a GoFundMe page to raise money for us to purchase wireless headset mics for our student a cappella group, the Valley Voices!  These mics will help us elevate our performances to the next level.  By making sure each girl has her own mic, we will be able to run sound very smoothly, and as these mics will be wireless and hands-free, we can have a lot more detailed choreography.  The Valley Voices are such an awesome group and have a very bright future ahead.  Please consider donating.  Anything helps! :)  Click here to go to the GoFundMe page.

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UPDATE 3/29: Our GoFundMe has been officially funded, and actually exceeded our original goal!  Thank you so much to everyone who donated to and shared our campaign.  Because of your support, we were able to exceed our goal in only NINE days!  It really means a lot to me that you guys believe in my students and this group so much, and we are all very grateful and appreciate of your donations.  Having these mics will make a world of difference for us, thank you!

March 19, 2017

This weekend, I went to see three different school musicals my students were a part of, and they were all amazing!  On Friday, I saw Emma's first middle school show, "The Wizard of Oz," in which she played the Munchkin Coroner and did a fantastic job!  On Saturday afternoon, I saw a high school production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" that many of my present and former students were a part of – Julia performed in the ensemble, Gabby performed in the pit band, and I even ran into Skylar, my very first student I ever taught back when I was in high school, who was also in the pit band.  Finally, I finished off the weekend Saturday night by seeing Izzy's first high school musical, "Sweeney Todd," which is one of my favorite musicals.  All of my students did a wonderful job, and all these school plays were absolutely amazing!!  Congrats to the cast/crew of each of these shows on a job well done.

March 19, 2017

Congratulations to all of my students who have been cast in their school plays, choirs, and more!  (Updated February 25, 2017)

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Lauren - playing Lorraine in her high school's production of "All Shook Up"

Emma - playing the Munchkin Coroner in her middle school's production of "The Wizard of Oz"

Julia - performing in the ensemble of her high school's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Izzy - performing in the ensemble of her high school's production of "Sweeney Todd"

Kristen - performing in the ensemble of her middle school's production of "The Wizard of Oz"

Ella - accepted into the New Jersey Junior Regions Choir; playing Donkey in her middle school's upcoming production of "Shrek"

Grace - playing Horton the Elephant in her middle school's production of "Seussical"

Catherine - playing Mayzie LaBird in her middle school's production of "Seussical"

January 29, 2017

Lauren and Kristen did a fantastic job in their performance at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation today!  Their set included many Broadway songs, as well as classics and modern pop music and the patients really enjoyed it.  I am always so happy when my students perform at Kessler and share their love of music with the patients in the hospital.  Awesome job!

January 15, 2017

After a two month hiatus for the holidays, it is so great to be back in rehearsals with our student a cappella group, the Valley Voices!  We had a fantastic first rehearsal and already made so much progress on some of our new songs, one of which was arranged by one of the girls!  I can't wait to see what the new year holds for the Valley Voices.  If this rehearsal was any indication, it's going to be a great year!

December 24, 2016

The Figgy Puddings closed out a wonderful year of student performances with a set at Jingle Bell Jam: Coffee, Concert, and Christmas, which benefited St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital at Dragonfly Music & Coffee Cafe.  The event raised $400!  I am so happy that my students were able to be a part of this great event for such a good cause.  They did a wonderful job!  The Figgy Puddings put so much work into their performances this year and I could not be more proud of them!

December 04, 2016

Yesterday the student Christmas caroling group, the Figgy Puddings, had their first performance of the year at Christmas in Califon!  The two-part event featured a historic house tour and the town Christmas tree lighting.  I am so proud of my awesome students not only for sounding amazing, but for powering through four hours of being outside in the cold yesterday and doing a wonderful job!  We started the day by performing at stops along the house tour, then headed to Main Street to carol in the shops, and closed the night by kicking off the tree lighting celebrations at the train station and even getting our picture with Santa!  Thanks so much to the organizers of Christmas in Califon for having us perform!

November 07, 2016

I am so glad I had the opportunity to see three of my students in their high school fall drama club performances!  First, I saw Lauren in her first high school show, a cabaret-style "Broadway Night" in which she had a duet.  Then I saw Julia in her high school's fall play, "Irena's Vow," in which she was one of the featured singers.  Finally, I saw Izzy in her first high school show, the fall play, "Peter and the Starcatcher," where she played the leading role of Molly.  All three shows were amazing and my students did such a wonderful job!  I am so happy to see them pursuing theater at school, and I know they have many fantastic high school productions ahead of them!

October 24, 2016

Yesterday was our 4th Annual Fall Concert, and I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of my amazing students who performed! I know I say it every year, but this year it has never been more true - this was definitely the absolute best Fall Concert yet. Not only was it the largest (28 students!) but they did a phenomenal job. For students who have done this before, it is always great to see how much they have grown throughout the year, and for new students, it is so much fun to see them perform for the first time. This concert had many "firsts" including our first bass performance, first solo a cappella song, as well as my youngest ever and oldest ever students. So much work went into this year's production from myself, our volunteers, and of course my students - and I am sad that it is over and we have to wait a year until the next one - but I could not be happier with how yesterday went and I already can't wait until next year's Fall Concert!!! Awesome job to my students, and thank you so much to everyone who attended the show and supported what I know is the next generation of great musicians!

October 10, 2016

Yesterday's performance at the Califon Street Fair was amazing!  I am so proud of my a cappella group, the Valley Voices, for putting on a wonderful performance, especially after our fall season threw us so many curveballs in preparation for the show.  They did a fantastic job!  I'm also really proud of my students who performed their own sets during the open mic portion of the show, Ella & Josh, Grace, and Izzy.  You guys all rock!  I'm so excited for our upcoming Fall Concert so I can hear you all play onstage again! 

September 16, 2016

It's audition season again!  Congrats to Julia on being cast in her high school's production of "Irena's Vow" and Lauren on being cast in her high school's production of "Hello Dolly"!  Congrats to Izzy on being only one of two freshman accepted to her high school's a cappella group, the Trebel Makers!  And a big congrats to Lauren and Kristen who were both selected to be in the Mayo Performing Arts Center's traveling show choir! Their first performance with the group will be next weekend, opening up for Broadway legend Kristin Chenoweth!

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Update 10/10: Also congrats to Emma on being accepted to her middle school's select choir, Sara on being accepted to Pops Choir, Madrigals, and Carnegie Select Choir, Lauren on being accepted to the Carnegie Select Choir, Izzy being cast as Molly in her school's upcoming production of "Peter & the Starcatcher," and Paige on being cast as Tiger Lily in her school's upcoming production of "Peter Pan"!

August 07, 2016

It was great having my student Izzy join me at the Sun Tavern this past Friday! Izzy played a set during my break that included an original song as well as some really creative covers. It's always so fun to get to see my students perform!​

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July 21, 2016

The first ever Summer Student Showcase was a huge success!  Yesterday, many of my incredibly talented students took the stage on opening night of the Morris County 4H Fair to perform, and they did a wonderful job.  The show featured sets by Emma S., Lauren and Kristen O., Grace M., Ella M. and Josh K., Julia P., and Izzy T., as well as the debut performance of my student a cappella group, the Valley Voices.  All of my students sounded fantastic!  I could not have asked for a better show.  Congrats to everyone who played on an awesome performance!  I look forward to the next student performance, and definitely will make the Summer Student Showcase an annual tradition!  Thank you to Linda Kabis and everyone at the 4H Fair for making this event possible!

July 09, 2016

Lauren and Kristen joined me during my show at the Sun Tavern on Friday, and sounded amazing!  It was their second performance of the night, having just wrapped up a performance at the Folk Project's open mic before heading to the Sun Tavern.  They performed a twenty minute set on my break including songs like "Old Man," "Bright," "A Thousand Years," "Black Horse & the Cherry Tree," and a mashup from "Glee," and were even asked for an encore performance!  

July 30, 2016

Awesome job to Julia and Gabby in their high school's production of "Carrie: The Musical" last night! Julia played Miss Gardener, and Gabby played Frieda. It was amazing hearing them both sing and see how great their acting skills really are! It was also really interesting seeing how one of my favorite scary movies, "Carrie," translates into being a musical - and I can say, it was really cool! As part of their drama club's professional development program, this musical was put together in only one month, and it was so good. Congrats to my students and to the whole cast for a wonderful show!

June 19, 2016

Last night, my student Lauren hosted the Young Performer's Coffeehouse at Sacred Bean, and it was such a wonderful show! I'm so proud of her for organizing this event and emceeing the performance, as well as for her own awesome performance! Lauren's first performance with me was at an open mic I used to run, and it is so cool to see her now running her own open mic for the first time. I'm also really proud of all of my students who performed at this show - Kristen, Grace, Emma, and Jamie all did a fantastic job with their performances! They sounded amazing and I had so much fun watching them perform! I am so lucky to have the coolest students ever! :)Thanks to Lauren and her family for organizing this great event and for inviting myself and my students to be a part of it. I'm sure this will be the first of many!

June 03, 2016

Ella and Shannon were so great in their middle school's production of "Willy Wonka" tonight! Ella played Phinneas Trout and Shannon played Grandma Georgina, and they did fantastic :) The play was great and had so many good laughs. Awesome job to my students, and congrats to the entire cast on an excellent performance! 

May 20, 2016

Awesome job to my students who were in their middle school's production of "Willy Wonka" last night! Grace played Willy Wonka, Catherine played Phinneas Trout/Mrs. TV, and Eliza played Mike TV, and they did such a wonderful job! I love the way the entire school gets involved in the spring show, and it's always so much fun to see what they do. The show was great and my students rocked!

May 14, 2016

Last night I went to see my students Lauren and Kristen in their middle school's production of "Legally Blonde," and it was phenomenal! Lauren played Kate and Kristen performed in the ensemble. It's always so much fun to see my students perform, and they truly did an excellent job and really captured the energy of "Legally Blonde." Awesome job to Lauren, Kristen, and the entire cast!

April 30, 2016

Izzy opened up the Chelsea Carlson & Friends show at Dragonfly Music & Coffee Cafe last night with a full set of covers and original music!   She sounded amazing, and I am so happy that she was part of this great night of music.  Izzy is a fantastic songwriter and musician and I know this is just the first of many great performances for her!  You can watch her full set on Youtube by clicking here.

February 19, 2016

I'm so proud of all of my students who have been cast in their school plays this year!  Gabby will be playing Camila in "In the Heights," Lauren will be playing Kate in "Legally Blonde Jr.," Izzy will be playing the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods," Wyatt will be appearing in the ensemble of "The Little Mermaid," and Kristen will be appearing in the ensemble of "Legally Blonde Jr."  Many of my students have also been cast in "Willy Wonka" in various schools - Ella and Catherine will portray Phinneas Trout, Shannon will be Grandma Georgina, Emma will be Mrs. TV, Eliza will be Mike TV, and Grace will be Willy Wonka himself!  Congrats everyone!

February 19, 2016

I'm so proud of my students Kristen, Lauren, and Sara for their outstanding performances last night in the 2nd Annual MO's Got Talent!  This township-wide talent show featured amazing singers, dancers, and actors of all ages from elementary school to adults from the community.  Kristen sang "On My Own" from Les Mis, Lauren sang "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, and Sara sang "Black Horse & the Cherry Tree" by KT Tunstall, and they all sounded amazing!  I too performed in the show and am so happy to have shared the stage with my incredibly talented students.