Finding My Voice with Joann
I’ve been taking singing lessons with Joann for about 8 months, after moving from the East Coast where I had 6 months of prior vocal training. As a beginner, I was worried about how long it would take to move from just trying not to hurt my voice (using falsetto or straining my cords) to actually sounding good and creating art as a singer.Coming from a South Chinese background, my speaking habits lean more toward head mix rather than chest voice, which made me wonder if that would hold me back. But Joann completely changed that perspective. She helped me not only build a healthy foundation in chest voice but also understand how to transition smoothly into mix and head voice. With her guidance, I’ve learned how to achieve vocal closure, find placement, navigate my passaggio, and use subtle changes in facial expression, tongue, jaw, and core strength to shape my sound.Every month, I notice real progress. Joann doesn’t just teach technique—she teaches how to design a song thoughtfully, using the right tools for each section to create dynamics and artistry. My personal goal is to be able to perform confidently in public within 3 years, and for the first time, I feel that’s truly achievable thanks to her.On a personal note, vocal training with Joann has been more than just music lessons. My work environment has often been stressful, and her supportive teaching and positive feedback have been a huge source of motivation and joy in my life. Singing, like any physical training, gives you direct positive results when you put in the effort—and Joann makes that journey exciting and fulfilling.I would wholeheartedly recommend Joann to anyone interested in singing—whether your dream is to perform professionally, shine at karaoke, or simply feel more confident in your own voice. She’s an incredible teacher and truly brings out the best in her students.
Amanda Ni
Highly Recommend!
I started working with Joann earlier this year at the end of March. I have led worship for many years, and have never received formal vocal training. Before I started private vocal coaching, I was convinced there are certain songs I could never lead, due to not being able to reach certain high notes. Joann helped me identify where my chest, head, and mixed voices are, and taught me several helpful warmups and exercises to help me strengthen my mixed and head voice. She is also familiar with worship leading and worship songs, which is something I was looking for in a coach. Joann is very professional, but also makes the coaching fun! I have improved in my confidence and I believe I have improved my singing techniques, although there is still lots of room for me to grow. I would recommend Joann to anyone who wishes to grow in their vocal journey, especially those who are in worship!
Connie Lee
Vocal Coach
Coming to the bay area. I really really wanted to make my music better. The biggest thing I needed was to get a vocal coach who could help me not only find my own sound, but help with technique so I could finally sing the correct way. I wanted to be able to confidently sing without being autotuned. Joann was able to help me accomplish both of these things and much more. She is a great teacher with a mastery on the techniques of singing. In addition, she is also a musician herself. Because of this, she has helped me a lot in how I could apply these techniques to my own songs. When I first joined, I was singing from my throat with a lot of tension. After just a year, my singing has gotten so good and relaxing, I can sing for so much longer with tension, and I even feel comfortable singing in front of crowds when its just me and someone else playing a guitar. This didn't even seem possible before I started. She is very encouraging and will really help you not only sing better, but increase your confidence in it as well. I am still taking lessons because I feel like there's another ceiling I can hit when it comes to my vocals. And with Joann, I am confident I can reach that goal.
Rohith Reddi
From never singing before and super shy to still shy but loving how singing makes me feel.
I didn't sing before Joann. Always thought it was reserved for those with natural talent, but I wanted to put myself out there last year.I'm glad I did because now singing has become a comfort and joy for me. Singing provides me a way to relax, have fun, or express any emotion. And because of Joann, I've been invited to a wholesome lot of singers (her other students) that ocassionally get food or sing together. I didn't realize how encouraging a singing community could be and I wish I knew I earlier that I wouldn't be judged for singing terribly or not knowing what to do.For the classes themselves, I've learned so many things about my voice and so many drills, techniques, and skills. I think Joann will follow your pace and if you're willing to put in a lot of time, she can help you get anywhere.I'm still just getting started and even though I made a lot of progress, I can appreciate so much more now how much skill and talent it takes to write and sing a song.
Jeane Carlos
I feel my singing has improved so much…
I feel my singing has improved so much with Joann! For most of my life I've been musical, playing piano, drums and violin but singing never really made sense to me. I doubted I could improve and tried on my own for a while just by doing exercises. But I wasn't sure whether I was getting any better. I heard about Joann through a friend and signed up for lessons because I really wanted to enjoy my own voice and be able to sing for worship/praise!Joann has given me a step by step process to improve singing through exercises and focussing on the right things. In the 3 months I've taken lessons, people around me have been really surprised that I've improved this much and I feel a lot less strain when singing. It feels more comfortable and my voice is stronger. I think this is because Joann is able to diagnose problems really well and discover what is holding me back.I'm really happy with the progress I've made and think the cost is more than worth it! I highly recommend Joann's teaching because she has a wealth of experience in understanding what your obstacles are and giving quality feedback!
Harry Zhang
As a brand new singer, I got confidence and practical tips
I wanted to improve my ability to sing in order to be able to pour out emotion in worship through my voice. I had no prior, formal training. In fact, I did not even have the vocabulary to describe what "better singing" meant. I just knew that some people sound great when they sing!I took the jump and worked with Joann on singing worship songs. The group classes with Joann were a great environment to learn how to sing. It felt safe and fun. Joann puts effort into developing technique and building up your confidence. The classes gave me vocabulary to begin to describe different aspects of singing and I learned practical exercises to help me improve. I was able to improve my singing and get honest and encouraging feedback in a community that helped motivate me to sing more. Also, I did my first singing performance in front of a crowd. The coaching aspect was crucial because each student gets individual feedback to help them improve. I would highly recommend Joann as a vocal coach.
Christopher B.
Vocal Lessons with Joann
I've been taking vocal lessons with Joann for the past two months, and I'm so grateful I decided to invest in something I love. Singing has been a passion of mine since middle school, but I've never had formal training. As a mom of two toddlers and an elementary teacher, finding time for myself can be a challenge. Taking singing lessons with Joann has been a wonderful form of self-care that brings me joy during this busy season. She has taught me various techniques to use my voice correctly, and I now have a much better understanding of sound placement and control. Joann is clearly passionate about helping her students achieve their vocal goals. My aim has been to improve my resonance with higher notes, and I can see progress each week. She provides clear guidance on exercises to strengthen my voice, making each lesson productive and enjoyable!
Christina Paick
Detailed, Thorough, and Kind Teacher
I initially desired professional vocal coaching because I felt that while my voice sounded decent, there was an invisible wall separating me from legitimately good singers. I signed up for Joann’s Monthly Master Class because I wanted to get a taste of her teaching style and methods before moving on to private coaching. Through these classes, I got exposed to a variety of valuable singing skills. In each class, Joann would go over the importance of mastering a singing skill, the specific vocal changes required to improve said skill, and the drills that I could use at home to practice said skill. Through the months, I could slowly feel myself beginning to understand the skills that I would need to master in order to become a really good singer. While I am still far from reaching this goal, Joann’s Monthly Master Classes have been invaluable in getting me closer to being the singer I want to be. One thing I especially liked was how detailed each and every Master Class would be. Joann goes above and beyond in making sure that she covers a topic as thoroughly as possible during the one hour class. After taking her Monthly Master Class for a few months, I decided to move on to the Private Coaching Combo to receive more personalized feedback. These classes have helped me strengthen my foundational skills a lot more. Overall, I would greatly recommend Joann as a vocal coach. If you are still on the fence, I would recommend attending a Monthly Master Class. Go to this class, practice the drills she gives, and see if it improves your singing. If you find the teaching style to mesh well with you, then you can continue taking more classes!
Abhinav Ganguly
A beginner to singing...
I am a working parent who is a complete beginner to singing. I chose to work with Joann because 1) she was the by far the best at explaining HOW to do the vocal exercises along with WHY we were doing them, and 2) the flexibility in scheduling. I have been working with her since April 2024 under the Private Coaching Combo. Before working with Joann, I tried several vocal trials with other teachers/schools. One of the trials jumped straight into vocal exercises, whereas Joann's trial started me off with breathing and finding/using the diaphragm. Honestly, without Joann's trial first - I might not have had the strength/stamina to make it through the other trial since I was by default singing with my throat! Also, Joann always leaves time for questions, and really listens and asks follow up questions if I'm having trouble describing my issues. Many music schools also wanted a weekly in-person commitment. While this works well for kids on school schedules, it is actually very difficult for my work schedule. Joann's Private Coaching Combo gives me more flexibility: I schedule an in-person lesson every 2 weeks, and in between those weeks I send her videos of myself singing for feedback. Before I record the videos - I'll spend a few minutes deciding 1) what I need help on and 2) what questions I have. Knowing I have to record videos really help me focus during practice, and stay motivated to practice regularly ("as best as I can").
Tiffany Hsu
Kind, encouraging, knowledgeable!
Joann is a very kind, encouraging, and knowledgeable voice teacher. I started by watching the video replays of her monthly masterclasses on special topics (Mixed Voice, Belting, Riffs & Runs, etc.) and then decided to try them out in person after I saw their high quality. I was instantly wowed by how she gave very targeted exercises so that students could isolate the different elements of singing and practice them one at a time! For example, she has certain exercises for developing better breath control, other exercises for chest-dominant mixing, and more. This compelled me to take her Private Combo (1 private lesson and 1 Marco Polo asynchronous video review) in addition to the masterclasses. I have had only a few private lessons so far, but she has already taught me so many ways to practice effectively and develop a better voice in the long run. For example, even though I am far from mastering mixed voice, I feel like I finally understand how mixed voice works thanks to her explanations. Would definitely recommend!
Mikaela Guerrero
Fun and effective singing lessons
As a complete amateur who was insecure about my singing voice but just wanted to sound a bit better at karaoke, I finally decided to take formal lessons with Joann. After a few months, I've never felt more confident singing in front of others, and have friends telling me they can really hear the difference.At first I wasn't sure if voice lessons would actually be useful in improving my sound. Joann helped me start from the basics, such as breathing techniques and then moving on to concepts like vocal closure that aren't obvious, but once you're aware can produce noticeable results. Her class structure comprises of both warmup and technique exercises plus practice with a song or two of choice.While I still have a ways to go, I'm always impressed with Joann's ability to tailor her instruction to my needs and provide meaningful, actionable feedback. With her, I've even had the chance to join a recital, and have had much more fun singing and performing than ever before.
David Ouyang
For those new to this singing thing…
We've been meeting with Joann for weekly in-person singing classes for over 4 months now, but we took a month off for travel. To keep the momentum going, we continued practicing our singing using Joann's set of online courses. The online courses provided us a great reference to both hear and visualize how each of the different techniques (e.g., lip trills, mixed voice, sirens, etc...) should feel like when properly executed. We're new to singing and music, so we don't yet have our ears fully calibrated to self-realize when our practicing has gone astray and how to fix it. There've been plenty of times when we've had to continually put portions of the online course on repeat while practicing along just to see/hear the differences and make the appropriate corrections to improve the quality of our practice and increase our own self-awareness of how we actually sound when singing.
Larry Chang
Great learning experiences and highly recommend!
I've been participating in the weekly group singing classes and am delighted to have Joann as my coach! I initially joined with no singing background and wanted to learn to express myself through singing. Joann has been an incredible resource and expertly guided me through various techniques, including vocal warm-ups and different ways to enhance singing capabilities. More importantly, Joann cares about her students and is willing to offer me a listening ear and additional solutions and resources to conquer my other life problems . Thanks to her, I've enjoyed a welcoming environment where I can learn, practice, and embrace my mistakes—turning them into learning opportunities. I have thoroughly enjoyed each session and strongly recommend Joann to anyone looking to improve their singing at any level.
Qimei Liu
Great singing coach
Joann helped my teen daughter improve her singing, gain confidence, learn sight reading and prepare for her high school's choir audition. My daughter enjoys every lesson with Joann!
customer from San Jose, CA
Singing lessons
Several years ago Joann taught my daughters hiphop dance and voice. After seeing several of Joann's online posts, I decided to take some lessons as well. I have been on my church worship team for years but still struggle with doing solos. I worked on my lower register as I am more comfortable singing higher. Now I am more well rounded in my singing. We also worked on my confidence and projection and breathing especially for a Christmas event which helped quite a bit. Joann is encouraging and knowledgable and a wonderful teacher.
Linda Kim
Joann, thank you for helping me realize the power of my voie!
Joann is an amazing teacher who has completely transformed the way I think about my voice! In just a month of working together, I have almost doubled my vocal range, gained confidence and clarity in my singing tone, and learned how to work with my body not against it, to sing to my fullest capabilities. Singing was something I never thought I could do; Joann has helped me to break through my confidence block and enjoy singing. As a guitarist and pianist, I did not know whether I needed lessons to help with my voice before starting, I thought I could do it all myself. But Joann’s expertise and guidance has shown me aspects of my voice I would never have discovered alone! If you want to deepen your connection to your voice, Joann is the teacher for you! Thank you Joann!
Stephen S
Loved working with Joann!
Over eight months, I worked with Joann to improve the upper register of my voice, an experience that developed both my vocal technique and singing confidence. Joann's kindness during my apprehensive first lesson set the tone for subsequent sessions, where she consistently showed encouragement and support. Notably, Joann's approach was both personal and professional. When specific exercises proved less effective, she promptly introduced alternative methods, always tailoring her approach to my needs. As a result, I improved my upper range quickly and learned about different vocal placements, resonance, belting, vibrato, and variations in tone.Moreover, Joann's lessons and recitals provided valuable opportunities to practice performing in front of an audience, helping me develop more confidence. Since my nerves impacted my performance, she taught me many breathing exercises and shared different mental strategies to manage anxiety. For those contemplating voice lessons, I recommend reaching out to Joann. Her responsiveness allowed me to book an initial lesson right away and from there, I could experience her effective teaching style. Joann's professionalism and expertise make her an invaluable asset for anyone seeking a transformative journey in vocal development.
Erica Kawamura Erica Oseña
Supportive & encouraging teacher
Joann is a great, supportive and encouraging teacher! She guided me through some warm-up exercises to improve my performance and literally in 10 minutes she unlocked my voice. Absolutely recommend for everyone that wants to learn to sing or improve their techniques. Thank you Joann!
Priscila Cerda
