Voice

Micheal Jackson

Voice, Piano

Works with

All ages & stages

Male & Female Voices

Shines with

Middle & High School Students

What is your musical background?

My interest in music began in the church, listening to my grandmother sing. When my cousins and I turned about five, we were inducted into the choir as well. I got into choir in high school, then I was in a men's acapella group with the entire starting line of our varsity football team. My junior year, I met a teacher who said you should sing classical music, have you ever heard of an aria? I was like, I don't know what that is. And so she taught me by rote, I mimicked her, and learned my very first aria, which was from Carmen. And I was so impressed that I sang in French that I tried out for the state solo and ensemble competition, and I ended up winning the state solo. I went back the next year, and won first place again. It started to become very clear to me that this is what I should be doing.

I got my bachelor's at the University of Nevada in Reno, and then my Master's at the University of Arizona. I'm currently in my finishing up my PhD program, for vocal performance and in vocal jazz and piano.

How long have you been teaching? Why do you teach music?

I've been teaching since 2016. What I enjoy about teaching is that students come to me with their own individual goals. Some are predetermined by their parents, but for the most part, from what I can tell, these are the students own personal desires. I think it's important to help them achieve that. To show them, through what they want to learn, how to chip away at that. Voice lessons are not something that people are going to get the first time. I don't think any instrument is. But what we do know how to cultivate is individual study, and the desire to learn by themselves. So basically, teaching students how to teach themselves.

How would you describe your teaching style and methods?

My teaching style is, I did the reading so you don't have to. I like to present very difficult topics in a palpable way, the way student gets the point. They don’t know that they're learning very difficult things, because I didn't phrase it in that way. I found by doing that, students can take on a lot more, especially younger students. Students can take on a lot more, and you don't limit what you think that they can handle. So they can definitely expect to be challenged all the time, and talking about how what we're doing in our lessons applies to a specific song, and then have them teach me the method.

What are your students like? Who do you work best with?

I typically can work with both male and female voices, and work best with students in middle school and high school. I vibe the most with students who have a clear idea of what they want in lessons.

What do you want your students to take away from their time with you?

What music has taught me the most is you have to stay consistent, do the work today and rest tomorrow.

What is a favorite musical memory?

I was in a jazz chorus one time, and we were privileged enough to go to a school in China. And we were going to perform for them one of our songs in English. And when we got there, they were already assembled, and when we started singing, they had learned the song and sang with us. This Chinese chorus, we did not speak the same language. And we were able to sing the same song together and speak the same language of music. And that was really, really powerful.

What can students and parents expect during the first few lessons?

The first couple lessons, a parent can expect to the student to know what specifically it means to sing, in the definition of things, what we do as singers, in terms of how to breathe and how to use our voice. I also like to demonstrate to the student and to the parents that their student can actually do the thing that they want to do, what it is that they're setting out to do.

Nelly Hawley-Hayes

Piano, Voice

Works with

All ages & stages

Shines with

12 - Adult

Teens

What is your musical background?

I have a foundation in classical piano, having studied for 18 years, and I’m also trained in vocal jazz performance. I attended Berklee College of Music and am currently pursuing a degree in Jazz Studies and Vocal performance at the University of Arizona. Over the years, I’ve performed in a wide range of settings—bands, choirs, musical theater, and solo engagements. Recently, I sang with the University of Arizona Jazz Orchestra at the Century Room, and I’m currently performing in Dreams and Rumors, a Fleetwood Mac tribute show at the Gaslight.

How long have you been teaching? Why do you teach music?

I’ve taught private lessons in the past and have been with the Fretboard for the past year. Teaching is deeply rewarding for me because I get to watch people transform—both musically and personally—through the same art form that has shaped my own life. It also keeps my skills sharp and challenges me to grow alongside my students.

How would you describe your teaching style and methods?

My style is intuitive yet disciplined, and always tailored to the individual. Lessons are heart-centered, with a strong technical foundation. For piano, I take a primarily classical approach, though I can incorporate contemporary pop-rock styles as desired. For voice, my teaching is blended: every student gets a classical foundation, but we also explore jazz, pop, rock, R&B, and blues—styles that keep things fresh, fun, and expressive.

What are your students like? Who do you work best with?

Right now, my students range from ages 5 to 16, from complete beginners to advanced players. I work especially well with teens, as I enjoy helping them develop both technical skills and artistic confidence.

What do you want your students to take away from their time with you?

I want my students to leave lessons knowing they can achieve anything they set their mind to. Music is a microcosm of life—it teaches perseverance, builds confidence, and opens the door to self-expression.