Hannah Strong is a classically trained performer and educator from East Tennessee who has been teaching voice for 5 years and performing for 12+ years. From choral to broadway and gospel to jazz, she has a flexible voice and passion for the stage. While she loves to perform, she equally loves to teach! Seeing a student experience those "ah-ha!" moments and blossoming spurts of vocal growth is one of the best feelings. Hannah strives to build confidence and self-love in a field that forces performers to strive for perfection.

We don't strive for perfection here-- just for progress and positivity!

Hannah has been studying and performing music for over 20 years.  Her relationship with music started at age 6 with piano lessons, and in high school she began to hone her skills in solo and choral voice study-- this inspired her to seek higher education in fine arts. She went on to earn her bachelor's in Music from Maryville College in 2018 and will have obtained her master of education by the Spring of 2023. After graduating, Hannah continued on at MC as the choral assistant for their fine arts department. She is currently serving as the director for the Highlander Chorale, a community choir for grades 9-12 that explores different musical themes and works to provide a well-rounded choral experience for her students.

Along with her work at Maryville College, Hannah is an active member in her local performance community. She was a professional actor with the Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge, TN, from 2017-to 2020 and has had the honor of gracing the Clayton Center for the Arts stage since 2014; during the variety of choral works and musical theater productions, she has participated in with Maryville College.  Along with her stage performances, Hannah is a founding member of the professional choir, Renovam, in Knoxville, TN, serving as a worship coordinator for the Foothills UU Fellowship of Blount County. Through her experiences, she has gained knowledge on a variety of performance styles and skills and is grateful to be able to give back after all the opportunities she has been given through the years.

They say, "those who can't do, teach..."

I'm here to tell you that those who do SHOULD teach!

What better way to engage and educate students than using your own experiences to enlighten and grow a new generation of performers?

When teaching, my main goal is for students to connect their bodies with their natural voices. We do this by applying tone and styling choices through various breathing and vocal exercises, then we add small physical movements, like stretches and imagery, for kinesthetic learning. I have successfully connected "classical technique" foundations with creative and fun physical exercises. My hope in working these styles of teaching together is for students to understand, accept, and build confidence in their natural sounds. I want them to understand the "why and how" of their voice, but, more importantly, I want them to love what they are doing! I'm proud to have based the mission of this studio on this philosophy; a holistic approach to singing. 

Our first lesson together would be going over the basics, listening to the students sing, and then discussing what THEY want to get out of our time together. While I feel it is essential for my students to have fun and enjoy the learning process, I also think that both student and teacher get the most out of their time together when routine practice at home is utilized. I will always send my students home with a goal or assignment that should be reached or completed by the next lesson. Materials will be suggested based on the students' age, experience, and goals.