7 Best Singing Lessons In Chicago 2024

Chicago is a unique city in terms of how many different genres of music call it home on any given day. Given that it’s practically the most populated city located in the center of the US, it stands to reason that there are worthwhile singing lessons to be found. 

If you’re looking for singing lessons in Chicago, all of the following resources have been highly reputed among past students. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an advancing professional, there’s something for you.

Old Town School Of Folk Music

If you’re looking for the best instructors, it’s often best to ask locals who they would recommend. In Chicago, the Old Town School Of Folk Music is one resource that continually receives high praise and recommendation from students both past and present. 

Since 1957, Old Town School Of Folk Music has been serving its community by offering a wealth of classes over different instruments, including voice. Over that time, Old Town School Of Folk Music has become one of the most inclusive places that any aspiring musician of any age can attend and progress their skill level.

Because this is a school, you essentially get to pick the course(s) that you wish to attend. Each course runs a span of about 8 weeks, with a class given once during each of those weeks.

Many of these classes are group classes, which allows students to meet other aspiring musicians with similar goals. With that being said, Old Town School Of Folk Music does not offer your basic run-of-the-mill courses, but instead, specializes in different subjects, with courses including:

• Irish singing
• Harmony singing in Doo Wop/Early Rock/Swing/Pop/Rockabilly
• Cabaret
• Brazilian vocals
• Techniques
• Technique for singing and playing guitar
• A Cappella
• Choir

Each course comes with its own set price, all of which are reasonably affordable considering the amount of information being presented. Plus, Old Town School Of Folk Music regularly hosts recitals so that learning students can apply their knowledge to the stage and progress as performers.

Old Town School Of Folk Music also offers private lessons so that any aspiring singer can work on their chops outside of the classroom. Private lessons are offered in multiple time durations, including:

• 30 minutes
• 45 minutes
• 60 minutes

Overall, Old Town School Of Folk Music is perhaps the best place for anyone of any age to follow their muse. Not only can you become a great singer here, but the school also offers instrument rentals so that you can learn any instrument your heart may desire.

Lyriq Music School

Are you looking for singing lessons that are personalized and tailored to your own current skill level and goals? Lyriq Music School is one of Chicago’s premier studios, offering individual lessons for voice and a whole host of other instruments.

This school has a massive staff of instructors, with 3 different instructors offering voice lessons. These lessons are quite easy to schedule as the website has a calendar page allowing you to book lessons at your convenience.

From the first lesson, the instructor of your choice will gauge your progression as a singer. Much of the lessons will be spent working on the fundamental areas that need the most work, along with songs that the singer wishes to be able to sing.

Lyriq Music School seems focused on helping singers find and use their natural voice in a way that uses fundamental techniques while preserving its health. No matter where you are in your journey, Lyriq Music School is poised to help you take your skills to the next level.

What’s nice about lessons at Lyriq Music School is that all of the lesson materials will be provided to each student. This means you won’t have to scour the internet looking for an obscure book of vocal warmups in order to take the lessons.

Lyriq Music School offers singing lessons to singers of all ages, though they do recommend that children younger than 10 enroll in a different program. In fact, Lyriq Music School has a number of different programs tailored to younger singers, with the minimum age requirement for many of these being the age of 4. 

Lyriq Music School has an excellent building with private practice rooms along with a recital hall. Students will be able to learn with confidence and be able to translate their knowledge to the performance stage.

Plus, if you aren’t able to attend in-person lessons, Lyriq Music School has begun to offer private lessons over the Internet. These are offered for anyone aged 4+ and provide the same great education one would receive at the school’s location. 

30 Day Singer, An Online Alternative To Singing Lessons In Chicago

Let’s face it, not everybody has the time or the ability to be able to attend singing lessons in person. Many aspiring singers also live in a location where finding a voice instructor could be next to nearly impossible.

In instances like these, 30 Day Singer presents an opportunity for anyone to be able to learn how to be a better singer. While it isn’t the option of choice for those who desire in-person lessons, 30 Day Singer is fantastic for singers of all skill levels wanting to learn on their own time.

If you’ve ever taken online guitar lessons, you’ll be familiar with how 30 Day Singer is designed. The platform provides pre-recorded lessons shot in high definition, which convey bite-sized pieces of information that can be internalized at a rapid degree.

If you’re completely new to singing, 30 Day Singer has courses available that will teach you how to sing in a linear progression. These courses can be completed in 30 days, though some practice will be required on your part to ensure that you are retaining the information. 

Taking online lessons can be a scary thing, primarily because there tends not to be personalized guidance available. However, 30 Day Singer allows you to submit videos so that you can get feedback from an instructor.

One of the best things about 30 Day Singer is that it has lessons from multiple instructors. This means you can learn from a wide range of different backgrounds and become well-rounded in your approach.

30 Day Singer isn’t going to be for everyone, but it is a great choice for young aspiring singers and those who need some practice. It’s a great stepping stone to prepare for professional-grade personalized lessons. 

Chicago Voice Lab

Are you an artist looking for coaching to help level up your singing skills? You’ll want to check out the Chicago Voice Lab to see if it’s a good fit for you. 

Chicago Voice Lab is the teaching studio of instructor, Val Kuznetsov, who has been providing singing lessons for over 15 years. While most of his offerings seem rooted more toward coaching, Chicago Voice Lab also provides lessons to those who are just getting started on their singing journey.

As far as teaching background goes, Chicago Voice Lab takes a fundamental approach aligned with the classical singing tradition. However, this certainly does not mean that taking lessons here will pigeonhole you into only singing classical repertoire.

Chicago Voice Lab is unique in the sense that its approach to instruction has evolved to suit modernized styles of music. This means that no matter what style of music you create, the singing techniques you learn will apply and keep your voice in tip-top shape.

In fact, Chicago Voice Lab’s past clients all come from diverse musical backgrounds, many of which have become mainstream charting artists. This includes artists such as:

• Krewella
• Carter Thomas
• BLACK SERBS
• Shi La Rosa
• Tania Fabuley
• Destinee Rose

Chicago Voice Lab is also suited to help you become a complete artist outside of singing. Kuznetsov has a detailed background in sound production, with experience using DAW programs, as well as orchestral arrangement.

Furthermore, it seems that Chicago Voice Lab not only provides in-person lessons, but online lessons as well. Given that Kuznetsov has given students lessons all around the world, reaching out to schedule a lesson is perhaps the best way to figure out calendar availability as well as lesson location.

No matter how you cut it, the success of Chicago Voice Lab’s past clients should prove to be enough evidence for any artist who is interested in investing in their own future. Being able to develop an entire toolkit to become a completely self-sufficient artist from the same resource that you learn how to sing is incredibly convenient and worthwhile. 

School Of Rock Chicago

If you’ve seen your fair share of movies over the last 20 years, you’ve probably seen the Jack Black flick called, School Of Rock. The film follows the efforts of a music teacher who essentially transforms a music program by fostering the musical inspiration of creative children.

Well, believe it or not, the School Of Rock actually exists. In fact, the School Of Rock Chicago is one of the best places to get singing lessons in the entire city.

While most of the students in the movie were school-age children, don’t let that fool you into thinking that School Of Rock Chicago is only for kids. In addition to offering a number of programs for younger individuals, the School Of Rock Chicago does have an adult program for any adult wishing to improve their singing. 

Each week, students at School Of Rock Chicago will receive a private lesson with an instructor. Plus, there is also a group lesson taken each week alongside the private lesson, allowing students to meet other like-minded individuals and work on things that can’t be done as an individual. 

Sure, School Of Rock Chicago probably isn’t going to be your foremost choice if you have an inclination toward opera. However, you can be sure that what you do learn is best suited to surviving and navigating the landscape of today’s music industry. 

One of the benefits of the School Of Rock Chicago is the fact that it employs a massive staff of instructors. Currently, there are 8 different singing instructors offering their services through the School Of Rock Chicago.

School Of Rock Chicago also offers online lessons for those who are unable to meet in person. And, as you can imagine, School Of Rock Chicago is a perfect choice if you also want to learn other modern-day musical instruments alongside singing.

Elaine Dame

Are you a singer that has a serious inclination toward singing professionally in jazz styles? There may not be a better singing teacher in Chicago for this purpose than Elaine Dame. 

You’ve probably heard the old saying that it’s never worth listening to advice from somebody unless they have accomplished the things you desire to do. The fact that Elaine Dame offers singing lessons provides this opportunity for anyone needing some guidance.

For over 25 years, Elaine Dame has had a very busy and successful career singing in many different jazz ensembles. Because of her professional experience, she makes for one of the best instructors to learn from if somebody wants to embark on a similar path.

Elaine will not only teach you how to sing correctly, but she’ll also show you the ropes with things that professional singers are expected to know how to do. This includes things like:

• Compiling a book of repertoire for gigs
• Music theory
• How to communicate with other members of an ensemble
• Transposition
• Stylizing songs
• How to get gigs
• How to sing as a guest in an ensemble you’ve never performed with

No matter what your goals might be, Elaine seems to be well-equipped to help you accomplish them. Her lessons are open to beginners as well as advancing professionals. 

Elaine Dame comes highly recommended by students she has had in the past. Plus, the fact that she continues to stay busy as a professional shows that her knowledge is practical and continually expanding. 

Davin Youngs Voice

If you’re a singer of modern styles and feel like your voice needs some coaching, it’s worth your time to explore Davin Youngs Voice. While not the best choice for complete beginners, Davin Youngs Voice has been proven to help those who are well on their way to professional avenues, as well as those with professional success.

Davin Youngs has an extensive history as a singer in both classical and modern styles, graduating in vocal performance at the Oberlin Conservatory. From there, he eventually became certified in the LoVetri Method, which helps with vocal awareness among many other techniques.

Any singer knows that the face can be wrought with tension, but Davin is knowledgeable in relieving this. In addition to this, Davin Youngs takes a serious approach to vocal health and regularly works with a laryngologist for consultations. 

Some of Davin Youngs Voice’s past clients include:

• Tim McIlrath (Rise Against)
• Michele Thomas
• Beth Kuhn

Taking lessons from Davin Youngs Voice can be fairly pricey, with the introductory lesson being more than what is feasible for any beginner. However, any serious singer will find this to be reasonable, with bundle packages being offered as well as monthly retainer services if needed.

It’s clear that Davin Youngs Voice provides world-class instruction, but you don’t need to live in Chicago proper to receive singing lessons. As long as you have a computer and an internet connection, you’ll be able to take lessons over Zoom, which is Davin Youngs Voice’s primary way of providing instruction. 

Overall, Davin Youngs Voice seems to take a holistic, whole-body approach to advancing as a singer. While Davin won’t be your therapist or life coach, he recognizes that one’s own personal life is detrimental to the progress one makes as a singer. 

His own story follows a similar path, and you can be sure that he’ll be able to provide you with the insights needed to steer you in the right direction. 

Top Singing Lessons In Chicago, Final Thoughts

As far as resources go, Chicago seems to be one of the most diverse in terms of the different backgrounds in the singing education it provides. This means that any learning singer could either become extremely well-rounded or specialize in certain styles of their choosing. 

Plus, with the rise of internet lessons, you don’t necessarily have to leave the house in order to receive world-class instruction. Heck, you don’t even have to live near Chicago to take singing lessons from many of the city’s instructors.