About Jill Khaleghi (she/her)

Soprano/Belter, Gender-Affirming Vocal Coach, Music/Choir/Vocal Director

Masters of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Arizona State University, with a concentration in Vocal Pedagogy for contemporary (popular) singing styles

Neurodivergent Zebra with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Hypermobile type), MCAS, Fibromyalgia, FND, and more!

I’m accepting new students (ages 12+) to my online voice studio! I’ve worked with many different types of voices for over 20 years now, including all ages (4-90), all skill levels (from true  beginners to professionals), and in diverse settings (i.e. musical theater shows, operas, choirs, bands, kids & teens classes, etc). 

My teaching philosophy is based in a scientific, functional approach, along with a non-judgmental mindset and straight-forward, but always encouraging, instructions in order to achieve consistent vocal technique. I strive to provide a safe space for everyone I work with, where I hope they feel so comfortable with me that they’re willing to experiment with potentially strange, sometimes funny vocal sounds (I’ll make funny noises with you!), which I believe is absolutely necessary for discovery and growth.

My primary goal for every vocalist I work with is to help them understand their own voice so thoroughly, that they not only adopt balanced singing principles for life, but are also able to troubleshoot their own vocal issues (whenever I can’t be there in the future) in a protective way that won’t fatigue or possibly damage their voice.

I’ve found that the most effective approach to improving vocal health & technique long-term involves a multi-pronged effort in understanding fully how the voice functions, combining:

1)  Body-mapping, which is the functional study of our anatomy & physiology (as it applies to the vocal tract, for our purposes);

2)  Accurately associating which parts of the complex vocal tract you’re currently using, and matching those sensations with your unique physical vibrations experienced while singing (primarily in the face, head, & neck, and secondarily in the chest cavity when accessing your lower “chest” register);

3)  Awareness of how to best manage vocal health challenges that pop up, as well as creating a manageable daily voice routine & warm-up/ cool-down that works for you;

4)  And ultimately, gaining the crucial skill of being able to troubleshoot your own vocal problems in the moment (whenever I can’t be there to help), by properly identifying the “vocal fault” currently occurring and knowing how best to safely work through the issue, instead of making it worse (which happens quite often).

When you have a clearer picture of how to navigate the intricate muscles and tissues that make up your vocal tract, it suddenly becomes much easier matching your physical sensations with the specific type of vocal sounds, or stylisms (based on the musical genre), that you’re currently working towards. Personally, becoming an informed vocalist has given me the ability to use my body as a vocal instrument in lots of fun ways, as I slowly add 1 new tool at a time, to what I like to call my “singer’s toolkit.”

I love helping other singers develop what I like to call their “singer’s toolkit” by matching each vocal technique with its appropriate physical sensation, then pairing those sensations with a thorough understanding of body-mapping (anatomy & physiology for singers). This 3-point approach has proven to be most effective, as it makes it much easier to recreate those same sensations later on while practicing.

I’m a “crossover singer,” with the majority of my formal voice education primarily in classical & choral music since childhood, yet an equally long history of singing popular/ current music, including in musical theater shows. Since my mostly-classical Master’s recital in 2018, I’ve retrained my operatic-sounding voice to have a more contemporary tone quality, embodying and teaching advanced techniques such as “high belting” and even rock distortions (aka rough effects) via advanced coordinations throughout the 6 levels of the vocal tract, which doesn’t damage the voice.

I sing and teach most vocal stylisms, which are specific voice techniques, based on musical genres, including pop, rock, musical theatre, jazz, R&B, soul, folk, classical & choral. I truly believe that, just like any other instrument, everyone has the ability to develop their singing voice. As long as you’re willing to devote sufficient time and energy to develop your instrument, I promise to safely guide the development of your most resonant, easy-to-project voice. 

I enjoy guiding my students to find new ways of approaching complex vocal coordinations in a balanced manner, which is what keeps the voice protected and free of vocal fatigue long-term.

A truly resonant sound will always be more comfortable to produce, directly resulting in a reduction of your overall physical effort. Matching different physical sensations in your head and upper body (created via resonance) with your ability to body-map your vocal tract, 

Equally important is understanding how the current state of the body can both positively and negatively impact the voice, and how to remedy your specific vocal difficulties. I approach vocal technique in a functional, scientific manner that allows my students to gain results quickly! I’ll help you find your most resonant, easy-to-project voice with the least physical effort, by helping you find your truly resonant sound, which will always be easier to sing, and will therefore be more comfortable overall. 

There will always be vocal emergencies, such as a technical issue to sort out, and audition/concert/show prep, so I try to stay available for last-minute technical help, or advice on vocal health remedies. I strive to assist my students in achieving their vocal goals, such as get cast in lead/ paid roles for musical theatre shows, maintain their voice for reoccurring 3-hour gigs, prepare for college auditions and choir performances, or just to have fun safely “belting” out your favorite karaoke songs with friends and not experience any strain!

Also, if you’re hyper-mobile (naturally flexible or “double-jointed”) like myself, please be sure to check out my hypermobility page for more specific info. on ways you can alleviate your body pain, which releases excessive throat & body tension and allows your voice to soar! Typical vocal issues experienced by singers with hypermobility are: 1) poor breath support/management (due to weak/unstable pelvic floor muscles and postural alignment difficulties),  2) excessive tension problems (in the facial muscles, tongue, jaw, throat, shoulders, etc),  3) inconsistent pitch problems singing sustained notes (from breath issues & sometimes poor proprioception in the throat),  4) an overly-wide vibrato (larynx bobs up & down too far),  5) a brighter/sharper/louder tone quality than average (due to an unusually narrow/high hard palate that didn’t spread out during puberty years), and more. I slowly but successfully worked through each of these issues over time and have finally achieved a sound I really like, and so can you!

And yes, there’s even a safe way to “scream,” aka vocal distortions/ rough effects! This includes vocal fry (the back part of the true folds), the rattle (arytenoid cartilages), the growl (epiglottis + arytenoid cartilages), the grunt (most of the vocal tract is involved), as well as the infamous false folds “scream” (false folds) – all without hurting yourself! It’s crucial to keep in mind that because these distorted sounds require other parts of the vocal tract to oscillate (repeatedly open-close to create sound) other than the true vocal folds. With multiple oscillations occurring at once throughout the vocal tract, these distortions really do require an advanced level of coordination, which in turn requires the proper guidance and feedback from a well-trained vocal coach. Always practice in very short segments. Just a few minutes at a time until your voice feels tired or uncomfortable, then immediately stop and wait until tomorrow before practicing again.

Read More about my experience at LinkedIn.