ABOUT OUR VOICE & PIANO SCHOOL
Cantabile School of Voice and Piano was established to provide talented amateurs and aspiring professional students with an exceptional musical education. Our mission is to provide all students with a warm, supportive learning environment. We strive to build a strong sense of community where everyone is welcomed and accepted.
As music programs in our schools are downsized, and often cut altogether, the level of musical literacy in our communities has plummeted. Additionally, young professional musicians frequently suffer from a lack of trustworthy resources needed to hone their craft. At our voice and piano school, we strive to fill these gaps. We offer comprehensive vocal, piano and technical training with talented, real-world professionals to students of all ages, backgrounds, proficiency levels and socioeconomic status.
Director Erica Schuller has been a successful performer and passionate educator for fifteen years. She holds degrees in vocal performance and music education from The Eastman School of Music (B.M.) and San Francisco Conservatory (M.M.), and has performed extensively throughout the continental United States. Bringing to bear all of her experience, she has directed her attention to opening Cantabile School out of a profound desire to meet the needs she sees in her students, and to address the lack of resources for the young professional musician.
VOICE & PIANO SCHOOL STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I highly recommend Erica as your next voice teacher! She has an extensive knowledge in the field of singing, and applies it effectively. She is incredibly smart and caters her expertise to your needs. Erica also creates an environment that allows you to feel comfortable exploring your voice no matter your experience level. When I first started, I was SO uncomfortable hearing myself (and the obvious mistakes I was making). I never felt judged or pressured in our lessons. She has actually given me the confidence to share my singing with others…something I never thought I’d say again! Virtual learning can definitely come with some challenges, but because Erica is a skilled teacher there hasn’t been a misstep in our training. She quickly evolved her teaching style to accommodate the change! ”
“I’ve been studying voice with Erica since 2014. She’s a fabulous teacher!!! She explains the mechanics of singing rather than just saying, “support with your diaphragm” or “place the sound here,” like other teachers I’ve had. My singing has improved so much, which is important in my work as a music therapist. This past year with the pandemic, I’ve been able to continue online lessons which has been wonderful! Thank you Erica!!!”
“Our 9-year-old son has been taking piano lessons with Lizzi since early 2022 and we could not have dreamed of a better first piano teacher. Lizzi is patient, kind, and makes learning piano fun. She uses songs he knows (video game songs! pop songs! classical tunes!) to reinforce the theory he learns in the piano book, and gives him space during lessons to explore his own songs–he’s learning to write his own music! Lizzi is a gift to the Chicago music education scene, and we highly recommend her!”
“Matthew (Recio) has quite literally changed my singing life. I’ve had half a dozen teachers over the years, and Matthew has done more for my voice in the four years I’ve known him than the rest of them combined. His best quality is how creative he is in his approach. If at first I don’t grasp grasp a concept, he will find another and still another way to help me understand. He meets me where I am in my development, he’s honest but kind with his feedback, and he sees more potential in me than I sometimes see in myself. I am so grateful to have him in my corner.”
