Best Vocal Instructor Glendale Near Me

4worldlovers: They say that music is the language of the soul, and nothing could be truer for inspiring musician, Patti Graetz. She has earned her reputation as a talented conductor and skillful performer. From the operatic stage to the conductor's podium to the teaching studio, Patti Graetz continues to delight audiences around the world with distinctive programs and passionate performing. Explore the site and check out a few of her live performances below.

Music has the power to transport us to another time and place. For more than thirty years, Patti Graetz has harnessed that power with a broad audience of fellow music lovers and passionate musicians alike.

She is an accomplished operatic soprano, voice and piano teacher and choral and orchestral conductor.

She is the newly appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra and teaches voice, piano and guitar in her home studio.

Ever since a young age, Patti found great joy and satisfaction in making music

Since she was four, she knew she wanted to be a singer. She made her debut at the age of five singing "White Christmas" in the school Christmas program. When she was seven, she started piano lessons and began a rigorous regimen of piano practice and the study of music theory.

By the time she was in 7th grade, she played well enough to become the choir accompanist at school, but singing was her passion. She taught herself to play guitar and played flute in band from 6th grade all the way through college. She started voice lessons in high school and, going through an intense multi-audition process, earned a place in the Texas All-State Choir for 3 years - quite an accomplishment.

Her high school choir director and mentor, Coloma Lafferty, was the inspiration that led her to pursue a career in music and attend Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where she sang in the famed Concordia Choir under the legendary direction of Paul J. Christiansen. Patti loved choral singing and conducting, but her passion was to have a career on the operatic stage.

After Concordia, her performing career began in community theater and as a professional soloist in major works. She had supporting and leading roles in numerous musicals and operettas, including Pirates of Penzance, The Music Man and Desert Song. She was the soprano soloist in performances of Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem, Poulenc's Gloria, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and

Vesperae solennes de confessore. She won the graduate doctoral division of

As a recitalist, she loves presenting diverse programs of classical vocal repertoire, but it is singing 20th Century repertoire where she excells. Compositions by Samuel Barber, Vincent Persichetti, Igor Stravinsky, John Corigliano, Lee Hoiby, Richard Hundley and Craig Bohmler are second-nature to her.

She returned to Texas and auditioned for Houston Grand Opera where she sang in 21 operas in three seasons. She shared the stage with famous singers such as Dame Joan Sutherland, Eva Marton, Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo and numerous others.

It was there that she met her accompanist, coach and mentor, composer, pianist, Craig Bohmler. She knew immediately upon hearing his compositions that he was a world-class composer, not to mention a brilliant pianist. Craig and Patti have collaborated on numerous recitals and she has premiered

She was selected to participate in a summer opera program through The Musicians Club of America and had the great fortune of receiving instruction from the staff of the Metropolitan Opera. She learned foreign-language diction from Nico Castel, was coached by Joan Dornemann, stage directed by Mignon Dunn and Janet Bookspan. This experience led her to move to New York to continue her studies and career pursuits.

Patti toured nationally with Texas Opera Theater before moving to Arizona to be near her coach-accompanist Craig Bohmler. Craig is also a well-known composer and Patti has premiered many of his works for soprano. An enthusiastic advocate for Craig's music, she produced his opera "The Achilles Heel" for Showcase Concerts, which was awarded a $10,000 grant. Under her direction for ProMusica Arizona, "Mountain Days: The John Muir Musical" was also awarded a $10,000 grant

Craig also introduced her to her teacher of more than thirty years, Lois Alba. This cherished teacher taught Patti to sing with beauty, freedom, expression and flexibility using the techniques of the Italian school of "bel canto" singing - a technique Patti has shared with students the world over.

Patti won the Arizona district Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions two years in a row, as well as being a finalist for the San Francisco Opera's Merola Young Artist program.

4worldlovers: No longer be worried about how you sound but be totally focused on flowing in His presence with no vocal hindrances.


Gain the strength, skills, and confidence that is needed for an unhindered voice. By discovering, accepting, and cultivating YOUR unique sound.

Sing from a place of 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓. Where you no longer sound like you’re yelling, straining or forcing your voice when you sing.

Be fully able to express yourself with 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 and ​ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 to sing, speak or lead.

Have the ability and strength at the end of a set to go on for a few more hours.

This is where I get to know you, and your goals. Finding the KEYs to unlocking your voice.

4worldlovers:
I take my lessons virtually, and Erica is an excellent teacher! I've always wanted to take singing lessons, and I'm so glad to have chosen Musician First Music LLC. The lessons really are musician first. She was open to my love of musical theatre and opera; and she's working with me to sing roles from the shows and genres I love! Before Erica, most of my singing experience was through shower ballads or jam sessions in the car. I didn't know much about notes or musical terminology, but she took the time to explain and build my knowledge from the ground up. Since taking lessons, my vocal range has expanded and my tone has so much more color! She's a great teacher and a lovely person all around. -Roman

Erica has been such a wonderful piano teacher. We first switched over to her (2022) when my son (age 6 at the time) was having some piano difficulties. I informed his previous teacher that he was starting to hate piano. He was resisting practicing and would whine constantly that it was just too hard. His previous teacher acknowledged my concerns but didn’t do much to try to figure out what we can do differently. When I brought my son over to Erica she assessed where he was - what he knew, understood and where he lacked. She discovered the problem and took him back to some basics he was missing. Once those gaps were filled in we didn’t have anymore issues. His last teacher had him moving forward in his books when some big foundational skills and knowledge were missing. Earlier this year (2023) I had my daughter begin piano lessons. She is 5. I am impressed by the progress my daughter has made in such little time. My daughter thinks piano is “fun.” I am utterly impressed in how Erica is able to bring piano learning to the appropriate level for the student. I can’t say enough great things about Erica. If I had more kids they would all go to her. I am so grateful she saved my son from quitting piano. I am delighted to see my daughter enjoy playing piano at such a young age and I’m thrilled to begin my piano journey again as an adult student. Lastly, I am happy we are going to be a piano playing family. -Diana