Voice Teachers
To register for lessons with any of our voice teachers, please click here. To inquire, please email us here. We are excited to hear from you.
Briana Moynihan
*no longer accepting new students
Briana Moynihan is a mezzo-soprano based in St. Paul. She enjoys a regional career in opera, cabaret, art song, and concert repertoire, while also working as a teaching artist for opera companies in the United States. She has been engaged with companies such as Des Moines Metro Opera, Florentine Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Journey North Opera Company, and Fargo-Moorhead Opera, and is an alumnus of North Dakota State University and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Briana enjoys teaching students of all ages, levels of experience, and walks of life. She fiercely believes that everyone has the ability to sing, they just require support in finding and developing their own artistic voice. She teaches a variety of voice styles and genres, anything that her students are passionate about and love to perform. She also incorporates ear training/aural skills into her individual lesson plans and has experience teaching students Solfege and sight reading.
When she’s not performing or teaching at Sarah Jane’s Music School, Briana is likely walking or snuggling her Staffordshire Terrier, Piper.
Briana currently teaches on Tuesdays and Sundays
Lessons with Briana start at $30 for 30 minutes
Liz Hawkinson
she/her
Liz Hawkinson has been teaching at Sarah's Jane's Music School since 2018. She is a theater artist who lives and works in Minneapolis. She studied voice at St. Olaf College and earned a music degree in vocal performance. After graduation she studied German Lieder at the Franz-Schubert-Institut near Vienna, Austria. She has since pursued freelance performing opportunities with Theater Latté Da, 7th House Theater, Park Square Theater, Trademark Theater, The Ordway, Old Log Theatre, and Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. Cabaret performances with friends from Chronofon Productions at Minneapolis Women's Club, The Dakota, Crooners, and at M.I.M. in Phoenix, Arizona.
She loves teaching the language of music to young people. Students (of any age!) will gain a strong foundation for excellent musicianship as well as learn music we love to sing or play.
Liz currently teaches voice and beginner piano on Saturdays and Mondays
Lessons with Liz start at $33 for 30 minutes
Krin McMillen
she/her
Krin McMillen is an award-winning vocalist and teaching artist. Krin has sung under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductors Osmo Vänskä, Douglas Boyd, Helmuth Rilling, Sarah Hicks, and many others, performing opera and symphonic works in-concert with the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra including Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Brahms’ A German Requiem, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Live!, It’s a Wonderful Life Live!, Verdi's Otello, and more.
Though Krin is an accomplished musician in the classical scene, she holds a diverse musical background and a unique blend of skills and professional experiences, and has always been passionate about being as versatile of an artist as possible. Krin was raised with incredible musical influences of all genres and has years of industry experience ranging from jazz, to rock, pop, folk, musical theatre, R&B, and beyond. Krin is a professional studio session vocalist and is a frequent collaborator on multi-genre film and television projects, music library, and demo recording work.
As a voice instructor, Krin encourages students of all ages to explore what music means to them, embrace their own artistry and creativity, and gain confidence through their music. Krin works with students to make music fun and accessible, and believes that anyone can find their unique musical voice and grow as an artist regardless of their starting point.
Krin teaches on Sundays
Lessons with Krin start at $35 for 30 minutes
Becky Poppke
she/her
Becky Poppke brings a smile, enthusiasm, and fifteen years of experience to the private lesson studio. She believes music builds meaningful community and is lots of fun! Becky’s teaching style encourages discovery, improvisation, and student choice. Oh, yeah - and sometimes silly Youtube videos. Previous leadership roles recently include Assistant Director of the Twin Cities Girls’ Choir (2018-2019), and leading the Small Singers and Choristers at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis (2010-2017). Becky currently teaches voice and piano lessons full-time at Sarah Jane’s Music School and another private studio in the NW suburbs. She is a member of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association; the Music Teachers National Association; and she holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine Osher School of Music.
Becky teaches voice and beginner/intermediate piano on Mondays and Saturdays
Lessons with Becky start at $34 for 30 minutes
Ashley Groves
she/her
After studying voice for 10 years and graduating with a degree as a Recording Artist, Ashley discovered a love for teaching music! As a person who loves spending time with people and music, it could not be more ideal. She's now been teaching music lessons since 2016 and is always excited to meet new students. With training and experience in Classical, Broadway, Jazz, Soul, and Pop, it's easy to start learning to sing and play in a healthy way. If you want to find Ashley outside the studio, you can catch her at one of her band's shows in the Twin Cities.
Ashley currently teaches voice and beginner/intermediate piano on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Lessons with Ashley start at $35 for 30 minutes
Adrien Logsden
Adrien leads with the mantra, "If you can speak, you can sing!" She received her BA with honors in Musical Theatre from the Guildford School of Acting Conservatoire in Surrey, England, and went on to work as a singer and musical theatre performer in the UK and Southern Europe, even singing in front of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Albert Hall. Upon returning to the US, she toured in a handful of bands including Trouble Lights and Leslie and the Lys, opening for such acts as Gary Numan, Sky Ferriera, Com Truise, and Rubblebucket, among others. She also founded Tiny Music, a music school for young children in her hometown of Fairfield, IA. She has taught voice lessons for over 20 years, as well as acting and audition techniques at Iowa State University and the Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival.
Her teaching focuses on developing long-term habits that support healthy vocal technique, power, and resonance without strain. As well as building a connection with a song, and using your voice to tell a story. She enjoys teaching students of all ages, abilities, and experience levels.
Adrien teaches voice on Tuesdays.
Lessons with Adrien start at $33 for 30 minutes
Valerie Evans
she/her
Valerie Evans has been teaching private voice, trombone, and beginning piano since 2018. She is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Central Wisconsin, and holds a B.A. in Vocal and Trombone Performance from UW-Stevens Point.
At the root of her teaching philosophy, Valerie hopes to instill a love and admiration for music. She believes in guiding her students with a kind but steady hand in order to establish the dedicated qualities of a well rounded musician. Through this approach, she finds it remarkable to witness the growth and authenticity each individual is capable of no matter where they begin.
In addition to her classical training, Valerie explores an array of genres including jazz, soul, indie, folk, pop, and musical theatre. As a freelance musician, she’s had the opportunity to perform all across the midwest. She plays in a number of bands including Mélange Trio (voice), Echo Parlor (voice/keys), Hip Pocket (trombone), and an Electric Bass/Vocal duo with her partner. Each ensemble allows her to stretch different musical muscles, which has spurred her curiosity to learn different approaches to music making.
Before moving to Minneapolis, Valerie ran her own private studio in Eau Claire, WI and worked for the Stand in the Light Memory Choir, an organization that uses the power of singing to move people with memory loss and their care partners to rediscover themselves, make friends, laugh together, and contribute to their community.
Valerie teaches Thursdays and Saturdays
Lessons with Valerie start at $33 for 30 minutes