Utah Vocal Arts Academy
Utah's Premier School for Excellence in Singing
Our Teachers
Vocal Training at UVAA
Our specialty is providing the highest quality vocal lessons to singers of all styles, ages, and skill levels.
Teachers:
Our teachers have been hand-picked by Dr. Hurtado for their excellence in music and performing, their dedication to quality education, and their passion for strengthening others through music. They each have or are pursuing degrees in vocal performance or music education. They are also fantastic singers themselves, who perform regularly on professional, university, and community stages. They are excellent technicians and great people!
Lesson options:
Whether you want training in Classical, Musical Theater, or Popular music styles, UVAA has qualified teachers who specialize in each genre. Browse our faculty bios below to learn more about our excellent teachers.
No experience necessary:
You do not need prior experience to take lessons with us, just a desire to sing better! Our students range from professional singers and national competition winners to hobbyists and beginners of all ages.
​
Pricing:
Lessons cost between $25-130, depending on the teacher and the length of the lesson. Click here for detailed policies and pricing.
To find out if lessons at UVAA are right for you, fill out our application form and a member of our staff will contact you shortly to schedule a lesson.
​
​
Dr. Isaac Hurtado
Director, UVAA
Classical/Opera
DM, Voice Performance,
Florida State University
MM, Voice Performance,
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
BM, Voice Performance,
Brigham Young University
​
Dr. Hurtado's former students include 2 national winners, 4 national semifinalists/Rocky Mountain regional winners, and 4 Utah District winners in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions since 2017. His students have performed with Santa Fe Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Central City Opera, Des Moines Opera, Ohio Light Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Utah Opera, and many others. They have been admitted into nearly every major vocal program in the country including The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute, Manhattan School of Music, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, Peabody Conservatory, Brigham Young University, Roosevelt Conservatory, Boston University, The Cleveland Institute and many more.
​
Dr. Hurtado also enjoys a varied career as a professional singer, voice teacher, and stage director. He has performed over 30 operatic roles and has appeared in numerous concerts across the country and in Italy. He is best known for his 'honey-toned' voice that 'caresses the ear,' 'money notes worth every penny,' and 'convincing' and 'heartfelt' acting portrayals. Key roles have included Rodolfo in La Bohème, Romèo in Romèo et Juliette, Duke in Rigoletto, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Alfredo in La Traviata, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Werther in Werther.
​
Dr. Hurtado is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Voice and Director of Opera at Utah Valley University.
Marina Costa-Jackson
Opera, Classical
Academy of Vocal Arts (Philadelphia)
Marina Costa-Jackson is an Italian-American soprano of international acclaim. She's a Met winner, an Operalia winner, and a 2016 graduate of the famed Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Recently Marina was featured as Mimì (La bohème) at the Noorda Center of Performing Arts alongside local professionals and UVU students. She is a fabulous teacher and performer for those interested in the classical arts!
Tiffany Parker
Pop/Contemporary, Musical Theater
BM Commercial Music, BYU
Tiffany is our reigning pop/contemporary diva. She starred in BYU's A Cappella group, Noteworthy, and has performed prominently in Utah and Arizona in musical theater. She is a fantastic option for singers looking for a hip, modern sound. More...
Mary Hoskins
Opera/Classical/Musical Theater/Pop
Mary has been teaching voice privately for the past 8 years. She is an opera singer who has traveled the world pursuing that art form, even making it to the semi-finals of the metropolitan Opera Competition last year. While Mary foundation is in classical voice, she has also taught pop, rock and musical theater and loves all styles of music! She enjoys teaching every level of student from just discovering pitch to vocal virtuoso! No matter your goals, Mary can help you with that! More...
MM Vocal Performance, BYU
Ciara Brown
Pop/Contemporary
Ciara is a senior at Utah Valley University studying commercial music with an emphasis in contemporary voice. She is trained in many areas including; vocal technique, performance, music theory, piano, songwriting, and music tech/studio recording. She excels in teaching contemporary/pop, jazz, soul/R&B, and musical theater.
BM Commercial Voice, UVU(In progress)
Jenny Andrus
General Voice, Classical.
Musical Theatre
BS Family Studies, Minor in Music (BYU)
Jenny spent most of her childhood and adolescence singing and performing in musicals, and went on to refine those skills for two years in the BYU School of Music. She works with students on proper breathing techniques, tone, and ear training, as well as building stage presence by helping students feel confident in their performing abilities. She is great with students of all ages!
Hannah Nelson
Musical Theater, Classical, General, Music Theory
BA Music, BYU (Dec. 2023)
Hannah recently graduated from BYU with her degree in Music. She has an emphasis in Music Education and Voice. She is a musical theater geek at heart and has most recently been featured at the Hale Center Theater Orem and in the Nauvoo & British pageants. She is passionate about working with students to find a healthy sound, build musicianship skills--such as sight reading and music theory knowledge, and develop a beautiful performance presence.
Nathan Bowser
General Voice, Musical Theatre, Pop, Contemporary
BFA Musical Theatre, UVU (in progress)
When teaching, Nathan is interested in individuals and how they learn best--his first goal is to discover the students strengths in order to know the best way to approach their lessons. He is well trained in various styles and has great insight on technique and helping his students develop the technical skills behind healthy singing.
Musical Theatre, Classical,
Pop/Contemporary, Jazz
.png)
Hailey Christensen
Musical Theater, Pop/Contemporary, Jazz
BFA Musical Theatre, BYU (in progress)
Hailey has always loved singing and performing. She is currently studying Music Dance Theater at BYU. She has been involved with community performances over the years and has had the opportunity to perform leading roles in several shows including ‘Into the Woods’, ‘Addams Family’, and ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ She has trained in several areas including: Musical Theater, Classical, and Piano. Hailey wants to help her students build practice habits, understand proper breathing techniques, become stronger vocally, and build confidence as a performer.
Taci is a musician of many talents, having studied and sung varieties of music ranging from opera, musical theater, jazz and even R&B. She has 12 years of choral experience and has performed in over 30 stage productions of musicals and plays. Her favorite roles include "Eponine" in Les Miserables, "Mabel" in The Pirates of Penzance", "Martha" in The Secret Garden and "Molly" in Ghost: The Musical.
Taci will graduate in May with a BA with an emphasis in Vocal Performance at Utah Valley University, and there she is a member of the top performance Chamber Choir and commercial vocal group, Souldscape. She is also part of the UVU Opera program, with stage role credits including "Belinda" in Purcell's Dido and Aenaea, "Olympia" in Les Contes d'Hoffman" and most recently, "Gretel" in Hansel und Gretel.
"My teaching philosophy involves creating a supportive and nurturing environment in which students can explore their vocal potential. I believe in building lesson plans to meet the unique needs and goals of each student, whether they are beginners looking to start their vocal journey or experienced singers seeking to refine their skills. I provide a place where students can be excited about the things they are learning!"
Taci Miner
BA, Vocal Performance, UVU (May 2024)