Today we’d like to introduce you to Deanna Moseley.
Hi Deanna; it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was singing on stage at 7 and started my formal piano study at 8, so I’ve been doing music my entire life. I started performing professionally (for money) in middle school for weddings continuing through high school, and as a guest vocalist for local bands. I graduated from the prestigious Millikin University School of Music with a Bachelor’s in Commercial Music, with vocal as my primary instrument and piano as my minor instrument. I moved to Nashville, TN, the day after graduation to start my first job as a singer in a national renown Nashville production. I continued to work in Nashville for 13 years as a lead singer in various bands, as a demo singer, background vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, etc. Life and raising two young children eventually led me to the O’Fallon area so I could be closer to my family while continuing to stay plugged into music. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so there was no doubt I would eventually run my own successful business.
I sought God first for His perfect will, wisdom, and direction for my future endeavor. The ideas came pouring in, all becoming crystal clear – I would pour my lifetime of music experience – everything – into those that want to learn. Everything I had experienced had brought me to this moment – my college education, thousands of hours of practice, extensive pedagogy training, 50-50 training in classical AND contemporary, a lifetime of performance experience singing all genres, 13 years in Nashville singing demos, worship team all of it was to be poured into my students. In October 2004, the Deanna Moseley Music Studio was created. My goal was to have 10 students by January of 2005 – I had 30 and a waiting list. I maintained a healthy balance of teaching and family time, and as my sons aged, I added more students. I have taught over 1200 students thus far. I limit my roster to 53 students and always manage a waiting list of at least 18. I hired one of my past piano students to teach beginner piano students, so she now has a roster of 13 that is growing week by week and fast approaching a waiting list scenario as well. I have not had to advertise since 2005. Most of my clientele is word of mouth with internet search a distant second. I am so blessed to do what I do and very thankful for 19 years of joy, beautiful memories, and success.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a wonderfully smooth road. I attribute this joyful journey to the fact that I am walking in my calling. This is what I was destined to do. I teach what I do and what I know. The saying “do what you love, and it won’t seem like work” – I’m doing it. I’m teaching what I’ve been doing my entire life, so this journey is entirely natural, effortless, and for the most part, stress-free. I have a unique fourfold skill set of teaching, a lifetime of singing all genres (pop, rock, country, blues, the kind of music most people want to sing as opposed to opera), playing keys for the same genres (chords), and classical piano. I have a proven track record of being very good at what I do, I’m authentic, and I teach and lead by example because I can do what I teach. I don’t look to other studios for inspiration, insight, or new ideas because doing so would be a step backward. It’s been said that “Imitation is the best form of flattery”. At first, it was unnerving as my studio served as a model for other once-failing studios, inspiring owners with my ideas and success, they adopt my business model and apply my strategies, ultimately projecting them to some modicum of success. Of course, advertising, and slick marketing is one thing, being able to deliver is another, but duplicating and creating a lifetime of experience and my “vibe” is impossible. It was unsettling at first, not because I saw them as competition, but because I saw it as an unfortunate missed opportunity for them to find their own original brand, their own source of original ideas to fuel their future and to ultimately walk their own journey. When you lack ingenuity and must look to someone else for inspiration and ideas, you are forever reliant on others to provide what should come naturally from within. I’ve grown to realize that it’s a compliment when others want to emulate what I do. I’m proud to be an original and let others do the imitating. I’m enjoying my journey as the industry leader and the limitless, cutting-edge horizon ahead.
We’ve been impressed with Deanna Moseley Music Studio, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My studio teaches all genres, private, one-on-one vocal and piano lessons. About my studio, all genres of vocal means pop, rock, country, blues, musical theater, jazz, worship, etc., everything but classical vocals. I joke that I teach the kind of music most people want to learn. Students build upon a strong foundation of proper technique, artistry, and contemporary styling so they can learn, master, and perform (publicly or just for themselves) the styles of music they want to study. Piano students are taught the proper technique, note reading, music theory, chord reading, and artistry to read music and chords, an industry requirement for more popular music like rock, pop, and country.
If you can’t do it, you can’t teach it. I have been singing, playing, and performing popular styles since 8. You likely have heard a singer at a wedding or maybe a karaoke night trying to sing a pop or rock song, and it just sounded “classical” and proper. That is the product of being 100% classically trained. Classical vocal music is a dying, antiquated art form that is the preliminary study for music education majors. Teaching contemporary genres requires more than just a music degree, it requires a lifestyle of performing contemporary styles and an all-genres-focused music degree such as Commercial Music. I’m fortunate to have both and to share knowledge and real-life experience with my students. My college education, extensive pedagogy training, 50-50 training in classical and contemporary, a lifetime of performance experience singing all genres, 13 years in Nashville singing demos, in various bands as the lead singer (presently in a band as the lead singer and keyboardist) enables me to lead by example, by being able to DO what I’m asking my students to do.
I am a student-focused studio with a mentorship teaching style. I focus on what the student needs/wants – whatever their goal, I partner with them to make it happen. I teach adults that take lessons for pleasure, young singers that want to perform in musical theater, piano students that want to learn how to play, singers that want to record a song for a loved one, vocal students that need help with confidence or self-esteem, American Idol, Muny, America’s Got Talent audition prep, college prep whatever it is, I join with the student to help them reach their goals. One would think that all music studios would be student-focused, serving to further the musical growth of the student in whatever way the student desires. Oddly, the answer is no. Some studios profess & advertise to be “performance-based learning” studios, or as I’ve seen in marketing material – #PBL. I interpret PBL exactly as intended: the curriculum is based on teaching students how to perform. Unlike a student-focused studio such as mine, PBL studios are more interested in working with students that will a) be performing, b) provide marketing material for the studio, and c) make the studio “look better” by promoting its more talented students. I’ve taught since 2004 and can attest that 20% of my students never want to perform. All my students are treated equally. Those that choose not to perform are no less deserving of quality training than those that do want to perform. For those that do want to perform, my studio offers multiple performance opportunities; any student who chooses to perform in any capacity is trained, prepared, and performance ready. I meet my students where they are, and we partner to move forward in whatever direction they choose. My studio has been and always will be focused on the individual needs of the student = a student-focused studio.
I teach ages 6-ageless, both piano, and vocal, at any skill level. The industry piano standard doesn’t offer an age requirement for piano lessons. However, many vocal teachers will not teach vocals to anyone under 12, citing possible vocal damage. I believe the younger kids will sing or scream, so I teach them to sing. Some of our greatest singers started when they were young: Celine Dion (5), Whitney Houston(5), Michael Jackson(5), and Christine Aguilera(7). Again, I refer to the life experience required for teaching all genres. Since I started singing popular styles at a young age, I am deeply rooted in proper technique and styling to sing all genres.
Additionally, I know the art of belting, a singing style strongly discouraged in classical vocal training. I know what it feels like to navigate puberty as a very active singer, walking the walk, so I can offer my real-life experience to my young students. I respect the decision of those teachers who refuse to teach the under-12 singers, as doing so requires specialized experience and a unique skill set, they do not possess. The absence of the experience and skill to teach the under-12 is most assuredly a combination that could inflict vocal damage. I’ve taught over 1200 students since 2004, rooting all my students, 6-ageless, in healthy foundational habits that help them evolve into strong, artistic, proficient singers. I’ve never had a student experience vocal damage under my teaching.
We have 3 large venue concerts a year for my students to perform. We have pro audio and lights, a 5-piece professional band backing the vocal students, and a dedicated piano for piano students – just like a real live gig. The concerts are not a pursuit of perfection but a training ground for success. The goal is for students to work through nerves, have fun, gain invaluable real-life stage experience, and, most importantly, gain confidence that can be applied to other areas of their life. It’s amazing what we’ve done: 10-year-olds singing Pat Benatar, an 11-year-old playing keyboards with the band, a 40-year-old singing Extreme, a 15-year-old singing and playing piano for herself on “Hey Jude” with the band, a 14-year-old singing Guns and Roses, a 20-year-old singing Whitney Houston, a 9-year-old singing Adele, an 11-year-old singing Lauren Daigle, an 8-year-old singing “Naughty”, a 26-year old singing Toni Braxton…..limitless opportunities. The 4.5-hour concerts are free, family-friendly events attended by roughly 300 each concert. They are a total blast and such an awesome experience for everyone. Lives are being changed one song at a time!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dmmusicstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannamoseleymusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deannamoseleymusicstudio/
