I am a professional musician and vocalist/voice teacher, and I came to Zachary Gordin to help me release jaw tension and further develop my breathing technique. I was drawn to him because of his exceptional skill as a singer and his clear and professional website. From the beginning he has been prompt and communicative with scheduling and totally straight forward about his teaching style and expectations from me as a student. I have learned an immense amount from him in only 10 or so lessons and am still growing from the guidance he offered to me in my first lesson. I am a soul, singer-songwriter, rock, jazz type of singer and though he is an Opera Superhuman, his tips and wisdom are 100% applicable and valid to what I do. Working with him has made me a far more skilled teacher and a more honest and open-hearted performer. Not only is Zachary a talented artist with a truly passionate heart, he is an incredibly generous teacher. His knowledge is so vast and he shares it freely– he is encouraging, patient and insanely inspiring. He has very high-level experience with the business side of performing and will be an asset to you for your career. I adore him as a person and respect him immensely as an artist and teacher. p. s. the person who gave a two star review seems not to have any valid or logical reason to have done so; I would just focus on the other 5 star reviews. :)
Leslie l.
Place rating: 2 Oakland, CA
I first want acknowledge Zach’s gifts. He certainly has the chops when it comes to vocal instruction. However, this guy’s ego is off the charts. It’s difficult for me to understand why he’d take umbrage, but he did, when I asked if he had any tickets for a show he was in that had sold out. I was asking to BUY them, called ahead a few days and left him a brief request on his v/m. Several days later, with no response, and I figured I would try agan, just a couple of hours before the show. We live and work in the same few blocks, and the venue was in the neighborhood, as well. I honestly didn’t think a quick inquiry was out of line. No response. About a week later I followed up on requesting another lesson, no response. My feelings were hurt and my professional sensibilities about how to treat our fellow human beings were similarly aroused. As an entrepreneur that works with the general public there are times when you feel people are not respecting your boundaries or are attempting to take advantage of you. It is always at your discretion if you wish to continue the relationship. However, it is my practice to be generous, keep communication open and give people the benefit of the doubt by dilineating my boundaries and letting them understand my needs. After having my calls ignored yet again, I left a message indicating these exact sentiments. If fact, I was blunt(oops) and admitted I thought his behavior rude. I was also honest and expressed that his behavior hurt my feelings. Well, that got his attention and he called back quickly, irate, accused me of being rude for calling before the show, and that he wanted nothing more to do with me. That sort of over-the-top reaction may have been due to my own persistence. Obviously, he was irritated by my requests, wanted me to go away and accept his treatment, and I wouldn’t. Zach’s an okay dude. By his own admission, he’s been in the business forever, as a professional opera singer. The business is cruel, callous, arduous work, highly arbitrary. Generally, only people with huge egos persevere and this culture forces them to become callous and jaded. He’s a human being, so Zack, if we have to work together someday, I hope you’ll forgive me if I was in any way insensitive. Conclusion: if you’re not already professional it probably isn’t a good match.
Carrie H.
Place rating: 5 Sacramento, CA
I cannot tell you what a relief it was that I found Zachary Gordin as a voice teacher after a 12 year, traumatic break from singing opera and moving to CA from MN. Zachary has empowered me back to healthy technique. After only year and a half with him, I began working steadily in the Bay Area and around the country, and continue to grow vocally and artistically under his guidance. He is clear about how the physical mechanism works and then helps you to release any tension in order to efficiently and healthily produce a beautiful, free, individual sound.
Luke B.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
I recommend studying with Zachary Gordin… highly!!! I spent a good portion of 2007 in his studio rebuilding my voice. It was an invaluable experience. He has an expert ear for identifying each individual issue which is preventing the full potential of the voice. He is skillful at finding the exact right way to work through the issue with extraordinary efficiency. I can say in total honesty my voice transformed within a mere few weeks of working with him. What I love most about Zachary’s studio is his real and evident commitment to each student. His insatiable drive to facilitate each students growth is awe-inspiring. He is brilliant in his creativity when it comes to difficult vocal situations. He will not give up until he finds a way to break through any and all barriers which inhibit the full potential of each voice he works with. I am grateful each day of my life as a singer for the time I spent as a student at The Voice Studio of Zachary Gordin.
Erik f.
Place rating: 5 CA, CA
Zachary has a comprehensive and inventive technique which combined with his heroic patience and attentiveness make it impossible not to improve rapidly to levels you never even imagined you could achieve. Resistance is futile
Dalyte K.
Place rating: 5 Pinole, CA
Zach is an amazing and empowering voice teacher. My singing has improved leaps and bounds since I’ve started working with him. He is a skilled technician who helps the singer understand the mechanisms of her voice, thus unveiling the mysteries and misconceptions about what one must do to achieve a glorious operatic sound. What’s more, his straightforward, amicable, and patient character make the process of improving one’s singing enjoyable. His lessons are worth every penny.