John Nicholas Peters

Not being a singer by trade, even approaching a vocal coach was uncomfortable for me. I sometimes lose my voice when public speaking and needed someone to help me work out my vocal cords as a trainer. John made me feel welcome at my evaluation and has an excellent approach to vocal coaching. While in his studio in Manayunk, you will feel comfortable, and guided rather than judged and ashamed. He encourages the things you do well and simply corrects the things you are missing or incorrectly performing by modeling the correct way without missing a beat. He is also very interesting and takes the time to know who you are and the direction you’re headed in with your vocal needs. He has a wide array of knowledge and has taught me more than how to work and train my vocal cords. From John I have learned about being grateful, about recognizing and embracing differences, about setting boundaries in a safe way, about letting go of things that don’t work and strategically utilizing what you have while you look for the next thing you want. He is more than a vocal coach, but a mentor as well. He is honest and helpful in developing those willing and able to learn. I’m grateful to have found such a wonderful human being, let alone coach to give my money to. It is well worth the price. Also, sessions are individualized for who you are, your current skill and what you want to learn as well as timing of the session. And if I may say so, while I sing in the car, myself and my family notice a difference even as a non singer. You will not be disappointed!

Put simply, studying with John was the best learning experience I’ve ever had, and the best results I could hope for. I’d tried voice lessons with 3 other instructors over the years, but nothing really helped me to improve. When I found John, I knew that if nothing else, this guy was COMPLETELY different from what I’d tried before. His techniques are developed with insight and honed with years of experience. He’s unconventional, energetic, funny as hell and he motivated me to do the best vocal work I could. See this as a rare opportunity to work with one of the greats, because it is. If you give the effort and trust his suggestions, you WILL get tremendous results. Working with John was refreshing, empowering, and personally rewarding. He’s a game changer, folks. A true gem.

I first studied voice with a teacher in NYC. I liked him a lot. I wanted to keep studying with him forever. I felt like I was making progress, even if it was very gradual. I moved to Philadelphia, got distracted for several years, and recently got back to training my voice. I researched voice teachers in Philadelphia and decided to try John Nicholas Peters. And I am so glad that I did. John trained as an opera singer for twenty years, working with teachers and opera companies around the world. He sought a teacher who understood, really understood, the science of vocal technique. And he never found one. But he picked up one thing from one teacher and another thing from another teacher, and now, decades later, John is that teacher that he was looking for. I had no idea that voice lessons could be like this. I believe that John does understand the science of vocal technique. I have made more progress in my three months training with him then I think I would have made in a year with my first teacher. And I was happy with my first teacher. But John has a specific method for training the support system for the voice and then building from that. I’ve felt my range open up at both the high end and the low end. I can attest that his simple, clear methods work — and work fast. He is very intelligent, very professional, and he takes his work seriously. He is confident enough in his ability to train a student’s voice that he does not sugarcoat anything. He doesn’t make jokes to endear you to him. He doesn’t give you false flattery. And he doesn’t feel the need to say «you’re doing very well, but I’d like you to change this or change that». He gets right down to business. A lesson with him is like a meditation. While remaining absolutely friendly, he tells you in a simple straight-​forward manner what you are doing right, what you are doing wrong, and how you can correct each incorrect move with your voice so that you can eventually realize your ultimate potential — whether your goals are singing or speaking or both. I really appreciate his style, his dedication, and his ability to train the voice in the simple and correct way. It’s hard work; it requires focus and dedication; and he is not afraid to push me to deliver my best. The results, even after just three months of studying with him, are absolutely worth it. I have no desire to look further for my vocal training. In fact, I was considering relocating, but since I found John, and since I feel that I am making progress in an area in which I have long desired to make progress, I’ve decided to stay in the Philadelphia area or at least within driving distance of his studio in Manayunk long enough to really train my voice. When you find someone who knows how to teach what you want to learn, it’s absolutely delightful.