Grace Slear

“When I first started singing, I struggled with my head voice. Catherine did an incredible job of helping me navigate and better understand the placement of my voice. It was gradual, but lesson by lesson I became more comfortable with my voice, singing in front of someone else, and eventually my head voice was soaring.

“After taking lessons with Catherine, I was able to sing songs I only dreamt of singing, especially using my head voice, and now as a professional singer, using my head voice is one of my favorite ways to sing.

”Being in a lesson with Catherine made me feel comfortable yet challenged at the same time. It was a safe space to fail forward and learn. She cultivated a nurturing and constructive space, making the lessons productive and fun.

”If you want to expand your voice and reach vocal heights you didn’t know you could reach, Catherine is the teacher for you. As someone who came to her as a very nervous singer and left confident and proud of my voice, I think that speaks for itself!”

Grace studied with me in middle school and high school, at which point they accepted spot in Boston Conservatory’s Musical Theater BFA program. Grace’s Broadway credits include ensemble in The Queen of Versailles starring Kristin Chenoweth and Jagged Little Pill as a swing and understudying the principal role of Jo. They were a featured dancer and actor in the Paramount Plus movie musical Mean Girls written by Tina Fey.

Lisa Hunter Gisone

”I began my singing journey at eight years old, which over time grew into performing, teaching voice, and leading worship. Singing has always been a core part of who I am. However, after experiencing a deeply personal traumatic event, I lost confidence in myself as a performer. That self-doubt affected me deeply and impacted my singing for about six years. When I tried to return, I struggled with instability in my upper range, including a momentary loss of phonation where the sound would drop out and then immediately return. I couldn’t rely on my voice the way I once could.

”I had worked with other voice teachers before, but what stood out to me about Catherine was her ability to see beyond just the voice. She recognized that what I was experiencing wasn’t purely technical—it was emotional. That understanding changed everything for me.

”In our lessons, Catherine created a safe space where I felt truly seen and heard—not just as a singer, but as a person. She spoke directly to the broken places in me with both honesty and compassion. I remember the moment it clicked when she reassured me that my voice wasn’t failing me—my emotions were simply showing up in it. That shift allowed me to stop fighting myself and start rebuilding trust in my voice.

”Through our work together, I regained not only my vocal stability, but my confidence. I returned to worship leading, and more importantly, I found the courage to teach again—something I wasn’t sure I would ever step back into.

”What surprised me most was how deeply connected the voice is to emotional health, and how effectively Catherine guides students through both. Her approach is not just about producing sound; it’s about restoring the whole person behind the voice.”

Lisa is a highly experienced vocalist and voice teacher in Chester County. She was accepted into The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) and her credits include recording work for Disney Records, winning the golden ticket at the American Idol Experience, and ranking in the top 2% of vocalists auditioning for The Voice.

Aislinn Murphy

“I wanted to reach out to express my sincerest gratitude for all of your help throughout the last few weeks of the Sister Act rehearsal process. Losing my voice was such a scary thing, especially so close to opening, and you gave me the correct exercises, strategies, and the confidence that everything would work out. As a result, I (arguably) had the quickest and best vocal recovery that I’ve ever experienced in my vocal career. It was truly like a miracle.

”I deeply admire your skill and knowledge. You are simply wonderful, and without your help, I truly do not believe I would’ve felt nearly as confident in my voice and my performance.”

Aislinn’s recent credits include Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act at Immaculata University.

Kaylee Siggelkow

“I knew that I wanted to learn how to sing my whole life. When I came to Catherine, I was eleven years old. I liked singing but couldn’t sustain any notes. Within even just a couple of months, my confidence soared with my singing ability all thanks to Catherine’s teaching. I developed a stronger, more sustained voice and I finally felt confident to audition for community theatre. 

“I have worked with other teachers before. Catherine really gets to know you and uses exercises personal to your voice and what best suits you. The whole voice lesson experience felt very sculpted around what I needed to work on.

“I have developed a strong, healthy mix, and I believe this was crucial to playing contemporary roles in theatre.”

Kaylee studied with me in middle school and high school, at which point she accepted spot at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in drama and studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Her musical theater roles in high school included Sandra in Big Fish at Downingtown West High School and Laurie in Oklahoma! in Revival Productions Teen Show.

Carly Etter

“I started voice lessons with Catherine before my junior year of high school, when I began to pursue musical theater more seriously than I had before.

“I had an audition about 2 months later and I felt a shift. It was easier, it was fun, and it was successful, and I was able to score a pivotal role. I continued with Catherine for the rest of my high school career, and she helped me perform my best in various roles, as well as prepare for college auditions.

”While I am not pursuing a degree in musical theater, the things I learned with Catherine have stayed with me for the past three years as I navigate performance clubs and musicals for my own enjoyment at Temple University and around Philadelphia.

”The time I spent with Catherine were some of my favorite moments throughout high school. Catherine is kind, patient, and passionate about her work, which made me passionate about my vocal journey.”

Carly’s roles include Countess Lily in Anastasia at Downingtown West High School and Grandma Rosie in The Wedding Singer at Revival Productions.

Jeff Yoder

“I’ve been singing all my life and fell in love with musical theater in high school. There’s been a lot of great roles over the years, but at age 65, I don’t have the range I did a few decades ago, and it had been almost 20 years since I was last in a production. Now that I’m retired, and able to ‘get back on the boards,’ I wanted to find a vocal instructor who could help me safely get my voice back to performance level and to keep it there. Thank goodness I found Catherine!

”Catherine made me immediately comfortable and relaxed. She took the time to assess where I was vocally and created a road map for us to follow. I saw immediate results in our first session and left with a game plan feeling energized and excited!

”It had been many years since I’d had a voice lesson, but I can easily say that Catherine tops the list of any instructor I’ve had. She’s professional, dedicated, caring, and supportive … and the results prove it!”

Jeff’s recent roles include Monsignor O’Hara in Sister Act, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, and ensemble in Sweeney Todd, all at Reading Civic Theatre.