Nell Fossa

Teaches Voice & Piano

About Nell

My name is Nell! I have dedicated my life to studying performance and spend most of my time singing and playing piano. I received my BFA in Acting and Minor in Musical Theatre from Montclair State and most recently completed my MLA in Medieval and Renaissance Performance at the University of Pennsylvania. Performing is my first love, but teaching is a close second. I'm passionate about developing a safe environment in which students feel open to create. I believe students should always work "where they are," learning to grow with challenges they encounter in and out of the classroom. First and foremost, my goal to ensure that a student has (vocally-safe) fun, using that fun to stretch the bounds of their performance "comfort zone."

I believe students should always work "where they are," learning to grow with challenges they encounter in and out of the classroom.

What is a musical obstacle that you remember overcoming? How did you overcome it?

I had petrifying stage fright growing up. When I would try to sing in front of someone else, my voice would just not be there. I still get a bit nervous when I sing, but breathing techniques have become my best friends in those situations--as long as you breathe and know the material, the performance will follow.

What style(s) of music do you like to play the most? Why?

I really love a good jazz standard, because it just feels "correct." The structure is so much fun to play around with and opens the door for collaboration since everyone's interpretation is different!

What other instruments, aside from the ones you teach, have you played before?

I also play guitar, ukulele, and flute! I dabble in harmonica, but just for fun on my own.

When did you start playing music, what brought you to it?

I grew up in a very musical family, so I knew that's what I wanted to do from the beginning! I started playing piano in kindergarten and my love for that and performing just grew and grew.

What are some of your favorite teaching moments?

I love when a student is proud of what they've accomplished. As a performer, it's important that you feel good about what you're doing, even if you missed a note here or there.

What advice could you give to someone who has just begun learning music?

My best advice would be to just keep practicing and making sure that you're playing what you want to play. If the music isn't interesting to you, try another genre!

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