Love To Sing?

A new voice academy with an emphasis on building confidence as well as vocal technique is opening a second location in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Lisa Kelly Voice Academy is owned and operated by Irish singing sensation and former Celtic Woman, Lisa Kelly.

Kelly co-owns the academy with her husband and former Celtic Woman CEO Scott Porter. They opened the first location in Peachtree City, Ga. in January 2013 and she says Ponte Vedra Beach was the perfect fit for their second location.

“Since the very beginning of my career I have always had a passion for teaching and sharing my experiences with the next generation of singers and performers, of all ages,” says Kelly. “Shortly after we opened in Peachtree City, we were overwhelmed that students were traveling from all over the U.S. to attend classes on a weekly basis but our largest contingent was coming from the Jacksonville area.”

After performing and visiting Northeast Florida several times over the years, Kelly says it was clear that this region is extremely passionate about supporting the arts and fostering quality education programs. “We look forward to joining the cultural community,” she says.

Kelly and Porter both spent years in the spotlight as touring members of Riverdance and the multi-platinum singing group Celtic Woman. Through those experiences, they learned to value technique, skill, hard work and discipline above raw talent.

Eager to share those principles, Kelly brings new methods of teaching voice and performance to students of all ages. She developed her own unique teaching style to instill self-confidence and discipline in students ages 6 and up in a non-competitive environment.

“Lisa and I feel very strongly that a public performance should never be the sole purpose of any artistic study,” Porter says. “Our academy’s purpose is to help each student find his or her voice, build confidence and develop skills that will last a lifetime both on and off stage.”

While students will learn the art of vocal expression, Kelly is careful to note that her academy is not structured like a typical choral training program. Instead, it is based on the training and techniques that bolstered her exceptional career.

“Our stage-based performance technique is based on what has worked for me, and what has worked for our students,” she says. “Students of all skill levels have seen tremendous growth in their confidence and technique as a result of our methods of teaching performance art in a non-competitive environment.”

Children as young as 6 years old and adults of all ages are welcome to enroll. Semesters will be offered each spring and fall, with students required to attend one class per week. Tuition costs $30 or $40 per student, per class, based on class size. One-week camps and weekend-long master classes will also be available during the summer. The Lisa Kelly Voice Academy is located at 880 A1A North, Suite 24 and is now accepting students at thelisakellyvoiceacademy.com.