student success stories

testimonials from parents & students

Over my 15 years of teaching, I’ve seen the impact studying voice has on my students.

I’m so excited to share their stories with you!

If you’re inspired, reach out to see how I can help your child, too!

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"brought out MY DAUGHTER'S talent & confidence in a way I never knew was possible..."

Sarah has been a wonderful teacher for my daughter. She has brought out my daughter’s talent and confidence in a way I never knew was possible. I am in awe when my daughter performs and thank Sarah for all the work and guidance she has provided. My daughter looks forward to their weekly sessions more than anything else.
-Jessica, Parent

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"IT'S REMARKABLE THE PROGRESS MY DAUGHTERS HAVE MADE & HOW BEAUTIFUL THEIR VOICES SOUND"

My daughters have both taken voice lessons with Sarah and it is remarkable the progress they have made & how beautiful their voices sound. Sarah is a delight to work with as a mom and my girls can’t say enough wonderful things about her and how much they enjoy their lessons with her. They speak about how their lessons with Sarah have transformed their voices. They’ve both auditioned for schools focusing on voice and have been accepted! Sarah is all-in and cares so much about her students. She does not miss a beat. The girls are so blessed to be working with Sarah.
Elizabeth, Parent

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"I SOUND TOTALLY DIFFERENT!"

Before working with Sarah, I had sung in front of zero people, not even my family. A friend of mine went away to college – and came back after I’d had a bunch of lessons with Sarah, and was totally shocked at how my voice had changed and grown in a good way! He said I sounded totally different!
-Peyton, 18 years old

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"my daughter has started tapping into her most authentic voice"

Since joining the studio, my daughter has started tapping into her most authentic voice – revealing her natural sound and strengths, while developing a positive, growth mindset around her vocal potential. Every week she explores her voice through Sarah’s vocalizations, which has resulted in a richer and fuller tone, and an expanded vocal range. Through movement, use of props, and creative play she is also developing the artistic ability to make a song her own- to consider why the composer used particular lyrics and music to tell a story, and then to deliver that story with nuance and dimension.
-Jennifer, Parent

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what parents & students are saying:

Since I started taking lessons with Sarah, my voice has developed so much over the last two years, and so has my confidence. A year ago, I couldn’t stand up and audition in front of only 10 people. But now I’m thinking about inviting 100 people to my recital! Sarah’s an amazing voice teacher!

Ryan, 10 years old

Sarah laid a solid foundation for my daughter to feel more confident in her singing. She was the first person (outside our family) my daughter ever sang to, and her boost in confidence in her talent has been remarkable, I even saw it after just a few lessons.

Vina, mom

Taking voice lessons with Sarah helped me get an agent & book roles on kids’ shows. I get a lot of auditions that ask me to sing, and Sarah helps me get ready for those auditions. I wouldn’t have gotten the jobs I did without Miss Sarah.

Sydney, 11 years old

Sarah has given me the confidence and support to follow my passion further than I ever thought I could… I have noticed so many strides in my voice that I never thought possible.

I’ve been taking voice lessons since I was 12. Without a doubt, Sarah is my favorite voice teacher I’ve ever worked with. She’s warm, kind, inviting, and creates a safe space to be vulnerable and work on the hidden aspects of my voice. I never feel inadequate, even when we’re working on something challenging.

Sarah is more than a voice teacher to me. When I started taking lessons with her, I was unsure of my path creatively. Eight months in, she has given me the confidence and support to follow my passion further than I thought I could. Her advice is real, honest, and always encouraging. If it wasn’t for her kindness, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching, I truly don’t know where I’d be right now.

I have noticed so many strides in my voice that I never thought were possible.

She’s awoken the theater artist within me, and I always leave a lesson feeling creatively fulfilled. Any student of Sarah’s is lucky to have her.

Chloe, 18 years old

I have noticed how much more confident Laila is in her vocal ability. Sarah always makes the lessons fun and puts things in a really positive way which has helped Laila come out of her shell and feel super comfortable. I love how much dedication Sarah has for her craft and how she has gone above and beyond for us.

Nadine, Mom

I’ve improved my singing incredibly since starting voice lessons with Sarah. I now have a bigger range than I ever thought had. Now I’m able to like comfortably sing all types of music, including jazz, pop, everything! I’m doing a five week Berkeley program this summer specifically for voice, and I couldn’t have done that without Sarah.

Rori, 16 years old

My daughter is learning more in the studio than just voice and performance. She is learning resourcefulness, patience, self-awareness, and emotional maturity.

Over the last two years of study with Sarah my daughter’s confidence in herself and in her ability, skills, and talent has blossomed.

Her weekly training and practice have given her tools to overcome performance anxiety, and to replace nerves with an earned feeling of preparedness and readiness.

Since starting lessons with Sarah, my daughter has started tapping into her most authentic voice – revealing her natural sound and strengths, while developing a positive, growth mindset around her vocal potential. Every week she explores her voice through classical vocalizations & exercises, which has resulted in a richer and fuller tone, and an expanded vocal range. She is learning how to read a piece of music for more than its technical parts like key, tempo, notes and instrumentation.

Through movement, use of props, and creative play she is also developing the artistic ability to make a song her own- to consider why the composer used particular lyrics and music to tell a story, and then to deliver that story with nuance and dimension.

My daughter is learning more in the studio than just voice and performance. She is learning resourcefulness, patience, self-awareness, and emotional maturity.

Lessons have strengthened her understanding of the mind-body connection and given her tools to stay calm, present and engaged through hard transitions, challenges, and missteps in and out of the vocal studio.

Jennifer, Mom

BUILDS HER CONFIDENCE AND GAVE HER THE COURAGE TO REACH FARTHER

“Lilly loves to sing. Working with Sarah builds her confidence, her love of music and most of all… gave her the courage to reach beyond her natural talent to strive for technique. When Lilly performs, we feel lucky to have shared this gift with her.”

-Stephanie

student success stories

Here are a few stories about my students’ growth from my vantage point as their voice teacher.

If you’re inspired by these stories I’d love to help you, too!

Sarah Hawkey Studio - Voice Lessons in Westport, Wilton, Weston, and Ridgefield, CT

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FROM TOO SHY TO SING, TO A LETTER OF ENCORAGEMENT FROM LIN MANUAL MIRANDA

When Ryan started studying voice with me, she was totally afraid to sing in front of anyone but me. After our first year working together, her confidence in her signing had grown so much that she gave a mini-recital for her friends and family.

After our second year working together, she had written an entire 12-song musical, and she performed the whole show for an audience of friends and family.

She then went on to contact Hamilton & Encanto creator Lin Manuel Miranda who wrote back to her encouraging her to keep going on her journey as a singer and theater creator!

She was only 10 years old that year!

SUCCESS IN AUDITIONS & CALLBACKS

When this student started studying with me last year, she had never had a voice lesson before, and was incredibly shy to sing in front of anyone! She wanted to join the Staples Players (a top-notch theater program at her high school in Westport) and needed to start preparing for her first round of auditions. After her audition prep with me, she was the only sophomore in second callbacks for lead roles! A huge win! I can’t wait to see what happens in the coming years!

GOT AN AGENT AND IS BOOKING!

S. started studying voice with me a couple of years ago, and has gone from struggling with tension in her singing to having a talent agent! Now she’s auditioning for national children’s TV shows on the Disney Channel and Netflix. She says that booking work would not have happened without studying voice with me, and that voice lessons are key to her getting roles. I am so proud of her!

CONFIDENCE IN HER SINGING

When R. first came to me, she was so nervous to sing in front of even me that we had to pretend like I wasn’t in the room so I could hear her sing full-out! After just a year of studying with me, she’s been accepted to a performing arts high school in Fairfield County, a Berklee summer program, has performed in front of peers & teachers, is recording her songs, and is even experimenting with writing her own music. Her confidence in herself and her abilities has grown, and now singing is a way for her to express her uniqueness.

TRANSFORMED HER VOCAL TECHNIQUE

This student came to me because she was struggling with problems in her vocal technique and was having a really hard time with tension while she sang. After her first lesson, one of her other teachers reached out to me and asked if she had taken a lesson with me because she noticed that her singing was so much more free. That was after just one lesson! Since then, she’s been accepted to Interlochen‘s summer program & high school, Berklee’s summer program, and has been the lead in a few shows!

I’d love to chat with you!