Jenessa Castano
About
6x Teacher of the Year 2020 through 2025 for Voice, Pop Voice, Voice Artistry, and Artist Development. I have been teaching for six years and have taught over 4,200 lessons on Lessonface. Across online and in person instruction in voice and piano, I have taught more than 10,000 lessons.
As a working professional performer and coach, I work with dedicated beginners, developing singers, pre professional artists, and working actors and vocalists. I specialize in long term vocal development that builds strong technique, healthy range expansion, confident mixing and belting, reliable breath support, and the ability to perform with confidence across musical theatre, pop, rock, classical, and contemporary genres.
My students have booked national tours, regional theatre roles, college programs, and professional contracts with Norwegian Cruise Lines, the Donna Summer Musical, and the Peter Pan National Tour.
I have also worked with recording artists who have released original music on Apple Music and Spotify, with some projects reaching over 100,000 streams.
I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and Los Angeles. I have performed professionally as a lead vocalist and dancer with Norwegian Cruise Lines and was represented by Bloc Talent Agency in Los Angeles.
Group Class Reviews
Great
Great class! We worked on getting our songs audition-ready, acting techniques, as well as what to do in the audition room. Would definitely recommend if you want to do musical theater!
I love group classes, I get to learn off of other people, even meet new people with same or different goal. I learn so much and each time I do a group class I feel like I get better at my singing and much stronger and also more confident! This class was so much fun! I enjoyed it tremendously!
Really great class. Great for both preparing you for the recital and just for preparing you to sing in front of people in general. You also get a chance to meet other singers. Jenessa gives great feedback.
Jenessa is a very good instructor and to see her bring the best out of each of us is a fun adventure. Thank you Lessonface for having such a quality instructor.
Great Class, I love these classes I learn so much and enjoy getting feed back and listening to the amazing talent. Its a great positive environment!
Awesome! She was great and it was very interactive. She engaged everyone.
This class is great. Very informative and helpful. She is very friendly and makes the students feel at ease. I would recommend this teacher for anyone interested in voice or musical theater.
Excellent teacher I have learned so much from Ms.Jenessa I can know sing very well and my range in voice has expanded.
Thank you,
Aaliyah Torres
Great class with individual feedback.
Jenessa's classes contain a lot of personal feedback for your choice of song. She is a veteran and is very responsive to the needs and requests of the students. Highly recommend!
Great class with very helpful feedback.
I had never sang in front of anyone except of my parents and i was scared to start singing class because i am very shy when it comes to singing. Ms. Janessa helped me come out of my shell and give me very good tips to help me improve and now i feel comfortable and confident in my singing!
Teaching Style
My teaching style is highly individualized. Every student has different strengths, challenges, and goals, so I tailor each lesson to meet the person in front of me. Some students thrive with structure and precision, while others prefer a more relaxed and exploratory approach. I adjust accordingly while maintaining strong technical foundations.
I am deeply passionate about helping singers fully access their authentic voice. Every person already has a unique voice. My role is not to change it, but to help you understand how your voice works, strengthen it with healthy technique, and learn how to use it with confidence and control. Those breakthrough moments when a singer accesses a new level of freedom, power, or confidence are why I love teaching.
Curriculum
At the beginning of our work together, I take time to understand each student’s goals, experience level, and the repertoire they are interested in. From there, I create a structured plan tailored to their individual needs. Every singer requires something different depending on their technique, strengths, and objectives.
Lessons typically begin with focused vocal warm ups and technical exercises designed to build coordination, range, and consistency. We then apply that technique directly to repertoire, working on interpretation, performance, and building a strong and versatile book of music.
I am also passionate about teaching students how to practice effectively. Knowing what to practice and how to practice between lessons makes a significant difference in progress. When appropriate, I incorporate musicianship skills such as sight singing to strengthen overall musical confidence and independence.
Credentials & Affiliations
Norwegian Cruise Lines Production cast lead singer and dancer/ Represented by Bloc Talent Agency based out of Hollywood, CA/ Alumni and BFA Graduate of American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC and Los Angeles/ Alumni of the Broadway Dance Center Professional program in Manhattan/ Royal Academy of Music Theory and Vocal examinations/ Spamalot, Midtown Arts Center/ A Beef and Boards Christmas, Beef and Boards Equity House/ Buglisi Dance Theatre, Table of Silence 9/ 11 Tribute, Lincoln Center, NY/ From Street to Stage, Intrepid Space Museum, staged by Joshua Bergasse from the Broadway musical On The Town/ Harold Prince Gala Benefit, honoring director/ producer Harold Prince/ Broadway Festival at Symphony Space, Wall to Wall Leonard Bernstein/ A Matter of Chance, Feature Film/ Fiends, Busch Gardens
