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My Piano Lessons in Orange County

Janelle Finamore was professionally trained in voice and piano by a top Broadway teacher based in New York. She later went on to study voice and music at the renowned Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ where she performed and traveled in various professional choirs. Janelle finished her Bachelor’s degree in Music at California State University with an emphasis in music therapy. Since then she has performed her music throughout Orange county, arranged church choirs, and taught music to students of all ages and levels for over ten years. Through the years she has successfully prepared her students for auditions, talent shows, recitals, and competitions. She is currently employed as the Music & Choir Director for St. Matthews Christian Montessori School located in Newport Beach.

As a teacher she finds it rewarding to see her music students grow and flourish as musicians. Janelle emphasizes the importance of learning the rudiments of music to build a good foundation (vocal technique, scales, chord vocabulary, theory, song-composition, performing techniques), while also being fun and creative throughout the lessons. She bases the lessons on whatever the interests and strengths are for the student. She specializes in pop and musical theater and also teaches classical voice.

Because Janelle is also a singer/songwriter and recording artist, she can incorporate songwriting, recording, and performance techniques into the student’s lessons if desired. She has recorded a full length album and has performed original and cover songs throughout Orange county in music venues.

Piano Lessons in Orange County With Janelle

Janelle offers Beginner to Intermediate In-Home Piano Lessons in Orange County for ages 5 and up. She integrates both classical and pop if so desired. She uses the Alfred series method books and Faber & Faber’s Piano Adventures. She uses a fun and educational approach while reminding students that daily practice is key to progress. 30 minutes or more of daily practice is recommended and will produce the best results. A more detailed explanation of her specific piano and voice methods is found under The Program tab.

Piano Lessons in Orange County With Janelle

Lesson Locations

Lessons are offered both in my home studio and in students homes pending availability and location.

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Finamore Voice and Piano Lessons - Newport BeachExcellent5.0 Based on 63 reviews fromSee all reviews review us onbryan fanbryan fan ★★★★★ Ms Janelle is such a patient and caring voice teacher! she takes the time to walk you through specific vocal exercises for the style you’re trying to sing in! She taught me so much how to connect my head and chest voice and I’ve improved so much thanks to her, highly recommend!Response from the ownerThank you for your wonderful review, Bryan! We're thrilled to hear that Ms. Janelle has made such a positive impact on your vocal journey. Your recommendation means a lot to us! We look forward to continuing to support your growth in singing. Jessie WardJessie Ward ★★★★★ I have been doing voice lessons with Janelle for just over six months and can’t recommend her enough. I came in wanting to learn basic techniques for indie songs but have now branched out to singing an array of theatre music. Each week we practice vocal therapy, songs we choose together, and always have a great time doing it. I look forward to my lessons with Janelle each week and am so grateful I found her. If you’re looking for voice or piano lessons in Newport Beach, look no further! Thank you so much Janelle.Ashley CostanzaAshley Costanza ★★★★★ My daughter is delighted with her piano and voice lessons. The power, strength and range of her voice have improved while also learning the fundamentals of piano.Response from the ownerThank you so much I enjoy working with Madison! Christine DawoodChristine Dawood ★★★★★ My daughter has been taking piano lessons for few months and she loves Janelle! We tried a few teachers in the past who did not work out but Janelle has been amazing. She is great with children and my daughter looks forward to her lessons every week now. She is also excited to start voice lessons as well. Highly recommend Janelle to anyone looking for piano and voice lessons.Response from the ownerThank you for your wonderful review, Christine! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter is enjoying her piano lessons with Janelle. It’s always rewarding to see students excited about learning. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to continuing this journey with your daughter! Sunshine VibesSunshine Vibes ★★★★★ Janelle works with my 8 year old daughter and travels to our home. She's great with kids and it's super convenient to have her come over. My daughter loves her annual recitals.Response from the ownerThank you for your kind words, Sunshine Vibes! We're thrilled to hear that Janelle is making a positive impact on your daughter's musical journey. It's wonderful that she enjoys her annual recitals. We appreciate your support! Luna LiLuna Li ★★★★★ I've been coming to miss Janelle for voice lessons for a few months and love the classes! She makes lessons fun and I'm learning classical and theater for my play audition at school. Already my pitch and power has improved and I'm learning so many fun songs!Nour AbochamaNour Abochama ★★★★★ I started taking these classes and they have improved my singing ability so much, I am able to sing clear and louder highly recommend these lessons for anyone who wants to sing!Amanda GiokaiAmanda Giokai ★★★★★ My dad found Miss janelle for voice and piano lessons. She has helped me learn the piano chords so that i can sing and play pop songs at the same time. i enjoy attending weekly and my voice has grown in power over the last year. I also feel more confident singing in front of a crowd after performing at her annual church recital!Josh NashJosh Nash ★★★★★ I'm an adult taking piano lessons and Janelle makes the process of learning a new skill a treat. She's easy to talk to, keeps us focused on lessons, and always has great resources for learning between lessons at home. Would highly recommend taking lessons if you're an adult looking to hone your musical skills.Response from the ownerThank you for your kind words and endorsement, Josh! It makes us proud knowing that our efforts to create a comprehensive yet enjoyable learning process don't go unnoticed. We're glad we could assist on your musical journey and we look forward to seeing you progress further. Joelle ChangJoelle Chang ★★★★★ Janelle has been a wonderful piano teacher for my 7 year old twins. They love music and are thrilled to be able to play songs after a couple of short months. She is extremely patient and meets each of them where they are at skill wise. They also love earning the fun prizes for practicing on their own. Would definitely recommend.Response from the ownerThank you for your glowing review, Joelle! We're delighted to hear that Janelle is doing a great job with your twins and that they're enjoying their piano lessons. Your kind words mean a lot to us. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your family! Mark KochMark Koch ★★★★★ Our two sons took piano with Janelle for 13 years in Costa Mesa and had a wonderful experience with her. She was able to keep them motivated and gave them a strong foundation so when they started pursuing higher levels music they were well prepared. She was flexible about days and times to fit our busy schedules as well as able to go to a hybrid in-person/zoom schedule when we needed it. All in all we are glad we chose Janelle to teach my boys piano and have recommended her many times through the years.Response from the ownerThank you for sharing your positive experience with us, Mark! We are thrilled to hear that your sons had a wonderful 13-year journey with us and that they were well-prepared for higher levels of music. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to continuing to provide excellent music education in the future! G JG J ★★★★★ Janielle has been our Piano and voice teacher for 3 years! She has helped my two kids thrive in several musical genres from classical to pop. She keeps the kids interested and passionate about music and they have both excelled under her guidance.Hannah SchullerHannah Schuller ★★★★★ Ms. Janelle is the best! My daughter really loves taking from her. The lessons have made her love piano more than previously.Response from the ownerI enjoy working with Hannah! I look forward to her continued progress! Brady BartoBrady Barto ★★★★★ My kids love her lessons! She teaches them music they love, and she is able to work with our tricky schedules.Response from the ownerThanks so much for the positive feedback, Brady! I'm glad to hear that your kids are enjoying their lessons and that I've been able to accommodate your schedules. It's always a pleasure working with them. Looking forward to their progress and the upcoming recitals! Jessamyn WilkinsonJessamyn Wilkinson ★★★★★ Truly great experience. Janelle teaches my 7-year old piano and she is so patient and has such a wonderful approach to how she teaches. My daughter sincerely loves going to her lessons and I couldn’t be happier with how she has progressed. Highly recommend!Response from the ownerThank you so much! I love seeing her progress! A NikkiA Nikki ★★★★★ I’ve been coming to Janelle for over a year and she was able to help me ‘re-find’ my voice with her extensive knowledge of opera, jazz & pop alongside with aiding me with vocal therapy. Five stars!Travis LawmasterTravis Lawmaster ★★★★★ Before I started lessons with Janelle, I would hear classical and operatic singers at church and elsewhere, and thought to myself, "I would never be able to sing like that." However, after only two months of lessons with Janelle, I am now able to hit notes at a much higher range than ever before, and even add vibrato and dynamics to it. High range and good dynamics were two of my main goals when starting with Janelle, and in just this short time, the exercises she's given me have helped me make incredible progress toward that goal. One good example - Janelle shared with me some very good therapeutic vocal exercises that involve singing through a straw, and other challenging but good exercises that help you control your breathing and strengthen your range. We were working on a song where the chorus required me to sing above my normal comfortable range. So Janelle led me through the therapeutic exercises, then had me sing chorus again right afterward, and like magic, I was able to hit the highest notes with much greater ease, less strain, and even some vibrato. Definitely reach out to Janelle if you want to have an excellent and well-educated teacher to help you sing pop, classical, opera or really any style.Response from the ownerThank you so much to one of my most improved student! Aseil Al ShehailAseil Al Shehail ★★★★★ Miss Janelle teaches my kids piano and they are progressing so well! They learn fun popular songs and highly recommend for all ages!Shatha AliShatha Ali ★★★★★ My 3 kids (13year old, 11 yr old, 8yr old) have been taking piano and voice lessons from Janelle for the past 1 year. Janelle is super organized and sweet. She pays attention to detail and my kids love her. Thanku JanelleResponse from the ownerThank you 🙏 I love working with the kids! Ben LiBen Li ★★★★★ Janelle is an awesome pianist and vocalist, and she's an amazing teacher. She's helped me a lot and I feel like my skills have improved vastly. Thank you, Janelle.Doria YaoDoria Yao ★★★★★ My kid likes her and is very happy to take piano and vocal classes with her every time! Janelle interacts with kids and motivate them quite well. I don’t have to push my kid to practice everyday. She just wants to do it. Janelle really nails it!Sarah OrendorffSarah Orendorff ★★★★★ Janelle is a wonderful pianist and teacher. She takes time to get to know her students and their preferences and style. I have one kid that enjoys jazz, and she nurtures that love, and another that loves pop. She introduces them to multiple genres as well.Marina KahanaMarina Kahana ★★★★★ Janelle is an exceptional music teacher who we would wholeheartedly recommend to any parent looking for vocal lessons for their child. Our 15-year-old has been taking voice lessons with Janelle Finamore for nearly 3 years, and it has been worth every cent. Janelle is a true professional- not only has she helped our child develop her vocal range and projection, but she has given her confidence to successfully audition for solo performances through her school choir! She is a true gem of a teacher. You will not regret choosing her for your child!Response from the ownerThank you for your kind response. I look forward to hearing Many more successful performances!! Drew ColemanDrew Coleman ★★★★★ Janelle is wonderful; both my son (9) and daughter (8) love her! I appreciate her patience and attention to detail. We have been taking lessons for 4 years and it makes me proud to know they are learning music.They are learning not only how to read music from lesson books but also learning fun pop songs to keep them engaged.The time and resources invested in piano lessons has helped build confidence and another way for both to understand the world through music.The piano recitals are really fun too. 😊If you’re lucky enough to hire Janelle (she’s usually booked) then look no further.Thank you,DrewJill YaozJill Yaoz ★★★★★ Janelle is a great piano and voice teacher. My daughter and I have been taking lessons with her for five years now and she has helped us both progress in such a nice way. We tried two other teachers before we found her, and she is by far the best. My daughter also does voice lessons with her and she loves doing the recitals. Janelle is easy going and a professional. I highly recommend using her not only for your children, but for adults as well.HanknadoHanknado ★★★★★ Janelle has been teaching me and my younger brother for about seven years and we have both improved tremendously through her fun through her fun teaching style. If you are looking for someone to get your child into piano the Janelle’s the right teacher for you!Halleigh HillHalleigh Hill ★★★★★ Ms. Janelle has been teaching my daughter Paino and voice lessons for the last 2 years. We have done a combination of in person and online and I am amazed how much my child has learned to read and play music. She is prompt and very reliable. I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to learn.Tre Sara WrightTre Sara Wright ★★★★★ Janelle is patient with teaching our toddler piano and vocal lessons. She’s always prompt on time and is great at communicating. We can’t wait to see him grow his love and understanding of music.Ocean OrtmannOcean Ortmann ★★★★★ My 10 year old son takes voice lessons with Janelle and loves singing pop hits. She focuses on breathing and technique while also making the lessons super fun for him! After going to other voice teachers we chose Janelle as our favorite!Bing DuanBing Duan ★★★★★ My 8 and 5 year old daughters enjoy their piano and voice lessons so much! Every week they cant wait to see Miss Janelle and they even practice by themselves at home which I really appreciate! Janelle has magic to engage the kids and they never get bored. We have tried three teachers and will only stay with Janelle!Jeff SchroederJeff Schroeder ★★★★★ My 4 year old daughter has been working with Janelle for a few months and has already shown significant progress in her music skills.d vd v ★★★★★ My 9 year old daughter and 10 year old son have been taking piano lessons with Janelle for the last 2 1/2 years and she has been wonderful! The kids have learned so much and are now reading music and playing very well. Highly recommend!Gemma HawkinsGemma Hawkins ★★★★★ My five year old daughter just started lessons with Miss Janelle and has already learned so much. She is progressing so quickly and enjoys the weekly in person lessons. We look forward to continuing w Janelle for a long time!!Response from the ownerThanks I look forward to continuing! 🙏😀😀 Leonard WattimenaLeonard Wattimena ★★★★★ My 10 year old daughter is so happy she found miss Janelle. She looks forward to seeing her in person every week. She is a fun and friendly teacher. My daughter is learning how to read music while also playing fun pop songs. She also takes singing with Miss Janelle. She loves the breathing exercises and all the disney and pop hits. Highly recommend Miss Janelle for kids looking to learn new instruments!Cindy DiazCindy Diaz ★★★★★ Wow! This was the best piano lesson experience that my daughter has ever had . Janelle was amazing and patient with my daughter and was able to accommodate our busy schedule with no problem. Highly recommend her and so grateful we met her. My daughter can finally read music on her own and sing along with the piano. Thank you so much for everything!Zoe TZoe T ★★★★★ I have been a student of Janelle for 3 years now. I have improved tremendously. I went from barely even sounding on tune to being able to sing effortlessly with the help of her. My diction and performance also improved greatly. Learning the basics with her helped strengthen my voice and for that I am grateful that I got to be her student. I would really recommend signing up for lessons as it has helped me over the years and can help you or your child too!Aava GhorbanianAava Ghorbanian ★★★★★ My sister an I have been taking piano lessons for two years and we are progressing so much. I’m learning a lot of fun classical pieces and my sister is learning how to learn the notes really well. She is a very kind teacher that has been teaching for a long time and knows what she’s doing.MalikaMalika ★★★★★ I've been taking online voice and piano lessons with Janelle and it's been great so far. I've been using a tripod for the piano, and I've been learning so many fun Disney songs. I've also learned how to read notes and stay on pitch, I really enjoy the lessons and I recommend her to anyone who wants to learn voice or piano!SINGER 11SINGER 11 ★★★★★ she is an amazing teacher and has helped my voice tremendously! the online voice lessons were great, we did pop and musical theater and now i can sing louder and on pitch! she has helped me gain confidence in my singing voice as well! because of her i can and will try out for my school musical the lion king! i recommend her to everyone wishing to learn how to sing and improve their skills!Vanessa DiazVanessa Diaz ★★★★★ She is very punctual. I started as a complete beginner, and in just a short while I've learned to read music better and feel more confident while practicing. She is also very nice and helpful during our lessons.Marcos SotoMarcos Soto ★★★★★ Janelle has been a great piano instructor. I learned to play notes and chords at the same time. She has improved my vocal quality while displaying great patience and persistence with my progress. I highly recommend her.Ashley GoldingAshley Golding ★★★★★ I have just started taking voice lessons two months ago and I can honestly say Janelle is the perfect teacher and accommodates your needs for success. For example, she would sing soft and light for me because I could not go loud without going flat on the notes. In the end, Janelle is the perfect voice teacher along with her honesty and kindness to help you to either get the role you want!Jennifer BrennanJennifer Brennan ★★★★★ Janelle is an excellent teacher. She has been teaching my sons (ages 14 and 11) piano for only 6 months and I am blown away by how good they gotten with her instruction. She knows how to help her students reach their full potential. My kids have learned so much from her.Nathan OstroutNathan Ostrout ★★★★★ Janelle was an awesome singing instructor! She gives clear instructions that are easy to follow and makes every lesson enjoyable. You’ll definitely start seeing improvements if you put in the effort to learn from her and do the daily exercises.Noa UrmanNoa Urman ★★★★★ For the past year I’ve been taking combined voice training and piano lessons by Janelle. Coming to the process as an adult with kids, requires a unique approach and she was able to tailor the lesson to my specific needs and skills as well as my learning style. I enjoyed the weekly lessons which broadened my horizons. Not only did I learn new musical skills but she incorporated technique, theory, and musical background to add more depth and scope to the class.kylie mcdonaldkylie mcdonald ★★★★★ I have been taking lessons with Janelle for 4 years now and she has help me improve tremedously. I started out having trouble with my pitch and power and now I have a wonderfully storng voice and I can sing and play with perfect control over my voice. She is an amazing teacher!Maddie SaltMaddie Salt ★★★★★ My six year old daughter Took lessons with miss Janelle for two years and progressed very well with both piano and voice. She learned fun fast piano pieces and sang Disney and pop songs. Janelle focuses on technique but also makes lessons fun. She is patient and kind and Maddie looked forward to her weekly lessons with Janelle.Lessjohn kjohn k ★★★★★ My daughter was very shy when she started to take piano and voice lessons with Janelle. Over the past couple of years her confidence and music skills have grown tremendously under Janelle's patient teaching. Janelle is a great teacher and is always kind and willing to walk through the basics as well as work through advanced skills. I recommend her without hesitation.Jasmin NgoJasmin Ngo ★★★★★ Miss Janelle has really helped me to improve my piano skills. Since working with her I have moved up in my piano levels. My technique has improved and I have learned to memorize some really fun and fast songs. One thing I never knew was to sing and play piano at same time in front of people. She really focuses on the techniques of things and she teaches you how the voice actually works. I would definitely recommend her.Sabrina MontaseriSabrina Montaseri ★★★★★ For as long as I can remember, I loved playing the piano and singing. I have never met a teacher who’s classes are informative and fun at the same time. I am now much more skilled and my technique is outstanding. Thank you Janelle!Kristi AnconeKristi Ancone ★★★★★ My 13 and 9 year old daughters have been taking piano lessons with Miss Janelle for over five years. They began with the Faber Piano Adventures series which included a multitude of fun pieces, performance selections, as well as, holiday songs. My girls quickly progressed to more advanced arrangements under her tutelage. In addition, my older daughter is playing a collection of challenging, classical pieces, including Moonlight Sonata. Miss Janelle is professional, punctual, caring and patient. She is a pleasure work with and my children love learning from her. For all of these reasons we have valued our relationship with her for over five years and my girls have excelled in their piano skills. I would highly recommend Miss Janelle to anyone looking for piano lessons for their child.Brooklyn McDonaldBrooklyn McDonald ★★★★★ My sister and I have been taking lessons with Janelle for over 3 years. With struggling to find the right piano teacher for years, we finally found a fit for our specific needs. I wouldn't even sing in front of my parents before meeting Janelle. I now play and sing at the same time in front of many audiences including her annual recitals. She is fun and friendly and makes each lesson a week enjoyable.Abigail CooperAbigail Cooper ★★★★★ I have been taking lessons from her for 3+ years. Janelle has a creative approach to teaching me piano. She does not have a cookie cutter approach. She has a lesson plan that keeps me motivated. We learn to play songs I enjoy ranging anywhere from pop radio hits to Broadway. She never has to remind me to practice because I enjoy practicing daily! I am very pleased with her lessons and my progress!Lisa HamLisa Ham ★★★★★ My daughter Savannah loves taking pop vocal and piano lessons with Janelle. Her goal was to sing and play piano at the same time. Janelle taught her pop chords so that she could accompany herself while singing. She also taught her proper singing techniques including breathing and vocal exercises. Janelle makes the lessons fun and my daughter feels comfortable around her. She is also patient and knows when to slow down and fix trouble spots. I am impressed with my daughter's progress.AnabelAnabel ★★★★★ Ms Janelle is a very professional music teacher and her skills and talents will make any student progress. She also strives to make her students do their best and always makes sure they do it correctly. She holds a variety of topics such as piano and vocal both pop and opera. She is also a loving, caring and supportive person. Whenever you need her, you will find her by your side. I love her and am so lucky to have her as my instructor!Chris TanakaChris Tanaka ★★★★★ My 11 year old daughter has been taking lessons with Janelle for over a year and I am very pleased with the progress. Janelle has taught her to sing and play piano at the same time. I am pleased with the fast results! My daughter looks forward to and enjoys her lessons.Val TitoVal Tito ★★★★★ Janelle is an excellent vocal instructor and she has been working with me for over a year. Janelle has helped me progress tremendously with power, control of my voice and now I am able to sing songs that I have always wanted to sing correctly such as "You're My Everything" my Santa Esmerelda. I can now sing this song with confidence and am no longer worried of my voice breaking at the high point. I was actually singing the song one octave higher than the original key and I am still doing it well!Val TitoVal Tito ★★★★★ Janelle has helped me progress tremendously with power, control of my voice and now I am able to sing songs that I have always wanted to sing correctly such as "You're My Everything" my Santa Esmerelda. I can now sing this song with confidence and am no longer worried of my voice breaking at the high point.Krista OdonoKrista Odono ★★★★★ Janelle is an amazing teacher to my nephew! He has improved his piano skills over the last month and we are very happy to see his progression continue to grow.Brenda LabahnBrenda Labahn ★★★★★ Janelle is an amazing piano teacher always accommodating herself to our busy lifestyles. Our son looks forward to working with fun Ms. Janelle. His homework is age appropriate and engaging. He is learning fast and responding well to the techniques, strategies and curriculum that his teacher recommends.Hsinyi Sarah ChanHsinyi Sarah Chan ★★★★★ Janelle is a great piano and voice teacher. My 7-yr-old boy enjoys her class and always can't wait to meet her to learn new things. She is extremely patient and knowledgeable. I am very glad that we have found her.Krista OdonoKrista Odono ★★★★★ Ever since my lessons with Janelle i'm happy to say my voice has gotten a lot better. Throughout my Voice lessons she has taught me proper breathing that has lead to a whole new style of singing.I have joined my churches choir and have enjoyed singing and traveling. Don't think i would have made it here if it wasn't for the Voice Lessons 🙂Frank PerezFrank Perez ★★★★★ So my nephew has had a passion for playing musical instruments and just started playing piano and i thought i would get him a few lessons with Janelle for his birthday.After a few lessons i immediately saw a huge change in his finger work and what used to be difficult songs to play he eases on through them.Finamore Voice and Piano Lessons has taught my little nephew not only how to play better but also taught him how to have patience when learning new music. Thanks!js_loader

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