Melyssa Rice has
been teaching singing since 1992. A graduate of St. Olaf College, she studied classical singing with
Janis Hardy, Thomasa Eckert, Awilda Verdejo, Erich Parce, and Larry Weller, and at the VocalArts Northwest opera program.
She has performed as a soloist with Kitsap Opera, Puget Sound Opera, Seattle Comic Opera, VocalArts Northwest, Hildman String Orchestra, CORO! and Northwest Chorale;
as a chorister with Seattle Opera and regional opera companies in Seattle; and as a concert soloist in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Alaska.
As a teacher, Melyssa specializes in projection; vocal health; laryngeal relaxation;
communicating difficult concepts with enthusiasm and humor; and applying classical vocal technique to all genres:
opera, classical, jazz, R&B, gospel, rock, heavy metal, pop, swing, funk, folk, alternative and musical theatre.
Please visit the Voice Studio of Melyssa Rice page on Facebook to read about her students' most recent accomplishments.
While living in Seattle, Melyssa was a faculty member at Seattle Central Community College, South Seattle Community College, Shoreline Community College,
Bellevue Community College and The Music Center of the Northwest before relocating to the Midwest. In June 2007, Melyssa reopened her voice studio
in Prescott, Wisconsin (near the MN/WI border). She also taught singing for The Hastings Arts Center in Hastings, Minnesota from 2015 to 2023.
Currently, Melyssa is voice faculty at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota, and operates her private voice studio
in both Faribault and Hastings. She is accepting new students until her schedule is full.