Kristy Bissell is the Founder and Lead Voice Teacher of Troubadour Music Studio. She specializes in Contemporary Commercial Music styles including Pop, Rock, Musical Theatre, R&B, Folk, and Country. Kristy holds a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy with a focus in Contemporary Commercial Music from Shenandoah University and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Theatre with a Voice Minor from Seton Hill University. She is a graduate of the CCM Institute, where she completed certification in Somatic Voicework™ under the direction of Jeannette LoVetri. A proud member of Actors' Equity Association, Kristy has performed in regional theatre and touring productions. Favorite roles include Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Sally in Cabaret, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Miss Nelson/Viola Swamp in Miss Nelson Is Missing. As a soloist, her stylistic range spans pop, folk, bluegrass, rock, country, and R&B. At the heart of Kristy’s teaching is the belief that every voice deserves thoughtful, individualized care. She combines performance experience, vocal science, anatomy-based training, and functional pedagogy to help singers build healthy technique and artistic confidence. More than developing skilled vocalists, Kristy is devoted to helping students feel grounded, expressive, and at home in their own sound. At Troubadour Music Studio, growth is not about perfection — it’s about honesty, resilience, and discovering a voice that feels fully your own.

Cat is one of our new instructors and what a great person for us to have with us.  Cat Evers first started writing music as a young girl growing up in Malibu, California. Her unconventional youth culminated in a devoted relationship to music through lyrics and melodies. Piecing together bits of alt-R&B, Pop, and Rock, she forms a cross-genre experience driven by story, using her voice as an evocative vessel of reflection. Having graduated with a BFA in Vocal Performance and a BA Literary Studies at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, she has also played her original music at local New York venues such as Nublu and The Sultan Room.  
     When she’s not writing music, she is in the control room working as the recording engineer on other artist’s projects. She finds inspiration in the alchemy of musical narratives, whether it be her own, or the voices of others. Cat is currently based in Brooklyn, New York, where she also co-owns a rehearsal and recording space, Liquid Sounds NYC.

Meredith is one of our exclusive online teachers.  Meredith grew up immersed in the music industry. Her father, Milton Sincoff, served as Senior Vice President at Arista Records, giving her early exposure to the inner workings of the music business. During college, she worked at Elektra Records and later held positions at The Hit Factory, Absolute Audio Mastering Studio, and as a talent buyer booking venues throughout New York City. Her love of music began in childhood at the piano and developed into a lifelong passion for creating and sharing music with others. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and continued her studies at The Juilliard School Extension Division, focusing on classical composition and music theory. She began her teaching career as a certified Music Together educator, specializing in developing musical competence in young children. Throughout her career, she has studied with respected industry leaders including Tom Jackson, Renee Grant-Williams, and Pat Pattison. She later expanded into music production and Ableton Live, studying through Berklee College of Music and with Laura Escude of Electronic Creatives. After discovering a love for private instruction while substituting for piano and voice lessons in New York City, she was quickly brought on as a faculty member. She later relocated to Taos, where she taught in the Taos High after-school music program, the Taos Youth Music School, and maintained a thriving private studio. Upon moving to Nashville, she taught at Simon-Ripleys Music before opening her own teaching practice on Music Row in 2012. She also spent several years teaching at World Music Nashville. As an independent recording artist, she has released two award-winning indie pop albums and an instrumental record for yoga and relaxation. Prior to settling in Nashville, she spent a decade performing live throughout New York City and across the United States, presenting both blues and original piano-driven alternative pop. As a Nashville songwriter, she served on the Board of Tennessee Songwriters Association International, receiving multiple honors including Song of the Year. In 2023, she was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to the songwriting community. In addition to her music career, she is a certified yoga instructor. Her training provides a nuanced understanding of the connection between voice, body, and mind, equipping artists with tools to release tension, overcome creative blocks, and expand expressive capacity. Her integrative approach supports both vocal development and confident performance.

Patrice Foster is currently the Acting Professor at Emory & Henry University and teaches all levels of Acting, Stage Voice and Stage Movement. She is a Public Speaking Coach, DEI facilitator and a member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. Patrice is an Actor, Director and Educator originally from Wilmington, DE. Previously, she worked in Chicago, IL focusing on new play development and devised work. Collaborating with such companies as Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Collaboraction, Theatre Unspeakable and The Waltzing Mechanics. Recently, she co-founded a small devised theatre company called The Only Human Theatre Collective. Patrice has also directed and performed in St. Louis, MO where she was nominated for best supporting actress in a drama two years in a row by Broadway World Regional Awards St. Louis. She has worked with numerous professional, educational and community venues around the country such as Barter Theatre, North Carolina Stage Company, The Magnetic Theatre, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Stray Dog Theatre, Rebel and Misfits, Mustard Seed Theatre, St. Louis Actors’ Studio and Kirkwood Theatre Guild.

Jose is a guitarist, and saxophonist originally from New York City. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he has worn many hats throughout his career as a teacher and a musician. As a young child, Jose developed an early appreciation for the classic rock music that his father would listen to all the time. An appreciation that has since expanded to include many of the genres that are popular today, such as rock, pop, country, jazz, latin, with a spot spot for the emo and pop punk music of the 2000’s. This appreciation would lead to a deep desire to play the guitar, though the first instrument he picked up wound up being something completely different. Jose picked up his first instrument, the saxophone at 10 years old and wouldn’t actually get his first guitar until he was 15 years old. Once he did, he couldn’t put it down. Throughout high school and college, he explored the many different facets and genres of music that college, New York City and the combination of saxophone and guitar had to offer. Eventually, Jose would graduate from Hunter College with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance. Since then, Jose has performed across many different genres and in many different environments. Jose has been a part of rock bands, jazz ensembles/combos, big bands, cover bands and has also performed for promotional events across the metro area. He also regularly plays guitar for music classes in NYC geared towards building musical appreciation and motor skills in very young children, some as young as 2 months old. In addition, he offers guitar, saxophone and ukulele lessons to students across NYC. Jose also wrote, arranged and produced music during his time in a rock band and has a deep desire to dive back into songwriting and production one day. It is this passion and appreciation that carries over into Jose’s work and approach as a teacher. Jose knows firsthand just how important it is for students to have a teacher that is understanding, flexible and can push them to grow and become the best musician and person they can be. At the same time, Jose also understands that every student’s goals can vary greatly and he prides himself on his ability to adapt to every student’s needs, ensuring that every student feels comfortable and has an environment in which they can grow either at their own pace, or at a pace that excites and accelerates them. Whether it’s a very young child learning their first instrument or a parent discovering or rediscovering a musical instrument, Jose is eager and ready to help with lesson plans and curriculums that pull from many different facets of music education, but also reference students’ favorite music to create an experience that is unique to them and their tastes.

Dylan Spiro is a New York City-based drummer and member of indie rock band The Backfires. He has been playing drums since the age of 12 and has performed at venues and festivals throughout New York City and across the country. With The Backfires, Dylan has toured extensively, including headlining North American tours and performing at major festivals such as Governors Ball. He has also performed at Lincoln Center and with a variety of artists and musical projects. Dylan brings his experience as a professional touring and recording musician into his teaching, helping students develop their skills while encouraging creativity, confidence, and a love of music.

Full Bio Coming Soon!