Bite-sized inspiration #1:

The days when families sang together around the piano don’t have to be over.

You took lessons as a kid.

You remember being bored and frustrated.

Eventually, your parents let you quit.

…and you’ve regretted quitting ever since.

Now, you either want to return to lessons yourself, or you want to give your kid an experience of music that’s joyful, creative, and long-term.

I can help you with that.

I’m Melissa, and I’m passionate about nurturing lifelong musicians in a creative, supportive, and empowering environment.

With my 29 years of musical training, 11 years of teaching experience, and two music degrees, my credentials are the real deal.

…but that’s not all I’m known for!

I can help you with that.

I’m Melissa, and I’m passionate about nurturing lifelong musicians in a creative, supportive, and empowering environment.

With my 29 years of musical training, 11 years of teaching experience, and two music degrees, my credentials are the real deal.

…but that’s not all I’m known for!

Worried your kid’s teacher won’t really know how to connect with kids? Or that lessons won’t be fun?

You’re not alone. I’m here to put your mind at ease!

Or, if you’re an adult student, you’re probably battling massive insecurities around learning music. I get it! Helping you get through your fear, stage fright, and self-doubt is an important part of my job.

Worried your kid’s teacher won’t really know how to connect with kids? Or that lessons won’t be fun?

You’re not alone. I’m here to put your mind at ease!

Or, if you’re an adult student, you’re probably battling massive insecurities around learning music. I get it! Helping you get through your fear, stage fright, and self-doubt is an important part of my job.

I want lessons to be a collaborative experience. You want your child to have a lifelong skill that will give them happiness, connection, and comfort for decades to come. That’s what I want, too! Partnering with parents like you gives my work passion and purpose.

So who is this lady, anyway?

Well, let’s start at the very beginning. (A very good place to start…)

(And if you sang that in your head, you’re DEFINITELY my people!)

When I was in 8th grade, my school did The Music Man, and I was chosen as the “assistant music director.” My main responsibility was helping the girl they cast as Winthrop learn “Gary, Indiana,” even though she appeared to be tone deaf. Every day after school, while the teachers were blocking the show and working with the leads, they would send me off to the music room to work with Winthrop.

Did it work? Mostly! In the end, she probably sang about two thirds of it in tune. Given that she couldn’t match pitch at all when we started, I count that as a victory. Now, twenty years later, I can look back on that experience as my first attempt at teaching voice. And although I did very well for an 8th grader, I still had a lot to learn…

Fast forward ten years, hundreds of voice and piano lessons, a Bachelor’s and Master’s in music, and countless hours of practice later…

I opened my first music studio in a little cottage in Indianapolis, Indiana. A couple years after that, I moved here to Silver Spring with my husband and started Melissa McMahan Music Studio as it exists today.

Oh, and for what it’s worth?

If a seemingly tone deaf 8th grader comes to me tomorrow, needing help with “Gary, Indiana”? I’ll be able to help her sing the whole thing in tune this time.