Davin Youngs Voice Lessons

Alison is a GREAT teacher and the classes are fun! When I signed up for the classes I never imagined how quickly I would be able to pick up a guitar and just play. Thank you so much!!!

I work with Alison and she’s amazing. She’s not only my vocal coach, she’s one of my favorite people. She’s a phenomenal singer, she’s genuine, patient, supportive, kind and every other amazing quality. If you enjoy singing in your car, jamming out in the shower and you have just a little bit of interest in refining your voice i HIGHLY recommend Alison. Like someone else said «Davin’s is the place to go!»

Missy is a such a talented, caring and invested vocal instructor. I am so glad to have found her– it’s surprisingly hard to locate a voice teacher in the Chicagoland area who you really believe in, and she’s the real deal! Davin’s is the place to go!

I love love love working with Missy Wise! I have worked with two other vocal teachers in years past and I feel like I’ve made more progress with Missy in the past year than I have before. I also have a much better understanding of some «bad» habits I’ve developed throughout the years. Missy is great at meeting you where you are, figuring out how best to work with your voice, and provides great feedback. The studio space is great and I love that it’s located in the Fine Arts Building. If you’re looking for a place to really work on your vocal instrument whether for fun or professionally look no further than here!

Davin is beyond amazing. I’ve been singing for years but haven’t taken classes in a long time and I’m always weary about vocal coaches. However, the minute you walk into Davin’s studio, it is like seeing an old friend. It is warm and welcoming and Davin is insightful, knowledgeable and encouraging. After 2 sessions, I started hearing notes I didn’t know I could reach. As Davin would say «it’s always been there, you just haven’t exercised it.» I adore Davin and I had the pleasure of meeting Missy and both are excellent. They know what they are doing, and they care deeply about helping you achieve your goals. Wonderful all around!

I give Davin and Missy at Davin Youngs Voice my highest recommendation. I am a singer/​songwriter, and took a couple of voice lessons with Davin, which were great, and then he referred me to Missy, who has a lot of singer/​songwriter experience. It’s clear he’s secure enough in his own teaching, to do what’s best for the client. Much appreciated.
Missy Wise is wonderful. She has helped me reduce neck tension, increase voice flexibility, and work the dynamics of my songs. I’ve taught many classes/​workshop, et al in my day, as well as studied with master teachers in multiple disciplines, and my experience is that Missy is a natural teacher.
Singing is becoming easier for me, and they make it easy for me to grow as an artist, both encouraging me to ask more of myself, all the while allowing growth to be organic and on my time.
I’ve been here a year, and look forward to continuing my singing journey with Davin Youngs Voice.

A year later and still five stars! I don’t think I can talk positively enough about Davin, but this review isn’t about that — if you want to read all the sappy emotional voice teacher love that I have for him, go to my last review.
However, since I started taking lessons with him, Davin’s business has grown a TON, to the point where he’s brought on another coach named Missy. To some degree, I liked Missy immediately simply because we share a name and I’m ridiculous and 4 years old. That said, I’ve taken voice lessons with her since she’s come on, and she is SO. GREAT. She brought an awesome new perspective that really helped me to break through some of the emoting issues I was continually having with Davin, and from the very first time I talked to her, I felt at ease and not shy about singing at all, which is huge. It would probably behoove me a great deal to take some more classes with her, because she has a different teaching style than Davin which is equally effective, and it’s awesome to find new ways to reach or improve upon the same goals with regards to my ~personal vocal journey~ or whatever.
ALSO I SHOULD NOTE — in addition to voice lessons, Davin et al offer various workshops about other aspects of performance, such as monologue delivery and successful auditioning. I took two? I think? workshops with him and Katie, who is another one of his associates, and they were super helpful and really economical. Katie’s a working theatre professional in Chicago, and runs her own theatre company, so she knows what’s up, and I’ve definitely used the stuff I learned in those workshops successfully in subsequent auditions.
SO. Long story short. If you have any fleeting interest whatsoever in singing, you need to take yourself right on down to 410 S Michigan Ave, 5^th Floor, basically any day of the week (but like… make an appointment guys), and talk to ANYONE hanging out in that studio, because they are all terrific. Frankly I’m wary of telling you all about them because it’s gonna be harder for me to schedule class time now.

Davin is great. I found him to be very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. He listens closely and thinks deeply about where you are with your voice, and develops for you a logical and insightful regimen of exercises and techniques to address general and specific issues with your singing, both in and between sessions. He adjusts his approach for you as he perceives changes and improvements over subsequent sessions, identifying and addressing troublespots as they materialize. He continually asks questions to determine how you’re assessing your own progress and where you want to go, showing you how to play to your strengths and helping you to grow.
I was particularly impressed to find that he undertakes continuous personal improvement of his own vocal ability, as well as his academic craft of vocal instruction, bringing interesting relevant examples in from his own recent experiences to illustrate teaching points. Really, this is what this guy does. The atmosphere in his studio is relaxed, bright and cheerful. If you want to know what professional vocal instruction looks like, go to see him.

When I first looked for voice teachers I hit a few bumps but then thank goodness found Davin.
I’ve been working with him for almost a year now and can literally feel and hear the transformation in my voice. I sing as a hobby but have come so far that I can now actually picture myself singing for others not just for myself.
Davin is great about explaining what does and doesn’t work with your voice. He also runs through and changes up exercises depending on where you’re having issues. The setting is also very comfortable and I never feel embarrassed to sing which at first I thought I would be.
I think this is a great place for beginners, professionals, and anyone in between.

Not sure what more can be said other than Davin Youngs is probably the best vocal coach in Chicago. Davin helped provide me with the confidence and technique that is necessary to be a successful singer. He is very encouraging and really knows his stuff. I am honored to have worked with him and I recommend him to everyone

Where do I start? I guess the beginning works as well as anywhere.
I couldn’t sing — notice I said couldn’t). At all. I’d been previously compared to a screeching bobcat, nails on a chalkboard and that shriek-​y sound your fork makes on a porcelain plate. I never thought about singing and wouldn’t dream of ever doing it seriously in front of someone else. I also could not play an instrument. Which is why when I was trying to come up with ideas to propose to my girlfriend I thought, «Hey, let’s learn to play her a song on the guitar and sing it prior to proposing.» I wanted to do something that required work and thoughtfulness and something COMPLETELY out of character for me. So, I came to Unilocal and found Davin.
I first met Davin in December of 2012, I told him my plan and he was incredibly enthusiastic. He made me feel at ease from the moment I started warming-​up my voice. I can’t tell you how difficult that was as I was a complete nervous wreck. Here I am trying to seriously sing in front of someone for the first time. .. ever, and Davin could not have been nicer. I ended up having multiple lessons with Davin and I found him incredibly helpful.
Not only did he help me with singing but he also helped me with arranging my song on the guitar! He had me bring in my guitar for several lessons prior to the big night and his instruction on how to play and sing at the same time was crucial to helping me prepare.
Now, I do not think I am a good singer, or even an okay singer, but the most important and wonderful thing Davin did was instill in me a sense of confidence. He honestly believed I could follow-​through with this plan and as a result he had me believing in it myself. I remember the day before the proposal I had a lesson with Davin where nothing could go right. My guitar playing was horrid and my voice had no strength. I was getting incredibly frustrated — an understatement — and Davin completely calmed me down and helped me relax and to intrinsically understand that I was going do great.
Fast forward about 24 hours and I’m sitting with my fiancé in our hotel suite when I pull out the guitar and absolutely NAIL the song. Guitar playing was perfect and my voice sounded as good as it ever had. The fiancé was absolutely shocked by the performance — in a good way — and said yes. :)
So, TL: DR — Davin is an amazing instructor who cares about his students and playing an integral role in one of the biggest nights of my life. I cannot think of a Unilocal business more worth a 5 star rating than his.

I came to Davin quite shy about singing in public or in front of strangers. So, I was really excited when I saw how patient and friendly (and funny!) Davin was. I always looked forward to my time with him each week and within a few lessons I started to become more confident in my voice. Every time I walked into his studio, I knew I could just let loose and sing. Davin was able to bring my voice outside of my head, while helping me maintain proper technique and vocal health. Regardless of what genre of music you are interested in (classical, pop, folk, etc), I highly recommend Davin.

I was in the audience at a recent master class conducted by Davin. I was impressed with his ability to engage his students and the audience in unique and interesting ways. I was also surprised at how he was able to hear problems and offer simple suggestions that yielded impressive results. As a non-​musician, I found his communication style both easy to understand and sophisticated. You can tell he truly understands the way the body works as an instrument and was able to help his singers use their instrument in better ways.
Based on this class, I would recommend him to both beginning an advanced singers. It seems he has something to offer each!

Davin is an excellent vocal instructor. Professional yet friendly, I felt comfortable working with him right away. I have noticed continued improvements in my voice. He teaches a wide range of ages and experience levels.

Davin has been one of the best vocal instructors that I’ve had. In the year and a half that I’ve been working with him, both my friends and family have seen such a great improvement in my vocal flexibility, range and ease in performance. I’ve been to many instructors in the past, but Davin is one person that makes you feel very comfortable from the beginning so there is never that awkward stage where you feel as though someone is really thinking that you suck halfway through your vocal warm ups. He’s very supportive, honest, and encouraging, and he has no problem helping you sort out your goals in vocal training. I am very lucky to have come across his advertisement, and would highly recommend him for anyone looking to improve their skills.

I’ve been working with Davin for over a year. As an actor who has also attended an arts conservatory and has taken singing lessons over the years, he’s one of the best vocal teachers I’ve worked with. Seeking to improve my talents as a vocalist, I’ve also taken group as well as private lessons at Old Town School of Music. I personally find private lessons to be of much more use than group lessons as it affords much more time to address the technical concerns (bad habits, posture, etc.) that are holding me back.
A satisfying one on one dynamic with a private vocal coach can be much more difficult to find. I’ve had teachers where the lessons don’t seem like they’re building on anything; the «arc» of the lessons seems disconnected. As a private teacher, Davin is the best I’ve worked with. What I like about him is that he will keep on me about my bad habits and he’s not afraid to be direct with his criticism (another peeve I have about some private coaches is that they are afraid to lose you as a client so they tend to sugarcoat things).
Anyhoo, I heartily recommend him as a teacher. I joked with him once that as a starving artist, I have a budget: Rice, Beans and Singing Lessons. And it’s true. Finding your voice as a singer is one of the most satisfying and amazing things you can do and with his help, I’m well on my way. Thanks, dude!

Davin is a long-​time friend and colleague whose teaching ability and artistic talent I have always admired and respected. As a gifted and well-​trained musician himself, he is able to help advance already high-​performing professional vocalists in their development. But I believe Davin also really understands and relates to those of us who are, shall we say, a bit more amateur in our musical pursuits. A perfect blend of serious and accessible, Davin is a great instructor for vocalists at any stage and with any goal.

I have known Davin Youngs personally and musically for over 15 years. Having both sung with and accompanied Davin on the piano countless times, I have always known he was a naturally gifted musician. It was not until later that I learned to see Davin also as an amazing teacher! His confidence and ease while teaching allows the student to learn in a comfortable environment, even when in a very vulnerable moment like awaiting feedback after singing a line. And he knows his stuff! He’s never without something encouraging and constructive to say. And if verbal direction is not your thing, he is equally as effective at demonstrating a quality or style he’s looking for. I would highly recommend Davin to singers at any stage in their musical journey!