Singing lessons Little Italy
Looking for singing lessons in Little Italy? Express Voice Studio offers singing lessons in Montreal with working artists, and our Little Italy teacher Alisha Ruiss is a musical theatre soprano praised by the Montreal Gazette for her "heartfelt belter's voice". Lessons are private, and you only buy the lessons you need.
Alisha teaches in English and French, a few minutes from Jean-Talon Market, in person by appointment only or online. She works with beginners, singing actors and singers preparing for auditions, in musical theatre, pop, classical and swing.
HOW ITWORKS
Choose your artist. Book on your schedule. Buy only what you need — no subscriptions, no pressure.
Singing Teacher
Alisha Ruiss
English & FrenchAges 12+Musical TheatrePop & Classical
Rates
Start LessonsLessons90 CAD / 60 min
68 CAD / 45 min
48 CAD / 30 min
Pro artists & full-time students85 CAD / 60 min
64 CAD / 45 min
45 CAD / 30 min
Location: Little Italy Studio, near Jean-Talon metro · In person by appointment only, or online
Lessons with Alisha
01
Singing Lessons for All Levels
Whether you're just starting to explore your voice or you've been performing for years, our singing lessons are built to meet you where you're at. Beginners learn solid, healthy technique from day one—no prior experience needed. Artists and advanced singers come to refine their sound, fix nagging issues, or get tour-ready with stamina-focused training. Every session is customized to your voice and goals, with flexible scheduling that allows for both regular coaching and drop-in tune-ups when needed.
02
Dramatic Coaching
Level up your skills as a singing actor. Great singing is about more than just hitting the right notes — it’s about storytelling, emotion, and stage presence. Whether you’re preparing for an opera or musical theatre role, an audition, or you simply want to make a deeper connection with your audience, dramatic coaching will help you to immerse yourself fully in the music and captivate your listeners. You will learn to about character preparation, interpretation of text and subtext, acting and stage techniques for singers, expressive movement and body language, stage presence, and confidence-building techniques.
03
Audition Prep
Preparing for an audition? We’ve got you covered. These sessions focus on performance confidence, vocal polish, and authentic delivery—so you can walk in with a clear plan and stand out. Whether you’re auditioning for a musical, a band, or a conservatory program, we’ll help you choose the right material, shape your interpretation, and fine-tune your technique under pressure. Many students book a few targeted sessions in the weeks leading up to their audition to feel focused, prepped, and ready to go.
Your first lesson with Alisha
01
What happens in the first lesson
I make sure you’ve read the voice studio policy and give you access to my bank of exercises to use at home. I ask about your hopes for the lessons or your personal goals, if we haven’t already talked about them on the phone. Then I take you through a warm-up and explain what each exercise is for. While we do this, I get an idea of how you learn and explain what I’m listening for: a free, balanced sound.
02
What to bring
Bring sheet music, or at least some ideas about what you want to sing. We often don’t get to a song in the first lesson, so if you aren’t sure yet what you want to work on, that’s fine.
03
Who I work best with
I specialize in musical theatre and really enjoy working with actors, both professional and amateur, and with church singers, but I work well with all kinds of people. I feel most knowledgeable about the female voice and take students aged 12 and up. Beginners are welcome, and so are people who take lessons for purely therapeutic reasons. I like having a balance between students who are actively auditioning and students who sing just for fun.
04
A typical lesson
Half of the lesson is technique and the other half is working on your pieces. If you’d like the lesson to be more of a coaching session, where we work only on the piece, I ask that you arrive warmed up, having done your exercises on your own, so we get the most out of our time.
Watch Alisha
Alisha Ruiss, a high soprano known largely for her “heartfelt belter’s voice” (Montreal Gazette) has numerous enthusiastic reviews to her name. Her singing has been described as “rich and expressive” (Broadway World.com), and her performances as “Broadway calibre” (Les Misérables, Daniel Ouimet, Info Culture; Cabaret, Nathalie Katinakis, Musical Avenue.fr)
Originally from southwestern Ontario, Alisha graduated from the classical Voice Performance program at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, where she studied with the late Winston Purdy, and where continues to study with Elizabeth Koch. She has also taken lessons with Susan Eichhorn Young (New York Broadway coach), and attended several acting workshops with the beloved late Jacqueline McClintock, eventually furthering her study of Meisner technique in the Neighborhood Playhouse summer program in New York City.
Most of her performance life has been concentrated in musical theatre. More recently, she has focused her attention on writing and composing. Along with renowned composer Jonathan Monro, she is a proud co-founder of the first musical theatre writers workshop in Montreal, in collaboration with The Canadian Musical Theatre Writers Collective.
Alisha has performed on stages in Toronto (The Rivoli), Montreal (Le Balcon, Segal Centre & the Centaur) & New York (54 Below & Don’t Tell Mama’s), both in book shows and in cabarets that she wrote, produced and directed. Selected stage credits include Gianetta (The Gondoliers), Johanna (Sweeney Todd), Sally Bowles (Cabaret), Ulla (The Producers), Velma (Hairspray), Fantine (Les Mis) and Ms Sherman (Fame, Just For Laughs, Montreal), where she replaced the renowned Québec pop star Marie Denise Pelletier, learning the role in less than 36 hours.
As a teacher, she is known to be personable and patient, intuitive and generous. She looks forward to meeting you!
Lessons for Little Italy students
What you can learn
Singing Lessons
Private singing lessons for adults, teens and kids, from opera and musical theatre to R&B, rock and pop. Work on breath, range and tone with a teacher who performs the style you love.
Explore online singing lessonsSongwriting Lessons
Turn your lyrics, melodies and ideas into finished songs with a working songwriter, in person or online.
Explore songwriting classesMusic Production
Learn to build beats, record and mix your music in a DAW, so you can make your own demos and releases.
Explore music production lessonsGuitar Lessons & Piano Lessons
Learn guitar or piano to accompany your own voice or to write songs, with musicians who play live.
Explore guitar lessonsExplore piano lessonsGet help finding the best singing teacher for your needs.
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Tell us what you're looking for and we'll help guide you to the best teacher for your needs. Someone will get back to you within 1 business day.
Do you offer singing lessons in Little Italy?
Yes, Express Voice Studio offers singing lessons in Little Italy with Alisha Ruiss, a musical theatre soprano who teaches in person at our Little Italy Studio by appointment only, or online.
How much are singing lessons in Little Italy?
Singing lessons in Little Italy cost 90 CAD for 60 minutes, 68 CAD for 45 minutes and 48 CAD for 30 minutes. Professional artists and full-time CEGEP, college or university students pay 85, 64 or 45 CAD.
Can I take singing lessons in French in Little Italy?
Yes, you can take singing lessons in French in Little Italy. Alisha Ruiss teaches in English and French.
Can I get help preparing for a musical theatre audition in Little Italy?
Yes, you can prepare for a musical theatre audition in Little Italy with Alisha, who has performed in shows like Les Misérables and Cabaret. Sessions cover your songs, your acting and your confidence in the room.
What age can you start singing lessons in Little Italy?
Kids can start singing lessons in Little Italy from age 12 with Alisha Ruiss, and adults of every level are welcome.
Singing lessons in Little Italy
Little Italy, Montreal
Little Italy is the neighbourhood around Jean-Talon Market, between the Plateau and Villeray. Our Little Italy teacher teaches in person by appointment and online.
Getting here by transit
- Jean-Talon station on the Orange and Blue lines
- De Castelnau station on the Blue line
- The 55 Saint-Laurent and 372 Jean-Talon buses
Landmarks nearby
- Jean-Talon Market
- Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense
- Parc Dante
Nearby areas we also serve
- Villeray
- Mile-Ex
- Rosemont
- Plateau Mont-Royal
Where lessons happen
Little Italy StudioNear Jean-Talon metroDirections
All in-person lessons are by appointment only. You'll get the exact studio details when you book. Questions? Call 438-722-9234.
Alex Nicol
Jordanne was exceptional - I can't recommend her work enough to anyone seeking to improve their vocal technique and/or strength. She takes a full-body approach to singing, based on her training in Alexander Technique, which in my case meant connecting my posture to tension across my whole body. With Jordanne's guidance I was able to go from singing with tension and strain to singing with fluidity and support, all within a very short period of time. The newfound confidence I have in my voice is life-changing!
Recording Artist
Tara
Robert is the best voice teacher I've ever had. In addition to having an amazing voice and range (helpful when I need to hear the notes back) he's incredibly supportive and fun to work with. I've improved my voice drastically and he really helped me through learning to belt and riff! Thank you Robert!!
Rebecca
I absolutely LOVE Ocean. I started singing last May and I was super nervous about it. Singing is extremely personal and vulnerable, and for me it’s been so hard to feel comfortable enough to go to lessons because of how insecure I am about my voice. Once I summoned the courage to finally take lessons, I have to say that Ocean really went above and beyond to ensure I felt comfortable and safe.
Laurena Mayifuila Mayowele
Jordanne is great teacher! For the first time I contact her, I am very pleased. She took the time to truly understand what I needed. And, the first time I met her she made me feel so comfortable that I felt at ease to express myself. She made me do some exercise to see what my blocage was. Then gave me a routine, which is exactly what I needed. It have been only 3 courses but I can experience the change and improvement. And not only in singing and piano. I wasn’t aware of all the tension I use to have in my body. Now that I am conscious of that, I am able to relax my body and feel a deep connection.
Samantha Timmons
I did my first lesson with Jordie last week. She is very patient and has a lot of knowledge on vocal training. She made me see things from a different light in just one session! Her knowledge is impeccable. I’m looking forward to working on my voice with her! I already feel improvement in just a week. Truly recommend her.
