Testimonials
"Each holiday season, I look forward to making music with Elizabeth Hunter Ashley, during our annual collaborations in San Ramon, where she performs the soprano solos for the Messiah. Elizabeth is a singer and musician of the highest caliber, whose performances are both inspired and inspiring. Audiences are not only engaged, but spellbound by her artistry."
Dr. Timothy Smith
Music Director/Conductor, Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra
Professor Emeritus, CSU East Bay/CSU Sacramento
Lecturer in Music, Saint Mary's College of California
“Elizabeth Hunter Ashley is one of the finest musicians that I have had the opportunity to work with and for. She is a consummate professional who knows her literature and understands how to teach music. She is well educated in all genres of music including Musical Theater, Jazz, Classical to Opera. She is delightful to work with in both rehearsal and performance.”
Cheryl Yee Glass,
Musical Director, Diablo Theatre Company
Past President
The California Music Educators Association
Elizabeth Hunter Ashley is a consummate singer, performer and teacher. She has been the featured
singer with the Danville Community Band on several occasions and was always the highlight of the
concert.She is a pleasure to work with in rehearsals and the band enjoyed her great musicianship and friendly
out going personality.I would highly recommend her to any group or person wanting a gifted singer for almost any occasion.
Lawrence E. Anderson, Ph.D. Director of Bands and Supervisor of Teacher Education in Music, emeritus,
University of California, Davis and Founding Director, Danville Community Band
What a great pleasure it is for me to recommend Elizabeth Hunter Ashley to you! Her care in preparation for her engagements is evident from the first moment she appears on stage. Every moment inspires audience and orchestra to enthusiastically respond. Her versatility as an artist rings forth in all her efforts. Whether Opera, Cantata, Oratorio, or Art Song...Elizabeth is a master...I recommend her to you whole-heartedly.
Stephen J. Ramsey, Music Director/Conductor, Austin Symphony Orchestra (MN)
“To this day, I am in awe of what Elizabeth contributed to my musical, “The Curé of Ars” at Studio 880. We recorded the score and made a beautiful CD. Elizabeth worked with our hectic schedule and she was at home in the studio. Her energy was contagious and she had a calming effect on everyone. That is a unique set of attributes in any field.
Elizabeth is enthusiastic, reliable, fun to work with, but most of all - she is professional and a perfectionist. She has a beautiful family, and she is one of those blessed people who is an example of what it means to be a “Child of God”.
Dr. John W. Vitz,
Composer/Producer, Angelus Music
Elizabeth Hunter Ashley is a superb teacher. I have observed her work conducting my choristers for over 14 years and all of her students have progressed beautifully. Her insightful teaching centers around healthy technique taught in a systematic way with the whole student's well-being in mind. Her students perform with both dramatic flair and freedom of production.
Dr. Susan McMane
Artistic Director, Young Women's Choral Projects of San Francisco
Elizabeth Hunter Ashley worked for the San Francisco Girls Chorus for many years as a vocal instructor to Choristers aged 10-18 years. In that time she provided extraordinary expertise in the field of vocal pedagogy. Her practical knowledge and skill allowed choristers to develop a healthy vocal technique and consistency in their singing abilities. She was enthusiastic, thorough, conscientious and worked with competence, clear perspective, and great attention to detail.
Elizabeth Avakian
School Director and Conductor, San Francisco Girls School
Elizabeth has been working with my singers at San Ramon Valley HS for year. She has done an outstanding job - especially with the developing soprano voice. My students find her engaging and knowledgable as well as varied in her repertoire.
Ken Abrams
Conductor, San Ramon Valley High School Choirs
Elizabeth Hunter Ashley is certainly one of the premiere voice teachers and performers in the Danville/San Ramon area. Many of my finest singers at Monte Vista High have studied with her over the years, all with glowing recommendations. Her students universally love her! She is extremely knowledgable in both pedagogy and repertoire, is endlessly patient and nurturing and is able to work with singers using a variety of musical styles from classical to musical theater. I have referred potential students to Elizabeth for many years and am thrilled to continue to do so.
Bruce Koliha, Retired choral director, Monte Vista High, Danville
Elizabeth was my very first private voice teacher, and through the many years I spent studying with her, she has become much, much more. The musical technique and performance etiquette Elizabeth instilled in me as a young girl was fundamental to my success, not only in the field of performing arts, but in all of my life endeavors. After receiving a Bachelor's degree in Music from Cal Poly SLO, I recently returned to Elizabeth's voice studio in order to further develop my voice and skills as a young performing artist. The mentorship Elizabeth offers in her voice studio, as well as her breadth of musical knowledge and expert artistry, ensure the success of every one of her students, no matter what their future aspirations. Even after all of these years, I still appreciate all that Elizabeth has to teach and offer, as my voice teacher, mentor, and dear friend.
Claire Mackenzie- current graduate student
Ms. Elizabeth Ashley Hunter is my daughter's vocal teacher who is highly recommended by our favorite piano teacher Nadia Blank. We tried a few vocal teachers before Ms. Hunter, no one compares to Ms. Hunter. My daughter loves her and her music lessons from the very first time she met her. Ms. Hunter is a very experienced professional vocal teacher; my daughter feels that she improves after every class. Ms. Hunter always emphasizes to my daughter not to strain her voice, and at same time she works with my daughter on her range in a very relaxed but very effective way. Ms. Hunter is a very positive person; she knows how to work with teenagers very well. My daughter is always happy taking her classes with Ms. Hunter and looks forward to her class. I enjoy listen to Ms. Hunter giving lessons to my daughter outside of her studio. It gives me such a peaceful feeling.
Mrs. Liu - Mother of current middle school student
"Working with Elizabeth for the past six years has helped me so much in improving my technique and becoming a more confident soloist."
Sophia Freisenhahn
Singer from Young Woman Choral Project and former member of San Francisco Girls Chorus of San Francisco
Our daughter has been a student of Elizabeth's since she was in sixth grade, and soon will be graduating from high school. Elizabeth has not only excelled in her teaching of vocal technique, but she has helped our daughter develop strong musicianship and a deep appreciation of music and musical styles. Elizabeth's teaching style is always very caring and supportive. Elizabeth offered valuable counsel to our daughter as she prepared for college music auditions, and we feel that our daughter's success in being accepted to her choice of schools can be attributed in great part to Elizabeth's influence. We feel fortunate to have discovered Elizabeth so many years ago!
Terri Cable
My daughter Jamie has been taking lessons from Mrs. Ashley for a year now. Mrs. Ashley’s coaching has not only given Jamie a foundation of excellent technique, but also a greater confidence in her abilities and herself.
Karen W. Madsen
Elizabeth has been my teacher, mentor and friend for three years. I have learned so much about my own abilities as a solo and choral performer. Elizabeth has given me the independence to establish my musical footprint and to perform at the highest level of musicality.
Alyssa Tsuyuki
Singer from Young Women’s Choral Projects of San Francisco