Holly O’Hair

Piano and Voice Teacher

I started piano lessons when I was seven years old, after begging my parents for two years, and studied classically until the age of 14. However, when I saw the Broadway tour production of Annie at the Schubert Theatre in Los Angeles on my 12th birthday, a whole new world opened up. I’d never seen anything so magical! I continued piano for a couple more years before shifting my focus fully to Musical Theatre. I chose Theatre as my college major but then I started feeling like it wasn’t something I would be able to make a living at, so I changed to Music. Ha! As if that’s any better of a lucrative career choice. I became a Vocal Major at Cal State University, Los Angeles. My Sophomore year, I was in a vocal trio performing the music of Harry Warren, Al Dubin, and Jimmy McHugh as a thank-you to their families for donating their music libraries to the university and was granted a full scholarship. Since my college days, I’ve performed and recorded all over California and studied under some highly regarded voice teachers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. My base is classical and musical theatre with an emphasis on performance, but I love singing a variety of genres. The piano bought for me at age 14 sits prominently in my living room now helping others learn music. It has gone from being behind the scenes of my musical career to the “Star of the Show.”

Four years ago, my husband and I moved to Woodstock, Illinois and took on the adventure of restoring a 150-year-old farmhouse, complete with perennial and rose gardens on ten acres, that we call Forever Farm. We have two dogs (a Cavalier King Charles named Olive and a silly Labradoodle named Bear), and two cats (crazy Max and sweet Penny). But life is never complete for me without music. I began working at a local music studio and just shy of two years and surviving a challenging year of all-virtual lessons, I stepped out on my own. It’s a dream come true to share my knowledge, experience, and love of music with my community.

I can’t wait to get to know you and have the opportunity to be a part of your musical journey.