Shirley Simpson
Voice & BeginNer Piano
Personalized Voice & Piano Lessons in Nashville, TN
Shirley Simpson is a Nashville-based singer, performer, and music instructor who teaches voice and beginner piano. Her lessons are tailored to each student, with an emphasis on healthy technique, musical confidence, and creating a supportive space to learn and experiment.
About Shirley Simpson
Shirley is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Nashville with a background in performance, vocal instruction, and contemporary music education. She began studying voice at age 13 with Canadian vocal coach Teresa Nocita and later received several first-place awards as a solo singer, along with a scholarship from the Ontario Conservatory of Music. She went on to study at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, where she graduated as a Contemporary Vocal/Performance major.
With more than 15 years of performance experience, Shirley has worked across country, rock, pop, jazz, and musical theatre. Her own musical roots are especially grounded in country, with artists such as Patty Griffin, Jo Dee Messina, and Patsy Cline helping shape her approach to singing and songwriting. Her experience includes solo performance, full-band settings, and collaborative work with other musicians.
Alongside performing, Shirley has spent close to 10 years teaching students of different ages and experience levels in both Canada and the United States. She brings that combination of formal training, live performance experience, and teaching experience into lessons designed around each student’s goals, interests, and musical development.
What Shirley Teaches
Shirley works with students who want to develop their voice or build a strong foundation at the piano. Lessons are shaped around each student’s goals, experience, and musical interests, with an emphasis on practical skills they can continue building on over time.
Voice Lessons
Build a stronger, more balanced voice while developing the technique and confidence to sing the music you want to sing. Shirley works with students on healthy vocal production, breath control, vocal coordination, and artistic expression across styles including country, rock, pop, jazz, and musical theatre.
Explore Voice Lessons →
Beginner Piano Lessons
Build a practical foundation in piano through playing, reading, and learning music that keeps you engaged. Shirley works with beginning pianists to develop fundamental skills at a comfortable pace while incorporating the styles and music they’re interested in.
Explore Piano Lessons →
A Supportive, Individualized Approach
Shirley believes students learn best when they have room to experiment, make mistakes, ask questions, and develop their own sound without feeling judged.
Rather than using the same lesson plan for everyone, she considers each student’s interests, experience, challenges, and goals. Vocal students work toward a strong, balanced foundation while exploring the sounds and styles they want to sing. Beginner piano students build fundamental playing and reading skills while working with music that keeps the instrument fun and engaging.
For singers in particular, Shirley understands how tension, coordination, and confidence can get in the way. Her goal is to give students practical tools they can understand, apply, and continue developing outside of lessons.
See Shirley Teach
One of the best ways to get a feel for an instructor is to see how they explain an idea. In this lesson, Shirley addresses vocal tension and what singers often mean when they feel like they’re “singing from the throat.” She demonstrates a simple exercise for improving breath control and healthy vocal fold closure, then shows how to apply it to a song.
Take Lessons with
Shirley Simpson
Whether you’re working on vocal technique, building confidence as a singer, exploring a new style, or getting started at the piano, Shirley will shape lessons around your goals and experience. Green Hills Guitar Studio offers personalized music lessons in Nashville and online.