Performance Testimonies
"She possesses a beautiful light lyric soprano voice with a wonderful high extension and agility. She is extremely musical and easily adapts to any musical and dramatic instruction."
~ Rosa Vento, 4/16/2016 |
"Ashley McHugh as Gretel was a perfect fit as the typical loving/tormentor sister to Hansel. McHugh had a clear, projecting voice and one could follow the story quite nicely."
~ Mattoon Journal Gazette and Times-Courier, 10/27/2011 |
"McHugh... followed the complexities of the music with French vocals as if her voice were an instrument, and was congratulated repeatedly for her performance during the intermission."
~ Eastern Daily News, 2/22/2010 |
Student Testimonies
Ashley's studio and classroom have produced performers of varying credentials, including but not limited to being cast in The CW's Riverdale, singing with and managing the UW-Madison MadHatters, performing with Madison Boys Choir and Symphony Orchestra, being selected for the Wisconsin State Honors Project and Blue Lake Interntional Tour, and earning gold medals at state level competitions and collegiate music scholarships.
"Ashley was a great teacher - very kind and seemed to move at a pace tailored to each individual student. She gave helpful exercises for practicing outside of class. She asks to hear your thoughts on your progress and explains what she is trying to accomplish as opposed to just telling you to do this or that without a reason why."
~Annella Kaine NYC | Film & Stage Actress "I had an amazing experience taking private lessons with Ashley through the NYU Steinhardt non-major voice program. Ashley is super positive and encouraging, she made me feel comfortable in every lesson. I feel that I improved by leaps and bounds - both because of the wide variety of constructive warm-ups and exercises she added to my toolbox, and the supportive environment she created in the practice room every day."
~Gwen Hornig Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre | Stage Actress "Ashley was a wonderful vocal instructor, and it's apparent how knowledgable and passionate she is about music. She spends the time to cater to individual students' learning styles and needs. She was fun to work with and clear about her expectations! Her approach in teaching music, not only focuses on the vocal aspects of music, but also in the the creation and understanding of the lyrics and notes."
~Katalina Park Oshi Health | Interaction & Experience Design Manager |
"Now a graduate from NYU who has taken private vocal lessons her entire life, I could not be more thankful that my last two semesters were spent studying with Ashley as my vocal instructor. I had taken private lessons every semester at NYU. In two semesters, I grew and learned far more than I did in the six prior. Ashley did not only make me feel welcome, but always turned my negatives, or mistakes into positives. One of the best things about studying with Ashley was the fact that she taught me why I was doing things, so I then could employ these exercises, techniques, processes, etc. in my pieces when I was struggling with a section, or simply having a tough day vocal wise. Ashley’s demeanor, attitude, vocal knowledge, and overall spirit brightened my week as my lessons became much more than a class among the rest. I saw physical growth, vocal maturity, confidence and strength from week to week. It was the first time in my vocal studies that I was able to see and hear literal progress. As an instructor, teacher, mentor or friend, I recommend Ashley with the utmost confidence and certainty that your time spent learning with her will not only strengthen you vocally, but as a person as well."
~Lara Chopoorian Epidemic Sound | Inbound Manager Formerly Columbia Records | Contracts Administrator "Mrs. Calderon-McHugh is a very kind, caring, and determined teacher who is passionate about her job and bringing out the best in students. She consistently keeps classes engaged and focuses on the individual strengths and needs of each student."
~Callie Pierce Luther College | Music |
"Ashley is a wonderful teacher. She's very patient and very knowledgeable. She's also easygoing and makes you feel comfortable, and she tailors the strategies she uses based on your needs and abilities."
~Avital Kaplan The Hebrew University | Law Student, Hebrew-English Translator "When I first signed up for vocal lessons, I had no idea what to expect and whether or not I would like the classes. However, having Ashley McHugh as a teacher has augmented my love for vocal performance and performing. Ashley’s friendly personality made lessons very easy and enjoyable. Something I really liked about Ashley McHugh’s teaching style is that she does everything in accordance with your voice type. For example, a lot of the warm ups I did with her, I had never done in the past, and they have helped me learn new things about my voice and have showed me that my voice could do more than what I had always been used to. Furthermore, even when we started to choose songs, she knew right away the type of songs that would fit my voice and the types that I would enjoy singing as well.
If you are someone who likes to explore the different parts of your voice and enjoys a challenge, I definitely recommend taking lessons with Ashley. The learning environment is great, it’s enjoyable, and you will have a great time. All in all, if what you are looking for is someone who will help you learn and progress, Ashley McHugh is definitely the teacher for you." ~ Line Talla NYU | Media, Culture, and Communication |