Featured Students
Since Performance High was founded in 2009, we have worked with hundreds of singers from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, and also with singers across the globe including Australia, Sweden, the UK, Italy, and Denmark.
Here are a few of our featured students.
Sami Davis, vocalist, songwriter, and musician in Denver
After completing just half of the Tom Jackson Live Music Method training curriculum, Sami won in the Best Performer category at the March 2012 "U Rock" competition! Sami is a vocalist, songwriter, and guitar player who is studying vocal performance and audio engineering at the University of Colorado in Denver.
Emil Bishaw, country-pop artist from Castle Rock, CO
Casey Abrams, top 6 finalist on American Idol Season 10
Casey already pretty much knew what he was doing when he took lessons at Performance High, but we showed him a couple of vocal techniques and then - after bringing down the house at a Performance High student gig in Boulder - he was on his way to American Idol, soon to go to Hollywood and beyond.
Su Charles, singer-songwriter and American Idol Hollywood finalist
"I saw Adrienne just a couple of times. But those two lessons were enough to build my confidence in my abilities. Not only did she give me key vocal techniques that I could internalize and use, but she encouraged me to follow my dream and pursue my passion. I will be forever grateful to her."
Brent Barstad, vocalist from Fort Collins, CO
After taking the six-week "Rock the Stage" workshop at Performance High (not currently offered), Brent went from an incredibly shy performer, to winning the "Overall" category at a subsequent Guitar Villians Live Band Karaoke contest.
Levi Johnson, lead singer of Pride in Pieces
"Adrienne Osborn was a great vocal coach to work with. She was able to listen to my voice as it was and improve upon it. She's one of the rare vocal coaches that is knowledgable in the mechanics of the voice and breath support, yet understands what rocking out is all about. She helped me find more of my own voice, giving me a brighter, more controlled toned. Over all, she's just a blast to work with."
Mark (Doc) Whan, lead singer and guitarist of Colorado band The Omnibuds
"As a gigging guitarist and vocalist wanting to take things to the next level I needed a performance/vocal coach that understands what performing live is all about.
"It’s pretty straightforward to find someone who will help you sing better in your choir, but I wanted someone who understands belting out rock or country at 2:00 am in a four-hour set. Someone who can pull the maximum sensitivity and nuance out of every word of a ballad. Someone who understands differences in genres and adapts accordingly. Someone who can improve your stage dynamics, help you capture an audience, build energy, and leave em’ wanting more. Most importantly I wanted someone who is actively performing in those situations.
"Not only has Adrienne delivered all that and more, but she is an absolute delight to work with. She tailors everything to the student’s specific needs in a clear, concise manner. She records each session, so you can work at home to perfect what you learn, and build capability….fantastic!
"So for a working vocalist, an aspiring one, or someone who just wants to sing well for the pure joy of it I don’t think you’ll find anyone better than Adrienne."
Jason Kelly, singer-songwriter of Born by Starlight
Rae Miller, singer-songwriter from Boulder, CO
Jaden Carlson, guitarist/singer-songwriter from Boulder, Colorado
Jaden’s musicianship on the guitar and songwriting is beautiful and impressive. To date, she has just released her third cd of new original songs in August 2012, titled Born To Fly, which features Garrett Sayers (bassist for The Motet and many other projects) and Scott Messersmith on percussion and drums.
Possessing an amazing ear and an insatiable love for playing and performing, Jaden’s repertoire includes her beautiful and touching originals, as well as many covers by Trevor Hall, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, The Meters, Dave Brubeck, Jaco Pastorius, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Michael Franti & Spearhead, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, U2, Eminem, Led Zepellin, and many more.
She has performed with Michael Franti & Spearhead, Trevor Hall, Keaton Simons, Groundation, Giant Panda Guerilla Dubsquad, Matt Butler and The Everyone Orchestra, Rob Drabkin, Scott Messersmith and Garrett Sayers, Great American Taxi, Curtis Salgado, Roy Wooten, and Melvin Seals & JGB, and many other notable musicians. Jaden’s band is comprised of different musicians of national touring status. She can be seen playing with Garrett Sayers (bass), Jubal (guitar, bass), Scott Messersmith (drums), Chris Sheldon (drums), Dave Solzberg (bass), and other amazing artists at any given gig.
She has performed at national venues such as the Fox and Boulder Theaters, the HOB in San Diego, The Gothic and Cervantes in Denver, and at numerous festivals across the country (Telluride Blues & Brews, Power To The Peaceful, Desert Rocks, Telluride Jazz, Nedfest, Blues From The Top) as well as at many benefits.
Jaden on KDVR Fox TV Denver:
http://www.myspace.com/jadencarlson
Gary Grundei, award-winning composer, pianist, sound designer, and teacher
Gary Grundei is an award-winning composer, pianist, sound designer, and teacher. He has performed at many different venues and events, such as at the Kennedy Center, Denver Center, New York Stage and Film, Boulder’s Chautauqua Community House, Naropa University, the Boulder International Fringe Festival, Occidental College, the Ohio State University, and at various modern dance performances. He also has performed at gala events for the Denver Broncos and the Coors family
Among the people that he has worked with are Bill Pullman, Meredith Monk, and Barbara Dilley. He is also the founder of the experimental music ensemble, the living room project.
Composing much of his own songs, he wrote music for one of the world's top lingerie designers.
Along with composing and performing, he also has taught for many years at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where he teaches in the undergraduate music and graduate theatre departments.
http://www.goldenlotusstudio.com/
http://www.trulyoriginalwedding.com/
Ryan Christopher Miller, lead guitarist for Starcar Sunday
Ryan has played with bands in Colorado and California since he was a teenager, starting off with his first gig at the Whisky a go go in Hollywood, California playing for a packed crowd.
More recently, Ryan was one of the lead guitarists in Guitar Villians. He is currently the lead guitarist of Starcar Sunday, which just released its second full-length album, and a songwriter and musician working on his own hard rock compositions.
Mark Leach, singer, narrator, and voice actor
Mark Leach is a talented singer, narrator, and voice actor, who is primarily focused on studio session work.
His three octave vocal range and innate musicality make him the ideal session singer for many projects. His calm and reassuring speaking voice lends itself to audiobooks and other types of narration.
Mark also has a natural talent for mimicry and for capturing the vocal essence of a character.
http://www.voiceovertalentpro.org/
Kevin Van Winkle, lead guitarist and back up vocalist for Driving Karma
Kevin has been playing some sort of musical instrument for most of his life. He started with a trumpet in 5th grade band, but by the time high school rolled around he had moved on to the guitar. Twenty-some years later and the guitar is still his go-to instrument.
Most of these years were spent playing for family and friends. However, in 2005 he joined a Loveland, Colorado based band, AOTM, and was forced to learn the ways of the stage. Primarily a rock guitarist, playing with AOTM forced Kevin to become more comfortable with other genres like folk, blues, and country.
The members of AOTM parted ways in 2007, but playing with them revived a passion for guitar that led Kevin to seek out new teachers and resources for improvement. He is currently studying guitar with Tom Hess and has taken vocal and performance lessons from Adrienne Osborn.
In addition to lead guitar and backing vocals, Kevin has been tackling songwriting and recording duties for his new band Driving Karma. They are currently recording their debut album due sometime in mid 2011 and all the tracking is being done in his home studio.
Kevin loves to listen to guitar from the likes of Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and Andy Timmons. He is also into bands like Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Metallica, and Evanescence.
Tom Davis, lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the Front Street Blues Band
Tom is the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the Front Street Blues Band and original founder of the group. He has put together a group that plans to leave its mark in Denver.
Tom is a veteran of the Denver music scene from the early nineties playing in a variety of bands with a hard rock feel. Today his vocal and instrumental expression is forged through his love of the blues. By merging a rock and roll tone and style into that familiar blues framework, Tom brings a slightly more edgy bite to the blues while still honoring the style.
Tom's influences range from 80's rock (Van Halen, AC/DC, Extreme, Def Leppard, etc) to Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Healey, Albert Collins, BB King and much much more.
http://www.frontstreetbluesband.com/index.html
Other students include:
- Ian Simmons, lead singer of Denver metal band Dysdania
- Maddy Selby, niece of Nashville hit songwriter Mark Selby (Kenny Wayne Shepherd's “Blue on Black”)
- Marcus Carlzon, lead singer of Swedish hard rock band Firstborn
- Daniel Rothmann, electronic artist and DJ from Denmark
- Al Perry, singer and guitarist from the UK
- Levi Johnson, Denver hard rock/metal singer
- John Zinder, Boulder musician and singer
- Steve and Susan Baumgartner, the Porch Pickers, Pine, CO
- Mark “Doc” Whan, vocalist/guitarist of the Omnibuds and .45 Long
- Michelle Bradley and Casey Harding-Brown, CU students
- Ali Grayson, singer-songwriter
