Hickory Arts

Some artists don’t fit neatly into one box.

Good.

Anneliese Montgomery has studied contemporary and musical theatre voice at Hickory Arts, performed a House Concert, and is now writing and recording the eighth track of her full-length album with Plastic Moon at Hickory Arts.

That path—from lessons, to the stage, to original music, to the recording studio—is exactly what Artist Development is built for.

It’s about connecting songwriting, performance, recording, and artistic identity instead of treating every creative skill like a separate destination.

Learn more—link in the comments.

Shakespeare wrote that acting should “hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature.”

Good teaching holds up a mirror, too.

Not to embarrass a student.

Not to prove how smart the teacher is.

To help an artist see what is actually happening—and what to do next.

A good teacher isn’t there to tear someone down. They’re also not there to clap politely while someone stays stuck.

Our latest blog is about honest teaching, useful feedback, and why encouragement without accountability eventually stops being useful.

You CAN handle the truth.

In fact, if you want to grow, you need it.

Read the full article—link in the comments.

Your audition probably won’t be this dramatic.

Probably.

But whether you’re preparing for theatre, film, music, college, or a scholarship, walking in prepared changes everything.

Audition Prep at Hickory Arts is personalized, one-on-one coaching built around your material, your goals, and the opportunity in front of you.

We can help you make stronger choices, refine your performance, and walk into the room ready to do the work.

Learn more—link in the comments.

How much should music lessons cost?

It's one of the questions we hear most often.

The cheapest lesson isn't always the best value.

The most expensive lesson isn't automatically the best either.

What matters is what happens before, during, and after every lesson.

We recently wrote about why lesson prices vary, why relationships matter, and why we've kept our pricing simple at Hickory Arts.

What do you think matters more when choosing a music teacher—price or value? The full article is in the comments.

Your voice is unlike anyone else's.

Our job isn't to make you sound like somebody famous.

It's to help you become a stronger, healthier, more confident version of yourself.

Whether you're interested in singing lessons, vocal coaching, musical theatre, auditions, or live performance, we'd love to work with you.

(Link in comments.)

Raising the bar isn't about being perfect.

It's about getting a little better every day.

Technology changes.

Trends change.

The fundamentals don't.

Our newest blog looks at why discipline, mentorship, craftsmanship, and high standards still matter—and why excellence is something you pursue, not something you're born with.

(Article link in the comments.)

Artist Portrait Courtesy of Carol Anne Hartman Photography

Every great character starts with a great idea...

..and sometimes a Viking helmet.

Costume design is about storytelling. Through color, texture, history, and creativity, costumes help bring characters to life on stage and on screen.

If you've ever been curious about costume design, we'd love to help you explore it.

(Link in the first comment.)

Don't mind if we do! Thanks, Starbucks Hickory North!

Hope you have the best day ever, from everyone at Hickory Arts.

There are plenty of people who can sound like someone else.

There will only ever be one you.

Our newest blog is about something we talk about all the time at Hickory Arts: learning the craft without losing yourself in the process.

Technique matters.

Practice matters.

But eventually every artist has to stop asking, "What would they do?" and start asking, "What would I do?"

That's where originality begins.

(Link in the first comment.)

There comes a point where every singer has to stop practicing alone and start sharing their voice.

Our private voice lessons help students build confidence, improve technique, and perform in front of real audiences, whether they're just getting started or preparing for auditions and live performances.

If you've been thinking about singing lessons, we'd love to help.

(Link in the first comment.)