Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany DeCristofaro.
Hi Brittany, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a professional singer, performer, musician, and teacher for over a decade. My primary background is in classical voice, though I’ve performed across multiple genres throughout my career. I’ve sung throughout the United States and Canada in operas, musicals, concerts, and as a featured soloist in various oratorio works.
Very early in my performing career, I realized that teaching was something I deeply loved as well. Private voice instruction has been the most consistent part of my teaching career, though over the years I’ve also taught in public schools, church choir settings, and at universities including Arizona State University and Queens University of Charlotte .
In 2021, I had my first daughter, and becoming a mom really caused me to reevaluate the type of career and lifestyle I wanted long term. For many years, I had envisioned pursuing a university career because those opportunities had continued to present themselves professionally, but over time I realized I wanted something that offered more flexibility, creativity, and connection to community.
In the summer of 2024, shortly after the birth of our second daughter, my husband and I moved from Arizona back to North Carolina for his job. We moved to his hometown, where we had lived before moving out west. North Carolina has always been a special place for both of us since it is where we met, so in many ways, it felt like a homecoming.
At the beginning of 2025, I made the decision to fully focus on building my private lesson studio rather than pursuing another traditional position. I had taught private lessons for nearly 10 years already, but it had always existed as a side business alongside other teaching and performing work.
Honestly, the idea made perfect sense for our season of life. We had connections in the area, two young children, flexible scheduling mattered, and private teaching allowed me to continue doing meaningful work while still being present with my family. My husband was incredibly supportive, though I think part of him was secretly hoping I’d also find at least a stable part-time job to supplement the uncertainty of building something from scratch.
What started as a leap of faith quickly grew much faster than we anticipated. Within two months, I went from zero students to ten. Within six months, I had nearly doubled that and started building a waitlist. That was the moment my husband and I realized there was a real need and opportunity here.
We live in one of the fastest-growing communities in North Carolina, and while Pittsboro has a deep appreciation for arts and culture, there were very few accessible opportunities for music education and performing arts enrichment for children and adults in the immediate area outside of school.
My husband and I both care deeply about arts education and the importance of preserving and investing in the performing arts. We wanted to create a place that offered more than just weekly lessons but rather a true community-centered space for creativity, growth, performance, and connection.
By the end of summer 2025, we began pursuing a commercial space, and we officially opened our studio doors in February. Since opening, we’ve seen nearly 200% growth in enrollment, and we continue to grow almost weekly.
Looking back, I think I always had an entrepreneurial side to me, but for a long time I wasn’t sure what that looked like within the arts world. Over the years, I realized I genuinely love connecting with people, building community, creating opportunities, and bringing ideas to life, all things that naturally translated into business ownership.
Running our studio business has become my primary career over the past year and a half, and I truly haven’t looked back. I feel incredibly grateful to help create greater accessibility to musical arts education within our community, and I really believe we’re only scratching the surface of what this studio can become.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In a lot of ways, the challenges started long before we ever opened the studio.
Pursuing music professionally can come with a lot of discouragement. Through pursuing my music degrees, I heard comments from people like “starving artist,” “less than 1% make it,” or “are you sure you want to study music? don’t you have other interests” Those kinds of messages, though usually well-intended, can really make you question whether pursuing a creative career is practical or sustainable.
There were definitely times when I considered taking a completely different path. I wondered whether pursuing passion as a career was worth the uncertainty that can come with it.
I’ve worked in many different areas within music over the years, but owning and operating a studio honestly feels like the most “me” job I’ve ever had. It combines artistry, teaching, community, creativity, and entrepreneurship in a way that feels deeply fulfilling.
Of course, there have also been very real business challenges and learning curves. Things like business planning, taxes, contracts, branding, marketing, permits, all the behind-the-scenes responsibilities that nobody really teaches you as a musician. We’re still learning every day, but I’ve come to appreciate that growth and adaptability are part of building something meaningful.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
This is a great question! I’ve mentioned that I’ve done a little bit of everything musically, but my primary specialization is classical voice. I’ve been singing classical music since I was very young and am currently pursuing my Doctorate of Music in Vocal Performance at Arizona State University.
Performing has always been my greatest passion, and in the early part of my career I had many opportunities to perform in musicals, operas, recitals, concerts, and as a featured soloist. My performing career slowed down during COVID and after becoming a mom shortly after restrictions lifted, but I absolutely hope to return to performing more as my children get older because it truly brings me such joy and fulfillment.
Over the past several years, I’ve really dedicated myself to becoming the best teacher I can be. I’ve spent a lot of time studying voice pedagogy through books, articles, seminars, and continuing education. One thing I strongly believe is that being a great singer does not automatically make someone a great teacher. Great teachers are built through experience, curiosity, and continued learning.
I take teaching very seriously and care deeply about bringing both artistry and vocal science into my lessons so students have the best possible tools for success. Most of my students are interested in musical theater and contemporary styles, but because of my classical background, I also teach classical occasionally. There’s just not a huge market for it but something I definitely love and get excited to teach interested students about!
Professionally, I’m probably most proud of taking this leap to own and operate the studio. It hasn’t been an easy or straightforward journey, but I’m proud that I took the leap and grateful for the perspective and opportunities it has given me. Personally, I’m most proud of my daughters. In my complete biased opinion, they’re the absolute best, and being their mom is truly the greatest honor of my life.
As far as what sets us apart, I think it’s the level of care and investment we bring to my students and to our studio as a whole. I truly want students to have opportunities that go beyond weekly lessons. I’m constantly thinking about how we can create meaningful experiences, performances, collaborations, and artistic opportunities for people in our community. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in a position where families trust me and recommend our studio to others. While strong teaching absolutely matters, I think what people connect with most is knowing how deeply we care about our students, our art, and our community.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I’m not sure I’m the person to give advice this early in the game, since we’re still very much in the honeymoon phase of owning and operating a business. But I’ve learned that authenticity and passion can really yield initial success. We’ve been fortunate to see our studio grow quickly, and so much of that growth has come through word of mouth and support from our community. A lot of people come to us because they’ve heard that my husband and I genuinely love music, teaching, and are doing great things in our community to provide opportunities for others through the performing arts. We truly believe in making high-quality arts education accessible and meaningful for both students and adults in our community, and I think that sincerity has played a big role in our early success.
As far as what I wish I knew starting out, probably the business side of things. Taxes, marketing, planning, systems. All the behind-the-scenes work that’s a lot less glamorous than actually making music. I’ve learned that passion is essential, but building something sustainable also requires learning how to run a business well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chathamstudioformusic.com
- Instagram: @chathamstudioformusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582531932761
