MEET THE TEAM
david houston
Founder and Managing Director
David was born and raised in Westchester, NY and moved to the Dallas area in 1983. He attended Jesuit College Prep and then earned a BA and an MBA from The University of North Texas. David first began singing in rock bands at the age of fourteen. At age nineteen, he began studying voice privately with renowned operatic tenor Arthur Peters; Peters formerly sang with the San Francisco Opera and then taught for many decades here in Dallas. David studied under Mr. Peters for the last twenty years of his life until his passing in 2010.
In 1990, David founded and fronted the progressive rock band Mindstorm which performed regularly in the Dallas circuit for years. In 2005, David fronted the rock/pop cover project Adrian’s Fault which was known for the diversity and flexibility of their repertoire which relied on the technical proficiency of both the band and the lead vocals. In 2012, David founded Dallas Voice Coach.com and began a private instruction practice. While doing so, he developed his own proprietary vocal concepts, terminology and core principles which are illustrated for students and integral in their maximizing the potential of their voices. Since beginning Dallas Voice Coach.com, David has instructed hundreds of students and developed the voices of numerous top Texas-based artists that perform professionally not only in Texas and the Southwest United States but around the world. Over the years, David has composed, arranged, recorded, produced and co-produced multiple studio projects in a handful of genres. David is an active presence in the Texas music community and is avid supporter of live music. But most of all, David prides himself on building the most flexible and idealized voices in his students.
KRISTY
JOHNSON
Senior Instructor
Kristy Johnson was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and has studied music since she was a child. Her formal study of vocal music spanned through elementary, middle and high school, and continued as she went on to study vocal performance at Stephen F. Austin State University on a vocal scholarship. Kristy’s years of formal training and performance experience coupled with advanced vocal strength training has expanded both her power, range and vocal flexibility making possible the delivery of very demanding vocal roles. Kristy’s earlier years initially focused on classical training and specifically opera. However, over the last decade plus, Kristy’s focus has expanded to include a number of very challenging contemporary rock vocal roles.
Kristy has a performance history that spans multiple genres, including pop, country, jazz, blues, classic and alternative rock. She has performed in and guested with numerous bands and projects in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area as well as working as a vocal instructor for “Kids Who Rock of North Texas.” This is charitable organization that annually gives kids a chance to learn and experiment with music that they love under the guidance of seasoned pros.
Kristy has been an advanced student of acclaimed vocal coach and tenor, David Houston, the founder of Dallas Voice Coach.com; and has since become a senior instructor of the Young Voices Program with the Dallas Voice Coach.com organization. Kristy has always been a natural-born performer. She is currently the "Ann Wilson" in the top-ranking Heart tribute, Even It Up - The Ultimate Heart Tribute Band, the “Amy Lee” in Ever The Essence – The Evanescence Experience, as well as the lead vocalist for Dallas area classic rock, pop and country cover band, Burning Sky.
hillary
leverton
Senior Instructor
Hillary Leverton is a music specialist with one goal in mind: to inspire her students to excel and express themselves through music. She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas and has a Level II Certification in the Kodaly Method from the University of North Texas. Prior to teaching in Plano ISD, Hillary competed in the IMTA Vocal Competition in Los Angeles and received 1st place out of 1,000 vocalists. That experience led Hillary to teach private voice, acting, modeling and etiquette for students from 5 to 25 years of age. She has now been teaching in Plano ISD at Stinson Elementary since 2007.
Over the years, Hillary received a number of prestigious honors. She was recognized as Elite Educator of the Year (KRBC), Beginning Teacher of the Year and Experienced Teacher of the Year in Plano ISD. She was also awarded the National PTA Life Achievement Award at Stinson, as well as received the North Texas Children’s Choir Sue Bancroft Teacher of the Year Award for her "excellence in training young singers.” This honor also recognized the fact that Hillary has provided her students the opportunity each year to sing at the Meyerson. Hillary loves to teach her all-inclusive Stinson Star Choir of 110 students, NTCC Honor Choir, and her Musical Theatre group of 100 students.
Hillary has also been an advanced student of renowned vocal coach and tenor, David Houston, the founder of DallasVoiceCoach.com. This lead to her becoming a senior instructor of the Young Voices Program with the Dallas Voice Coach.com organization. In addition to all of this, for over two decades, Hillary has enjoyed singing lead vocals with several successful rock bands in DFW. These include the classic rock band “Slim Chance” as well as her being the “Alanis” in Ironic: The Alanis Morissette Experience. But above all, Hillary loves teaching music and working with children. Her colleagues have said, “We just adore Ms. Leverton! Her passion is contagious!”