Monica Margolis, CEO, Phil Ernst, COO and Kate Nelson, CFO are the nucleus of the new programs within Powerhouse Music Lessons and the business plan that is being sculpted to address the future of music, acting and dance with state of the art classrooms in three different locations within the same plaza and on internet classes as well.
Monica Margolis, CEO is a champion of the middle voice and as such she has been regarded as the vocal coach to the stars of today and tomorrow. Growing out of a strong foundation with over 10 years of instruction from Seth Riggs coupled with classical training from the Windward School of Music, Monica crafted the Monica Margolis Vocal Method.
With the Monica Margolis Vocal Method she has taught vocal mechanics to singers, actors, dancers and speakers for over 20 years. She has worked in theater and film, appeared in variety shows, worked as a voiceover artist and was chosen as Musical Director for the West Coast Dance Theater.
Last season, Monica appeared on the TV Guide channel “Idol Chat” with former American Idol contestants Justin Guarini and Kimberly Caldwell. As the guest vocal coach Monica reviewed all of the new season’s contestants competing for their place on American Idol. Watch the “Idol Chat” segment that can be seen here on this page to the right. It looks like people standing in the shadows backstage. Just click play!
Students will no longer need to fly in from around the country and around the globe for “The Monica Margolis Vocal Method” to experience the revolutionary approach to vocal training and technique. Learn directly from Monica over the Internet or come into our sensational new teaching facility.
The Monica Margolis Vocal Method gets results! Monica works not only with our associates but has on occasion and by request trained other instructors to employ the Monica Margolis Vocal Method. Monica believes there are no secrets to singing properly. When you use proper vocal mechanics you will find exactly what you are looking for…healthy singing! By using natural speech level voice, evoking smile muscles, eliminating stress and pressure from the vocal chords, the student can learn to rely on diaphragm for support and power.
Monica has worked with noted stars such as;
LeAnn Rimes- Multi Platinum recording artist
Royce Nelson- background singer for Mic Jagger on the Golden Globe winning track “Old Habits Die Hard” with Sheryl Crow.
Cindy Margolis, internet supermodel, actress and TV host
Natalie Ritano- star of the Pamela Anderson hit television series VIP
Dineh Mohajer- entrepreneur and founder of Hard Candy Make-Up
Angel Faith- lead singer of the platinum group No Secrets who is now a solo artist and has worked with Monica since the age of nine. The Monica Margolis Method helped Angel with many important auditions including the one that got her signed with Jive Records. Monica also lent her experience to the hit single “Kids in America” from the Jimmy Neutron Soundtrack.
Monica is a seasoned professional. Her students have been seen on shows including: Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Teen Choice Awards, Late Night with David Letterman, E!, Apollo Kids, ect.
Other publications include: Time, People, Tiger Beat, and Pop Star Magazine. Monica’s clients work with A-list producers such as Tim Kelly/Bob Robinson (Baby Face, Boys 2 Men, Destiny’s Child) and the Wizard of OZ production company (Ricky Martin)!
Phil Ernst, COO and senior guitar teacher is a craft master of theory and its application from the beginning of learning music. In his new book, "Chord Mapping" Phil has established himself as a great advocate for the need to understand fundamentals of theory while learning the craft of playing guitar.
Phil’s first guitar teacher let it be known that he couldn’t teach him anymore, "the kid (age 10) knows everything I know!” At 15, Phil started playing in bands around town eventually enjoying his time spent on the Sunset Strip. After three years he decided to attend the Grove School of Music where he studied guitar and later changed his focus to composing, arranging and film scoring. In order to get back to guitar Phil went on to the Musicians Institute where he attributes Steve Travato and Keith Wyait with “changing my playing forever!”
It was during his time spent at the Grove School of Music that Phil Ernst inadvertently came up with a method of diagramming chords which would later become the cornerstone of his teaching technique. In an effort to mentally compartmentalize the numbers of chords he was required to fully demonstrate knowledge and control of, Phil wrote the major scale out not in notes but in degrees of the scale. “Since I understood the formula of building chords I could map out the chord that I needed to play even if I had never seen or heard if that chord before.” Phil took his system to his professor Dick Grove who listened to his approach and responded, “That’s good thinking”. Phil later realized that this mapping system of the degrees of scale are not only useful to him but would lend themselves to the scores of students that he teaches and from there became the Phil Ernst Method; Chord Mapping.
Phil’s history of working bands performing originals continues on to this day. Meanwhile, Phil has continued his education individually with monster studio player Carl Verheyen. He progressed from a top 40 band called Solid State covering the beach cities perfecting his craft and to original bands to showcase bands working as a sideman for hire. Phil played with a number of singers and bands over the years. A few of them were; The Gabriel Black Band, Kris Colt, Tim Mank, Alana Sweetwater, John McAdam, The Blessed Devils, The Resonators, Christal Campbell, Electra, Lee Lowe and the Rhythm Slaves.
Teaching finally trumped touring. For 15 years Phil’s natural style of communicating techniques used to create sounds and his ability to deal with an emergent artists need to play one thing or another puts Phil Ernst in a class of distinction. By mirroring his own philosophy to music, Phil teaches his students to conceptualize music theory proactively so that not only can they be great guitar players, but great music creators. As one student put it, “He doesn’t just teach his students rote, instead he challenges us to build from what we already know to make our own music choices!” Phil’s easy style is attentive to his student base and is the standard for the other teachers who qualify to become members of the for Powerhouse Music Lessons program.
Kate Nelson, CFO moved to the Los Angeles area in 1980 with her sights set on business. In 1981 the percentage of guitar players in the greater Los Angeles area topped 11%. Armed with that statistic she and her first husband, who was player guitar himself and sang, joined forces with Lloyd Chiat to start Voltage Guitars in Hollywood, California. Kate Nelson has always walked a delicate balance between the world of music and among people who are deaf. “My life has gone full circle from being a sign language interpreter while owning a guitar store oriented toward very loud rock and roll to owning a large corporation devoted to the needs of people with disabilities and now back to music, acting and dance”.
In 1991, Ms. Nelson became the president of Accommodating Ideas, Inc. addressing the needs of people who are deaf all over the United States. The passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act opened a door to a tidal wave of change that lead her business all the way to the White House. Eventually, technology adapted to translating in sign language over the internet using videophones. That experience has allowed Kate to easily adapt to the emergent world of the internet and live face to face communications that naturally beacon students of music. To that end, Ms. Nelson has become the backbone of Powerhouse Music Lessons and the pursuit of providing the next chapter in a business model begging for change.