Teacher Profile: DeShana Wooden

About DeShana Wooden

DeShana Wooden is a vocalist originally from the Bronx, New York. She began her music journey in the church choir at the age of 5, and began taking piano and voice lessons at the age of 7. With the support of her family, DeShana continued her music studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

After earning an undergraduate degree in Jazz Vocal Performance, DeShana has had the opportunity to perform with orchestras across the country in a variety of genres, including Classic & Neo-Soul, Rock, Jazz, Country, and Gospel. She also continued her choral singing with the Philly POPs Festival Chorus. Most recently, DeShana has been singing supporting vocals in "Aretha: Queen of Soul", a show series with Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw.

Having the opportunity to study music ignited a genuine passion for sharing that opportunity with others. DeShana first began teaching as a peer tutor, and continued her study of pedagogy while gaining valuable experiences teaching across multiple age groups. Believing fiercely in every person’s ability and right to learn, DeShana’s teaching style centers around creating accessible and fun avenues for her students’ individual music journeys. She combines her classical training with holistic methods to help her students build their own unique relationship to music.