Reviews and Testimonials

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto, Executive Director, Opera Bravura Entertainment, Inc.

"John Davey-Hatcher and I did Madama Butterfly together and it was something that will always be a fond memory for me. He was an excellent colleague, very professional, very skilled, and as a person, very friendly and easy to work with. I felt nothing but positive vibes when we sang together and he did a beautiful job as Pinkerton, enabling me to get fully into my character too. He has a ringing voice and made a handsome and strapping Pinkerton. As a matter of fact, I was given the choice of two tenors to sing with me and I picked John. I never regretted it. I can recommend him in any capacity, as a singer, an actor, a colleague, and although I haven't studied with him, probably a teacher as well, since his technique seemed to be excellent. His sweet demeanor would probably be very encouraging and calming to students. As you can tell, I like John very much and endorse him 100%."

Marina Krutchinsky, UI/UX Designer, Coder, Tech Entrepreneur

"John is an amazing classical voice teacher AND vocal coach. He worked privately with my daughter (then 11) for a few months and during this short time he helped her discover her own unique singing voice. To state it bluntly, he turned an average sounding kid into one whose voice is being constantly praised for its beautiful color and maturity. After the first couple months of training, she auditioned and got accepted - at very high odds - to the Professional Performing Arts School in NYC and was also recommended to apply for voice to the precollege programs at Julliard and Manhattan School of Music."

'Golden West' no horse opera, Press Democrat, October 27, 2006, Dan Taylor

Petaluma's Cinnabar Theater, dedicated to quality local opera, has put together a fine cast for its production, led by San Francisco-trained soprano Kathleen Sisco as Minnie, who rules her rowdy saloon crowd with a sweet smile on her face and a rifle in her hand.

That's nothing new. Cinnabar usually recruits strong leading players. In this production, the rest of the love triangle - baritone William Neeley as Sheriff Jack Rance and tenor John Davey-Hatcher as the gentleman bandit sometimes known as Johnson of Sacramento - display powerful voices and commanding stage presence.

Jan Pusina - Composer, Horn player

I have known John for about ten years. He performed in my song cycle, Natural Poem, in a program of my own compositions. This work consists of difficult, essentially atonal melodies which John handled beautifully and with expression. His ear is immaculate for such occasions. Though I know he had to struggle to hear it in his inner ear, he made the attempt in practice which resulted in flawless execution.

Additionally, as a horn player I have been associated with him in concerts presented by The San Francisco Sinfonietta, such as Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the Requiem by Verdi in which he sang tenor solo, always on cue, in tune, expressive and imposing.

Mitzie Weiner - SFOpera Chorus
I had the privilege of knowing and working with John. We studied with the same voice teacher and sang in the same chorus for several years. He has a lovely voice, and good stage presence.

Carmel Gow, parent

Our son Gregory was under a private voice tutelage with John Davey-Hatcher.. From the word "go" Gregory showed signs of enthusiasm. Although Gregory has an Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, John was able to elicit Gregory's attention and eagerness to learn voice. John aroused such feelings with Gregory that he has chosen music (voice) in college. John encouraged, complimented and rewarded Gregory with true sincerity. He advised us to place Gregory in church choir to let him experience peer group singing. Gregory is now singing happily in our parish church, where people give him compliments for his solos. Thank you, John. You are a gem of an instructor. Your time and effort are now being rewarded with your student's success.

Steve Damonte, accompanist

I have worked with John Davey-Hatcher for 2 1/2 years as an accompanist. He is a master of the art of singing, with a beautiful voice and a passionate commitment to the highest ideals in art and in life. He is a versatile singer, with a repertoire including Bach, Massenet, Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. His musicianship is impeccable, and he has wide experience, on stage in opera and musical theater, and as a teacher and musical director.

Alexis Olian, parent

We were so fortunate that our son had the opportunity to learn from John Davey-Hatcher. Under his tutelage our son evolved from lip-singing to singing a lead role in a musical. We were all surprised to discover that he had such a wonderful voice, except John, who believes that we all have the potential to sing. The first time I met John, he quoted an old saying, “if you can talk, you can sing.” I was skeptical, having been cut from the choir when I was in high school. But he has proven this adage many, many times as he has helped hundreds of young people find their voices.

Helene Zindarsian, singer

John is a fine musician and a long-time colleague. He has that magic combination: a beautiful voice -- and he's a real pleasure to work with!

Erin-Kate Whitcomb, Actor, Administrator, Supervisor

“John is delightfully an artist with excellent technique, musicianship and time management skills. He has the talent and ability to teach kids in multiple vocal music forms concurrently – choral music, solo work and musical theatre. He is a focused and organized director with a sense of humor, strong work ethic and a great role model for young artists. But what I like most about John is his desire to learn and grow as an educator and human being. He does not shy away from a challenge and this alone makes him amazing to work with.”

Indira Graham, former student, soprano (2022)

“Mr. Davey-Hatcher is a passion-driven educator and performer who inspires his students to strive for the best versions of themselves as both performers and individuals.” - Indira Graham

Derya Edis, Journalist, Author, Parent (2022)

Ahh I have so many good things I want to say about John. His teaching style is very similar to the teacher mentioned in Peter H. Reynolds’s “The Dot”. It is simply out of a tale. Reynolds talks about a child who has no ability in painting/drawing and his journey in art that all starts with a dot in his book. John doesn’t just teach music like the teacher in this story, he takes his students on a genuine journey that brings them together. How do I know? My daughter Irmak was a student of his in Jakarta Intercultural School for four years. John helped a fearful caterpillar who wanted nothing but to sing, turn into a confident butterfly, and he was able to do this through teaching her the importance of art discipline, enthusiasm for work, justice, fairness, teamwork and individual work skills. I was able to see the effects of his teaching first hand, through my daughter. She learned how to work hard without hurting anyone or being unfair to them, the fact that music is the universal language for so many people from different ethnicities and backgrounds and a lot of singing techniques. Due to the way John, his advice and his way of teaching is a big reason why my daughter, who previously only had a potential in music is going to be going to university with a music major. Her biggest dream now is to one day share a stage with the man who taught her everything she knows now. We must be the luckiest people on earth to have met an amazing person and educator like John.

Irmak Edis, Student 2022

I have had the wonderful opportunity to call Mr. Davey Hatcher my teacher for four years, and one thing about him that inspired me so much was his love for his craft. He is someone who can build a special connection with his students while teaching them life lessons that go past musical knowledge such as a great work ethic, enthusiasm and teamwork. He truly cares about his students, wanting them to reach their fullest potential as musicians. It is because of his efforts that I have the musical technique and mindset that I do, and as a student, I am beyond thankful to have been taught by him.