Teaching
To schedule a private online lesson with Diane, click on the button below.
With over ten years of teaching experience at the university, college and high school level, Diane Nalini is passionate about making music accessible and fun for all. She has served on faculty at numerous events including the Carleton University Jazz Camp, the Strathmore UkeFest, MidWest Uke Camp, the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival, and the online Ukulele Jazz Festival. She created the website Ukulele For Jazz Singers for vocalists who want to learn the basics of jazz comping on uke. Diane talked about her passion for teaching in a recent interview with Apt613: "Lifelong jazz learning with Diane Nalini."
Diane offers workshops and private lessons in jazz singing, performance, vocal improvisation (scatting), songwriting, and ukulele. She has completed Level I and Level II certification in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method, a body-based method of vocal pedagogy that incorporates physical awareness, aural acuity, kinesthetic development and vocal freedom.
If you are interested in booking Diane for an event, or taking online private lessons, please contact Diane.
Music camps and retreats in 2026
Swing West Jazz Camp
Diane will be teaching a weeklong, highly interactive course on Effortless Phrasing, as well as an ukulele workshop on Misty, among other activities. Registration information: Swing West Jazz Camp website.
Carleton University Jazz Camp
Diane will be the voice instructor for jazz camp, teaching vocal masterclasses, vocal ensemble and coaching small ensembles. Registration information: Carleton University Jazz Camp website.
You Can Uke Retreat
Diane will join YouCanUke founder Marnie Ward in beautiful Cantley, Quebec as co-facilitator for an intimate ukulele and voice retreat. Registration information: You Can Uke Retreat website.
Sample Workshop Offerings
Diane offers a range of fun and accessible workshops that are well-suited for ukulele festivals or as standalone events. Here are a few examples of some of her workshops. Please see the video clips below (with thanks to Craig and Sarah!). For more information, please contact Diane.
Intro to vocal improvisation - 12 bar blues
This workshop is a fun introduction to vocal improvisation (scatting) on a 12-bar blues. Through call-and-response exercises, we’ll explore how to play with rhythm, dynamics and phrasing to make interesting music. You will learn how to pick out the essential notes that help anchor your improvisation in the harmony of the song.
Maintaining a healthy voice
If you sing or speak in public, this workshop will help you maintain vocal health. You will learn simple vocal warm-ups, exercises and body movements that help liberate and strengthen the voice. We will also go through some simple warm-down exercises that help reduce strain after an event.
Intro to bossa nova
In this workshop, we will break down the rhythms of Brazilian bossa nova. We will then explore different comping patterns that you can use when exploring the wonderful world of bossa nova. You don’t need to know a lot of jazz chords for this workshop – as the emphasis will be on getting the rhythms down.
The Anatomy of Songwriting
In this single-session workshop, we’ll explore some of the different ways of approaching songwriting: lyrics first, melody first, or hooks like rhythmic patterns or refrains. We’ll also explore the benefits of setting constraints when we’re overwhelmed with too many options.
Musical matchmaking (Crafting the perfect lyric for any melody)
In this extended workshop, Diane will provide you with a melody and you’ll work collaboratively in small teams to write lyrics for the different sections of the song along a common theme that we’ll choose together. Participants will gain hands-on experience of crafting words that flow naturally with the melody.
*Workshop can be split into 2 x 1.5 hours, 3 x 1 hours, or a single 3 hour session.
The Art of Jazz Singing
In this workshop, we’ll examine how some of the great jazz singers put their personal stamp on songs. You will learn how they used rhythm, phrasing and melodic variation to make a song their own and create unique interpretations. You can then apply these same concepts to put your own stamp on your favourite song, regardless of style.
Some student feedback:
“Diane’s enthusiasm for her subject was infectious… She gave me insights into singers I had never considered before. Her own vocal demonstrations were lovely to listen to, but also very instructive.”
“Diane is awesome! She is fun and enthusiastic and really passionate. She is very organized and loves to teach. She is amazing, a wonderful person who is fun and down to earth!”
“I loved her enthusiasm. She responded to questions in a positive and accurate way. This made everyone feel comfortable in the class setting. She is very approachable… I would highly recommend to everyone who loves music.”
“Diane Nalini has a fabulous voice and remarkable knowledge of the music taught. She’s very entertaining and easy to understand.”