Musician & Ensemble Coaching

Over the past two decades, Dana has developed a strong track record of helping both those with established careers and rising talents clarify their goals and achieve sustainable results. Her clients have included Grammy Award-winners, Avery Fisher career grant recipients, and Fulbright Scholars, along with leaders and board members from major arts organizations. She has also worked with members of the Boston, Dallas, and Seattle Symphonies and faculty members from the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Peabody Institute, and San Francisco Conservatory. She has presented for Dance USA, Association for Performing Arts Professionals, Chamber Music America, National Orchestral Institute + Festival, Concert Artists Guild and Young Concert Artists. Her work is conducted one-on-one and in small group settings to address career planning, interpersonal dynamics, performance anxiety, and financial planning and negotiations.

Testimonials: 

“Working with Dana Fonteneau was a life-altering experience. What started out as a short-term, goal-oriented set of sessions helping me prepare for an audition blossomed into a half-year exploration of my relationship with my own music-making. Her practical suggestions for dealing with nerves, self-doubt, and professional goals were so clear and practical, making them easy to implement in my own life. And when we stepped back to look at the bigger picture, I was shocked at how empowered I found myself in removing barriers that had been impeding my musical progress for years.”  

     — Matt Albert (Eighth Blackbird and University of Michigan)

“Dana Fonteneau has an extraordinary ability to help individuals and organizations  achieve more than they think possible. Her work has the potential to enact long term positive change throughout the music industry, to give musicians the tools they need to succeed, and to ensure the health of classical music for the future.” 

     — John Zion (Managing Director, MKI Artists)

“Dana Fonteneau is a magician. I have seen her at least three times (Chamber Music America and with Rice university students) and it is inspiring. She has a way of reaching each person as if this were a one-on-one session. The results are transformative, and I can’t recommend her more highly!” 

     — Norman Fischer (Rice University and Tanglewood Music Center)