Studio Gallery
Check out our video tours led by our President, Camille Hastings
Enjoy the virtual tour of the amazing space we have to offer.
Camille Hastings - President, Leading Note Studios
A fearless and strong trailblazer, Camille Hastings opened the doors to Leading Note Studios in Encinitas in August of 2009 with just five students. In 2020 she opened up a second location in San Marcos. In 2021 Leading Note Studios won “National Music School of the Year”. They have also been awarded Best of Encinitas for three consecutive years, and many Encinitas Parade awards for Best Performance.
This courageous and bold move brought highly skilled and professional music lessons you will not find anywhere else in San Diego. A graduate of Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA, Camille has taught and performed in Nashville, TN, singing with Barry Manilow, Vince Gill, and Amy Grant.
She has also performed in numerous private home shows for Merv Griffin with her singing trio. She has sung at Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, was also a magician's assistant, and appeared singing on national television as a child.
Her mother tells the story that everyone said that Camille had perfect pitch and was always smiling with or without the spotlight. She took piano, recorder, and flute lessons in elementary school, and was part of the Marching band in Jr. High, the choir in high school, and numerous musical theater shows in her community.
She never played sports, and the only time she tried was when she took a soccer ball to the face and moved quickly back to dance classes. She always remembers being engaged in music and is still happiest singing or dancing.
Camille was also inspired by her mentor at the Jan Williams School of Music while teaching in Nashville. Jan was a passionate and hard-working female business owner who ran her business seamlessly. After working with Jan, she was confident about opening her music school.
Passionate about making music a gift that everyone should receive, Camille has created a culture of excitement, joy, and dedication to music education, allowing the young and the young at heart to start learning and performing music. Her idea of a successful recital is where every student gets to play, each student is celebrated, and all are encouraged regardless of any mistakes or skill level. Everyone is encouraged to continue learning and developing.
Since 2009, Leading Note Studios has grown to over 900 students and over 45 professional teachers and staff. Each teacher is well-credentialed and hand-selected by Camille to bring the same compassion and love for music she has brought over the last ten years.
And, unlike most music schools, she opened a Recording Studio in 2015. She continued to be at the forefront of all new and exciting music developments and embraced the technological realm. The Recording Studio has become extremely successful, and clients can now learn and experience the audio engineering process, from recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. They can also take lessons to learn how to engineer their music.
Her motto is, "We teach music to everybody – all ages, and all instruments. We specialize in a fun, friendly, educational, and safe environment where we develop, grow, and nurture a love for music. Our methods are fun and innovative and customized to each individual.”
She is a member of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce and the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. She loves to garden, bake, decorate cakes and ride her Indian Scout Motorcycle! She is the mother to three grown children and has been married to Christian Hastings for 28 years. Her parents reside in Indio, CA and her sister is in Rancho Santa Fe, CA.
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Encinitas
Check out our practice rooms and recording studio!
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San Marcos
Explore practice rooms and recording studio at our second location!
Leading Note Theatre
756 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd, San Marcos
Music Recitals 2022
STAR Theatre, Stagecoach Park, Carlsbad, Leading Note Theatre