FAQ

How long have you been teaching?

I’ve been teaching music for over 20 years.

My very first student was a voice student in Austin, Texas in 2004. Since then, I’ve taught piano, voice, composition, guitar, music theory, and songwriting, and I also spent several years teaching in a full preschool classroom.

I’ve been named one of the Top 10 Piano Teachers in Portland by Expertise.com (for every year it existed locally), and rated one of the best piano teachers in the area by Lessons.com.

What ages do you teach?

I teach students ages 4½ and up, including teens and adults.

For younger beginners, it helps if they’re interested in piano and able to stay engaged in one spot for at least five minutes at a time. From there, we build focus, confidence, and independence gradually.

What are your rates?

My rates are listed in full on my Lesson Options + Pricing page.

Do you teach online or in person?

I teach online lessons exclusively.

I originally planned to return to in-person teaching, but the online format has proven to be incredibly effective. Even my youngest students often learn more material per lesson, and their retention and consistency tend to improve over time.

What online platforms do you use?

I use FaceTime, Google Meet, or Facebook Messenger, depending on what works best for your setup.

How does your billing work?

Lesson payments for the month are collected by the first lesson of each month. This reserves your weekly lesson time.

If you need to cancel a lesson, I add a make-up credit to your account so you can reschedule when you’re ready. If I ever need to cancel, I fully refund that lesson.

Studio polilcies -> Policies

Do you teach voice lessons?

I don’t offer stand-alone voice lessons, but I do teach Piano + Voice lessons.

These include healthy posture, breath support, age-appropriate vocal warm-ups, and learning to sing while playing the piano.

Do you teach parent/child lessons?

After lots of experimenting over the years, I’ve found that most kids and parents learn best when I teach them separately.

I do enjoy teaching parents as well, and when parents understand the process, it often supports more consistent and relaxed practice at home.

This can be a wonderful option for families who want music to be a joyful, long-term part of home life.

What should I expect from a first lesson?

First lessons are a little different.

We’ll spend time getting to know each other, talking about your musical interests and goals, and looking at curriculum options. You’ll also learn something new to play, choose books if needed, and we’ll talk about practice and policies.

The goal is simply to see whether lessons feel like a good fit and to build a strong foundation if we continue.

How often should I practice?

Practicing at least four days a week helps students make steady, meaningful progress.

Many students find that daily practice becomes easier once it turns into a simple, familiar routine.

How long should I practice?

I encourage students to think in terms of repetitions rather than minutes.

For example, you might play each assignment three times during a practice session. You can also break practice into small chunks throughout the day. It all adds up.

What are your cats' names? 

David and Alexis 🙂

They fully support piano study.