Matt | Piano, Voice, Trombone (brass instruments)
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Music is my life! I began taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old, and I knew instantly that I wanted to be a musician for the rest of my life. Having studied piano and voice for over 20 years and trombone and other brass instruments for over 15 years, I always wanted to be a performer, an educator, and a composer. I used my skills as a pianist and vocalist to teach students in London, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Kenya! I also used my piano and voice skills to help me compete and arrange music in shows such as "NBC's The Sing-Off" and "Fox's The X-Factor USA." Performing music and educating is my passion.
Before moving to Arlington, VA, I taught kindergarten through 12th-grade music, chorus, and piano. With an undergraduate and master's degree in music education and performance, I want to contribute to my student's excitement with differentiation and a student-centered approach. I want to learn as much as possible and have fun doing it. My lessons include learning songs on the radio, practicing reading music, music theory, and playing music by ear. I love every second teaching elementary and middle school students piano. Currently, I study and work at American University, where I help students record music. When not teaching, I write music, make covers, and mix records for many bands, including my own, Night Without Cars. I listen to and play pop and rock music every day. I am always exercising, going for long runs, working out, and love to hang out with my friends and occasionally play on my Nintendo Switch! I am a very dedicated musician, educator, and friend and hope to make you the best musician you can be! |
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Ryan | Piano
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I began my musical journey at age six when I ran home from school begging to learn the piano after hearing a classmate play. I instantly fell in love with the instrument and the ability it gave me to express emotions. My teaching career began working as a tutor while working on my undergraduate degree. I loved seeing the excitement on their face when I helped them master a difficult skill. For the past five years, I have taught piano both privately and at the University of Iowa and Indiana University, to a diverse group of students of all experience levels from age 6 through adults. I convey abstract musical and technical concepts through storytelling and relating to real world experiences that my students may have had, such as walking in the snow or seeing fish flop around when it is out of water. I currently hold a BS in electrical engineering and MA in piano performance from University of Iowa. I am currently working on my dissertation for my doctorate from Indiana University. Aside from piano, I enjoy board games, reading and going to the zoo.
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Alicia | Voice, Piano (available again in summer)
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Music is an incredibly important part of my life and I love sharing the joy of music with my students. Both my mother and my grandmother are musicians and teachers, so I always knew that I wanted to follow in their footsteps! I received my Master of Music from Indiana University and I have been working as a professional musician and piano and voice teacher for seven years. I love musical theater and opera, and my favorite musical is Hamilton! I teach many different styles of voice and piano, including Classical, Jazz, Pop, and Musical Theater. I work with my students on technique, ear training, theory, musical expression, and performance and audition skills. I am an experienced auditioner and I have coached many students through successful auditions for musicals, competitions, and select choirs. Above all, my goal is to work with your student to find what motivates them and brings them joy. Every person has unique strengths and goals and I want to empower your child to become a confident and soulful musician. A few fun facts about me are that I love to bake cupcakes, read Harry Potter, and make up silly songs!
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Claudia | Voice, Violin, Piano (booked)
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Claudia Finsaas was surrounded by the sounds of music ever since she can remember. She was born into a very musical family and began taking private violin lessons at the age of four. She was instructed in both the Suzuki violin method and fiddle music all the way through high school. During that time she played and soloed with community orchestras and participated in fiddle contests winning grand champion a number of times. While violin is her furthest dating instrument, she also took piano lessons starting at the age of eight, and voice lessons throughout high school. As a pianist Claudia provided music for church services and accompanied for children’s choirs, and vocal soloists. At the college level Claudia pursued both violin and voice performance competitively for two years until she narrowed her focus solely to voice finishing with a B.A. in vocal performance. Through the years she has spent a considerable amount of time instructing students in all three instruments. She enjoys a wide variety of musical styles and is comfortable teaching classical violin, voice, and piano, as well as musical theatre for voice, bluegrass fiddling, and improvisation on both violin and piano. Music has instilled a strong sense of dedication and perseverance in Claudia’s life and has provided her with the greatest sense of joy and satisfaction. She cannot wait to share it with you in the studio and online! |
AKEEM | Piano, beginner Voice
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I come from a family full of music, art, as well as military service on both of my parents’ sides. I think of myself as an artistic communicator. I started teaching in 2012 at a Salvation Army summer music conservatory in North Carolina. I developed connections with my piano students, other music students, and I developed connections with my coworkers as well which inspired me to pursue teaching as a career. Rather than focusing solely on teaching the right notes & rhythms, I focus on teaching students how to feel and communicate emotion. As storytellers, I teach my students how to listen actively and grow in musical logic. I have worked with kids privately and in group piano classes, and I have taught all ages from 5 through 17. I have received my Master's in music composition from James Madison. I currently teach online music history courses for two community colleges, I teach piano lessons privately, and I work as a piano consultant. Outside of teaching, I have worked as an accompanist for children's choirs, children's theaters, and more student recitals than I can possibly remember. I also committed a year of service as an AmeriCorps Volunteer working with After-School All-Stars. When I am not working I enjoy spending time with friends. I like to play chess, go for walks and hikes, listen to natural sounds in nature, I have been journaling for years, and I just love to enjoy life.
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ANYA | Voice, Piano (booked)
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Anya Newsome has a Bachelors of Art and Music, and a minor in Developmental Psychology. She studied voice for 15 years and is trained both classically and in music theatre. She studied piano for 10 years and has taught music and piano at several public elementary schools around the DMV area. During the summers she works as a camp director and art teacher and is comfortable working with children from infancy to 12th grade. Anya has been teaching private voice and piano for approximately four years. Though Classically trained, Anya enjoys listening to pop music and has competed in various talent shows growing up. She loves dancing, doing yoga and art. She paints murals in the summer for various camps and loves her Spanish water dog Manny. Another fun fact about her is that during the weekends she works as the Disney princess Moana and Jasmine for birthday parties and events.
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GABBY | Piano (1 spot open)
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When I was five, my mom taught me to play piano, and since then I haven’t stopped! Music has always been an important part of my life and it's been easy to share the gift of music with kids everywhere I go. Piano became a greater passion for me when I moved to Mississippi where I began studying R&B and church music. I've attended Arizona Study Program in Phoenix where I learned all about classical music, including theory and how to master more difficult music. Lastly, I was accepted into the piano performance program at Mary Baldwin University in VA and graduated with a Bachelor's in Music. I’ve spent this last summer in London playing gospel and pop music with some local churches and bands. I'm experienced with teaching children ages 5-12 and adults. By working with children, I feel I learned more about teaching techniques and styles than through some teaching courses in college. I especially love to work with elementary and middle school age kids. This was where I learned how much I love to teach piano! I’ve seen first hand how a musical education can really help kids discover themselves and boost their confidence through a new skill. Many of my students performed Disney songs as well as the classics at their recitals and most of them continue to play today! I love to play and listen to everything from Beethoven to Musical Theater to Pop. When I'm not studying or composing, I'm watching hockey, go Caps!
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GUSTAVO | Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
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My love for music first started when I was in middle school when I discovered rock. For a year I saved all the money I could get until I could get a guitar. Throughout high school I practiced daily until one day the music teacher took notice of me and helped me get private lessons at Montgomery College. From there I decided that music is what I want to do with my life. After high school I went to enroll full time at Montgomery College, joining every single band I could get into like the MC Jazz Ensemble and the MC Latin Band. After getting my Associates of the Arts, I transferred to the University of Maryland – Baltimore County and did the same, joining various small groups and the UMBC Jazz Ensemble. At the same time, I discovered interest in other things as well, I began composing, playing other instruments such as piano and bass, and a love for different all sorts of different genres and styles. I graduated from UMBC with a Bachelor of Music with an Emphasis in Jazz Studies. I have performed around Maryland with various groups that I have formed. I like playing jazz, Latin, rock, blues, classical, and folk music. I also love producing music from my small home studio. I even use my old Gameboy to make music! My hobbies include reading, exercising, playing video games with friends, and looking at puppies with my girlfriend.
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SHEIDA| Piano (virtual only)
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I’ve loved poetry and music ever since I was a child. Any time I heard music I would gravitate towards it. I used to listen to my father’s cassettes that included all types of music.
I started learning guitar but after a few years I realized that piano is the instrument for me. I attended Azad University of Art in Tehran and received my bachelor in music/piano. I continued my studies in Psychology and Music Composition at the School of Modern Music. While living in Rome, Italy I attended the school for Art, Music, Theatre (DAMS) at Roma Tre University specializing in Music Therapy. While studying at university I began teaching music in various kindergartens, elementary and middle schools as well as music schools and privately. I have performed as part of the orchestra and with other music ensembles. Over the years I’ve freelanced as a designer and translator. I’ve also done volunteer work as a music therapist for children with mental illnesses especially autistic children. I’ve published two articles in Italy, Iran and the U.S. “Music in Persia and Zoroastrianism” and “How Music Therapy Helps Children With Mental Illnesses”. I play tennis and enjoy traveling and hiking and studying about psychology, art and design. But what makes me the happiest is playing piano and cello and teaching all of the things that I’ve learned about music throughout these years. |
Obie | Piano, Woodwinds (Sax, Clarinet..)(virtual only)
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Since elementary school, Music has been an everlasting presence in my life. Family and Music have always gone together in my household. I was originally inspired by my Godfather to play
saxophone at the age of 11 and naturally gravitated to learning piano with my Godmother a few years after. They both imparted their vast knowledge and experience of Music on me, and gave me plenty of opportunities to realize that Music was for me. Now, I have the pleasure of imparting that same knowledge to others so that they might be inspired and grow as a musician. In high school, I was given plenty of opportunities to perform with many bands. Concert band, marching band, garage bands. None of those bands were more influential than the Youth Jazz Orchestra that my Godfather conducted. As a young musician, I was blessed with the opportunity to tour with a performing organization. That orchestra toured nationally up and down the east coast performing at several East Coast Jazz Festivals, and internationally with a 10-day tour of Europe and two stints at the Havana International Jazz Festival in Havana, Cuba, opening for jazz legends like Herbie Hancock, Chucho Valdez, and the Buena Vista Social Club Shortly after these life-changing performances, I became focused on striving towards a career in music. I attended the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. There I studied Music Management, with an emphasis on Jazz Performance. While in school, I began teaching piano and saxophone at an organization located in the inner city of Hartford, CT. After school, I became the Musical Director and Coordinator at that same organization. There I spread my gift and love for music to several students of all ages and backgrounds. I also conducted and arranged for our Youth Jazz Orchestra, which was known for teaching and molding very proficient young musicians who were also looking to pursue careers in music. As a teacher, I have always focused on developing students at a young age. I truly enjoy starting new students on their musical journey, and pride myself on my beginner and intermediate lessons. Both my piano and saxophone lessons have always focused on building students repertoires, with strong reinforcement on music theory and technique. When I’m not teaching or performing, I enjoy watching sports with my pet cat and rooting for all the DMV home teams. I also am an avid fantasy sports fan. I love watching movies (especially anything in the Marvel Comic Universe), traveling to different places, and trying different cuisines! |
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Coralie | Piano (booked)
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I am a woman of many changing labels, but the one that has stuck by me for the past 22 years of my life has been "musician". I got my degree in piano performance at age 22, started competing in piano at age 8, playing piano at age 6, and loving music before I was born. From the Bach that was played to me in the womb to the Brittany Spears that I listen to in the car, music has always had a strong presence in my life (as of right now, my obsession lies in mashups of hip hop and classical music). I hope to share the love I have for music and work to inspire students explore their love for the art and develop their own unique styles and tastes.
Currently, I am a law student at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia School of Law, and graduated Washington and Lee University with a BA in Mathematics and Music Performance. Aside from music, I enjoy being outdoors and adventure. I try to have as many new experiences as possible and love coming back with a fun new story to tell. |
ABIGAIL| Piano, Voice (4 spots open)
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When I was young, I played soccer, took piano and swimming lessons, competed in gymnastics, and spent winters on the ice rink. As I entered middle and high school, learning the piano took precedence over everything else. Music opened up this beautiful world for me. When I was sad, I would play along to Adele. When I was bored, I’d play a Chopin etude or sight-read Bach’s (easier) prelude and fugues. When I needed uplifting, I’d sift through the hymnal, playing and singing my heart out. I still play soccer, hike to waterfalls, and swim in the ocean, but the music in my soul from years of dedication and performances is life’s greatest gift to me. I graduated college with a BA in English and my ARCT in piano performance from The Royal Conservatory of Music of Canada. With 20 years of performing and competing, 17 years of training, and 10 years of teaching the piano, I have learned so much about every aspect and almost every genre of music. Sharing my love of music with students is one of my greatest passions! I am also passionate about my mischievous bunny who, when he’s not chewing my shoes or books, jumps up onto the piano bench to play along with me!
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NICOLE | Piano (booked)
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I've been a piano teacher for about 8 years now, but have been a teacher all my life. My teaching experience started with volunteering in the church at a very young age and I continued teaching as a tutor throughout high school, college, and graduate school. My mother and father recorded songs that were broadcasted for a Czechoslovak Christian radio station and so my exposure to music began 9 months before I was born :) I've been trained in various instruments such as piano, voice, guitar, and violin. Teaching is rewarding, but when you mix teaching and music together, it's exhilarating. I am passionate about music and it's easy to pass that excitement down to my students. But it doesn't stop there, I LOVE showing my students off and am a big supporter in performing and sharing the gift of music with others. I enjoy classical, pop, country, R&B, and latin music. Other than music, I enjoy the outdoors, playing flag football, soccer, volleyball, horse-back riding, dogs, and traveling! Now a days you'll find me paddle boarding with my pup, Moja or hiking about.
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