Music Lessons in Shawnee, KS

Instruments: Cello

I want to avoid overwhelming you with too many new skills at once. Once basic instrument skills are solid, we shift our focus to note reading. For this, I usually use the *Essential Elements* book, mastering notes on one string at a time, starting with the D and A strings. We first focus on pitch, followed by rhythm notation. For Intermediate Students The focus shifts more toward tone quality and advanced techniques such as shifting, vibrato, improving intonation, different articulations, bow strokes, and dynamics. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I enrolled as a guitar performance music major learning classical guitar with Mark Bentley of Kansas City. I soon began to teach guitar lessons and loved the opportunity to share with students the simple things of making music. I changed my major to music education and took about every music class Missouri Western offered. I became a public school elementary vocal music teacher in Kansas City, Kansas. I went on to get a Masters degree in Education Leadership with an emphasis in elementary education. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

It depends on age, skill, and interests! For younger musicians, I prefer books by great instructors and writters such as Hal Leonard, Jean Arban, Rubank, or Jamie Abersold. For more experienced players, I recommend authors such as Charles Collins, Herbert Clarke, Laurie Frink, or John McNeil. I have always enjoyed taking important concepts from these books and creating my own variations of the exercises that tailor to even more specific techniques and skills! Read More

Instruments: Piano Flute Keyboard

Natalie is a composer, pianist and flutist. She is graduated from her Master’s degree in Composition from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. She graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) for her Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Composition and Music Production. Her composition Peach Blossom Spring for piano and vibraphone just received the innovative prize from Abundance Silence. Her compositions are always inspired by arts and literature and she is also interested in music and dance collaborations. Read More

Instruments: Voice

I always start by asking the student if he/she has any goals or upcoming performances they'd like to concentrate on.  If so, we focus mainly on that goal, while also incorporating vocal exercises and other methods to continually improve the voice.  Otherwise, we will start with mainly vocal exercises (which will grow in difficulty as we master the easier ones), and after a few weeks, start applying what we've learned in the exercises to some songs (usually folk songs, art songs, Broadway, occasionally some opera). Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Flute Drums Bass Guitar Ukulele Mandolin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I began helping my friends work through their music when I was 19 at Missouri Western State University, and eventually cultivated a bustling studio of students through word of mouth. I now teach full time in Zoom and in person with house visits, or at my home studio. My students regularly perform very well at state competitions, form bands of their own, and have found great cause in writing their own music outside of academia. Read More

Instruments: Piano Flute Piccolo

For my methods, it depends on the age of the student and what their ability level is. For a young student, typically children, I would have to cover the fundamentals of music while applying it to piano or flute to help them learn the notes, clefs, time signatures, key signatures, etc. For my lesson plans, it changes from student to student as each student is different and has different needs they need to focus on to better their musical experience. Read More