Piano & Guitar Lessons

Teaching Philosophy

When adults hear that I’m a music teacher, they often say either “I sure wish I’d learned to play an instrument.” or “I took some lessons as a child, but didn’t stick with it. I sure wish I had.” My philosophy is that the primary goal of music lessons is to provide students with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of music, along with a sense of the joy and fun of music, so that they will continue to play their instrument throughout their lives, long after music lessons are finished. Adults who can play an instrument well will tell you it brings them a lot of joy, whether it’s playing to relax after a long workday, playing at their church, playing with a group of friends, etc. When someone tells me they “didn’t stick with” the lessons they started, I always ask why, and listen carefully to their answers.

I also believe that “one size does not fit all” when teaching music. While the fundamentals of playing an instrument do not change, there are many different ways to approach music lessons. I customize the teaching approach for each student, based on their age, the type/style of music they wish to play, their learning style, etc. For example, if a student has an interest in writing music, that is a great way to teach them music theory as part of their lessons. Here is a piece performed by one of my students named Molly. She wrote it when she was 11 years old.

Listen to Molly’s Song (.mp3 format, 1.69 MB)

Lesson Prices & Payment Methods

There are three different fee plans to choose from:

I travel to you (every-other-week lessons): I travel to Parker, Highlands Ranch, and other locations in the general area. $100 per month for 40 minute lessons on an every-other-week basis (some months there will be two lessons, other months three lessons, depending on the calendar). This is my most popular package. Not only is it convenient for busy parents, but students seem to be more relaxed in their own homes, which facilitates learning. The question sometimes comes up “Does it make a big difference in the student’s progress whether lessons are weekly or every-other-week?” After years of teaching using both methods, I’d say it makes very little difference, as long as students have a consistent practice schedule. The main difference is they get bigger assignments with the “every-other-week” plan.
You travel to me (weekly lessons): (I live about five minutes east of the intersection of Mainstreet and S. Parker Road in Parker, Colorado). $22 per 30 minute lesson. Most of my students have selected one of the “every-other-week plans” - so these time slots are limited.
You travel to me (every-other-week lessons): $25 per 30 minute lesson.

Monthly Payment Method

I will accept checks or cash for the first lessons, but would eventually like students to pay through a subscription service. A subscription allows you to pay automatically for lessons each month through either your credit card or PayPal account. Each month you will receive an email at the time of payment to notify you of the date when your payment will automatically be made. YOU CAN CANCEL AT ANY TIME.

I've been using it for years to pay my monthly website fee, and I've never had a single problem with it. It takes just a few minutes to set up, and will save us lots of time and hassles of dealing with bills and checks every month. If you have any questions or concerns, or are not comfortable using a subscription payment service, please talk with me about it, and we can work out an alternative.

For potential new students: Please don't subscribe until you've talked with me, and we've confirmed you live close enough to me for lessons, we've found a time that works for both of us, and we've determined the right fee for you.

Thank You!

Background

John has an extensive and varied musical background, and has been teaching private music lessons for over 10 years. He studied classical piano, guitar and cello as a child and began writing music as a teenager. He performed classical music in a number of orchestras including the Colorado Allstate orchestra and the Gold Sash Orchestra (performed at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.). He also loves popular music and has performed with musical groups as a keyboardist and vocalist. John composes popular, classical, children’s, and Contemporary Christian music (music available through I-Tunes, or CD Baby website). John holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an M.S. from the University of Colorado at Denver. Coursework included: Psychology and learning theory, music theory, piano, business. He also studied privately with Dr. Hilligoss (faculty of CU Boulder music school) and composer Howard Pancoast.