MELODY MAKERS 5 - 6
MONDAYS
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
Ages: 5-6
Sept 9th - Jan 13th
16 Classes
$450
Students can join this class at any point during the semester. Tuition price will be prorated based on remaining classes.
Our Melody Makers 5-6 class is for five and six-year-olds who have already been exposed to the classroom and requires no reading skills. In our engaging 45-minute sessions each week, young musicians will enjoy a blend of group activities and individual practice, with plenty of hands-on time at the piano. They’ll explore more advanced concepts and practice real songs, making each lesson a fun and interactive experience. Each student will also receive a workbook for at-home practice, helping to reinforce what they’ve learned and continue their musical journey between classes.
Students will learn multi-key, primer-level songs written on the staff. We will focus on fingers 2-3-4, basic rhythms, midline crossovers, and left and right-hand discernment.
A new class is starting for fall semester. Reserve your space now as this class is filling up quickly!
YOUNG VIOLINISTS CAMP
Tuesday, June 18
9:00 AM — 11:30 AM
$90
Ages: 5 - 9
Enjoy playing in solo and groups; learn new pieces, enjoy rhythm, singing and theory games...all together with Dr. Coker, Juilliard trained teacher. Students love to share and learn from each other even more than adults. Let's have some fun with the violins!
Camp taught by Dr. Lee Coker
SUZUKI VIOLIN EXPERIENCE
July 8 — 10, 2024
9:00 AM — 9:30 AM
$90
Ages: 4 - 7
In three short sessions, students will learn how to make a box violin, plus basic music rhythms and concepts. Students will be taught how to sing Twinkle Twinkle and have fun with other musical enrichment activities. Give your child a new experience this summer!
Camp taught by Dr. Lee Coker
LITTLE SONGBIRDS
Saturdays
9:45 - 10:45
March 16 - May 4
$490
Ages: 5 - 7
Young singers that are not quite ready for one-on-one voice lessons can have fun learning about their voices and music in small group classes. The class will introduce young singers to the practice of vocal warm ups and singing songs. It will be similar to general music enrichment classes with the focus on voice. Full Voice Workbooks and tools will be heavily utilized. They will also have the opportunity to sing in front of each other.
HANNAH BAAKER
TEACHES
Group Piano
Music Theory
AGES
3 – 17
CURRENT OPENINGS
coming soon
WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY TEACHING STYLE
Patient
Individualized
Creative
Collaborative
Holistic
Hannah has had many years of experience teaching young children and working with learners with diverse needs, including neurodiverse students and students with learning disabilities. She believes student-led learning is the most effective way to work together.
Hannah provides both private and group lessons and has extensive experience with lab-style teaching, where several students are learning at their own pace at the same time.
A typical lesson with Hannah starts with asking the student about their day and setting intentions for the lesson with the student. Hannah believes that each student comes into the lesson with various mental loads from their life, so she works with them to individualize each week to their own capacity and goals.
After that, Hannah's lessons vary from student to student! A general guide would be working in the lesson book, then the theory book, and then supplemental music. Hannah uses goals and challenges to help her students be motivated to reach their achievements.
Hannah also provides preschool music classes that focus on an introduction to musical concepts through piano playing. Her preschool classes set up our youngest students to understand and recognize musical elements once they are ready for private lessons.
In her spare time, Hannah enjoys photography, graphic design, and leading worship at her church. She enjoys traveling, nature, and photographing every adventure with her wife, Sara.
EMMY ERICKSON
Student Teacher
Teaches
Voice
Piano
Ages
Voice: 7 to adult
Piano: 5 to adult
Education
BM Vocal Music Education K-12 (finished with schooling, completing my degree with a professional semester in student teaching)
Lessons
Private/one-on-one lessons
Words to describe my teaching style
Adaptable
Vibrant
Exploratory.
Emmy offer a fresh perspective as a newly graduated teacher. She also has a formal education with very recent research and pedagogy. She has studied vocal pedagogy and science which focuses on free and released singing through body mapping, awareness, and anatomy. She values both classical training and technique, yet also highly value training in modern, contemporary styles & techniques - both adding value to the whole singer/musician. She thoroughly believe that lessons have to adapt to the individual musician, and this plays out in the ways that educators word and approach various techniques.
In a voice or piano lesson, warmups are essential. This allows for time to vitalize whatever body parts are utilized and to explore what is possible in the voice/hands. Technique and performance skills will be addressed in every lesson and weaved into both the formal curriculum & repertoire.
Emmy is a huge gym rat and loves to be moving. She has a huge passion for health & fitness, which translates into the way she conduct her lessons: total body awareness and control. Hiking, tubing, camping, etc. have been activities that she loves to do whenever she gets the chance to be outside! She is an absolute foodie & loves to explore and try different spots in the cities. She also loves watching sports, reading books, journaling, and spending time with her family.
MARY GUSTAFSON
NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS
TEACHES
Suzuki Piano
AGES
4 – Adult
EDUCATION
BA in Piano and Music Education from the University of St. Catherine
NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS
WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY TEACHING STYLE
Personalized
Encouraging
Committed to healthy playing
Mary teaches using the Suzuki method, which prioritizes learning by listening, parents as partners in the teaching process, and cumulative review. Because students learn by listening, they learn to quickly and easily memorize their music and gain confidence sharing their music with others.
Early in their first year of study, they begin traditional music reading alongside their Suzuki study. They become versatile musicians who are dedicated and disciplined.
Having parents involved in their lessons and daily practice helps them value piano practice as a special time with Mom or Dad. Her adult and older students enjoy learning to improvise and play from chord charts, as well as traditional piano.
Lesson time includes getting rewards for listening to their Suzuki recordings, playing scales and transposing, learning a new piece by ear, refining their review pieces, and playing from their Faber reading books.
Throughout the year, students participate in practice games, music sharing (performance) prizes, summer reading program prizes, and the statewide Suzuki recital and award program.
Mary loves improvising at the piano and singing, riding her bike, reading, and relaxing with her family.
Mary is not accepting new students currently. Stay tuned for more information regarding Suzuki piano lessons.
JOHN ONDICH-BATSON
Teaches
Viola
Violin
Ages
6 and up
Education
B.A in Music from St. Olaf College
M.M. Orchestral Conducting from the University of MN Duluth
Lessons
Individual Private Lessons
Chamber Groups
30 minutes
60 minutes
Words to describe my teaching style
Passionate
Adaptable
Philosophical
Fun
John brings a conductor's viewpoint to teaching. He doesn't just teach how to play the instrument, but also the music theory and other skills (such as practicing hopefully) that accompanies the instrument. Two-way dialogue is critical in his teaching style as discussion about how to play the music compliments discussion about what the music means.
A typical lesson with John sets a routine that is adaptable to each student and what they are trying to accomplish. Most of the time this means beginning with scales/exercises and then progressing to the repertoire the student is working on. This includes ensemble music they may be working on as well as solo repertoire. In longer lessons, there is also more time for music theory training.
In his spare time, John enjoys building and painting miniatures as well as playing tennis.
KARIN VALDIZAN
CURRENT OPENINGS
Tuesdays
3:00pm - 7:00pm
TEACHES
Violin
Viola
AGES
5 – Adult
EDUCATION
MM in Violin Performance, The University of Texas
BA in Music and German, Luther College
CURRENT OPENINGS
Tuesdays
3:00pm - 7:00pm
WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY TEACHING STYLE
Thorough
Accommodating
Patient
Encouraging
Karin takes great care to treat each student as the unique person that they are. Karin meets the student where they are at and helps to tailor the experience based on the goals of the student and family while using excellent resources in a variety of mediums. Learning the instrument should be a doorway to exploring and inspiring love of music as a lifelong journey.
Good technique and knowledge of fundamentals are part of every lesson. Both reading music and playing by ear are valuable skills each musician should develop. Using varied materials and games help with not taking ourselves too seriously and making learning fun! Students learn scales and technical repertoire to give them the appropriate skills to play whatever style or genre their hearts desire.
Karin plays in a vintage rock band (www.royshow.com) among other freelance playing and enjoys activities with her family and traveling when possible. She is currently in the process of learning Hardanger fiddle, the traditional Norwegian folk violin.