Drum lessons are a great option for the young beginner student. There are many benefits to music lessons for your child; it builds language skills, makes them academically stronger, teaches them discipline, and supports the healthy development of motor skills and muscle development! Learn more about the benefits of music lessons for your little one HERE.
Call us at 615-521-1937 to get your little musician started on their journey.
Gift Certificate are the gift that keeps giving. They are good for any age and every instrument (including voice and songwriting lessons). You don’t have to be in Nashville to enjoy the experience of learning music either! These gift certificates are good for online and in-person lessons. Within 24 hours of ordering, you will receive a PDF of the Gift Certificate to print and present, so these make an excellent last minute gift as well. Have questions? Email us at info@nashvillemusicacademy.org or click HERE to purchase.
Outdoor music lessons are a great solution for those ready to get back to in-person lessons, but still very cautious about Covid19. All lessons can be done outdoors. We are offering $5 off the first lesson so you can see if it’s for you!
Learn more about outdoor COVID-19 transmission.
Read up on our Back to School Special here!
This school year will present us with unprecedented challenges, and also opportunities. Our 2020 Nashville Music Academy Back To School Special recognizes that homeschooling and distance learning will be a big part of your scholar’s educational experience this Fall.
We are excited to welcome many new online students, and to say THANK YOU we are taking $5 off their first virtual lesson and shipping a FREE pack of music flashcards to assist with distance learning. Online lessons are available for any age and every instrument. Call or text today to set up your lesson or ask any questions: 615-521-1937.
Nashville Music Academy gift certificates are the perfect way to give the gift that keeps on giving: music. NMA offers Skype lessons for long distance students, so those not located in Nashville are still able to receive lessons.
Our highly accomplished staff of instructors are among Nashville’s best. The staff consists of 17 skilled musicians, with lessons ranging from voice to strings, piano, drums, brass and more. With award winning drummers Phil Yochum and Ben Andrew, your student is guaranteed the best. Piano instructor Elliot McClain has a Master of Music degree, and is blind, with his lessons focusing on aural and improvisational skills. Shelly Blair, violin instructor, is a creative teacher who also works with our Valor after school music program. Our diverse staff will teach both music and life lessons.
Give the gift of music today with a Nashville Music Academy Gift Certificate.
Megan Lavell is 26. She has autism, has been taking piano lessons for 10 years and it shows. Her teacher, Tatia Rose, is the owner of Nashville Music Academy.
Click HERE to watch.
Gift Certificates are available for music lessons at Nashville Music Academy! They make a great gift for children or adults. They are easy to purchase, just click here. Just choose the 30 minute or 60 minute option and we will mail you a PDF. Certificates are valid for any instrument or voice lesson.
Small Business Saturday is right around the corner on November 25th! We have gift certificates available now, with the low price of $90 (three half hour music lessons of your choice). You can give the gift of music by clicking HERE. Payment is easy and convenient with a Visa or MasterCard. You can also give us a call at 615-521-1937 for more information. We offer music lessons for students of every age, ability and disability.
Trumpet lessons are available at Nashville Music Academy! Instructor Nick Haynes joined the staff a couple of weeks ago and we are delighted to have him onboard. He has years of teaching and touring experience and has played with renowned artists and bands like MercyMe, Tim Akers & The Smoking Section, and Denver & The Mile High Orchestra. This experience has definitely contributed to his teaching ability. Nick says about teaching, “I strive to push a student to the fullest potential that can be achieved in each and every lesson. In my own experiences as a player, I have developed the best by playing along side a player that is a strong player rather than playing only by myself.” By playing side by side in lessons , the student is able to check the progress made in personal practice each week. Every lesson includes work in the following areas: warm up, fundamental technique on air, finger dexterity and scales, performance technique, ear training, sight-reading, and repertoire. You can learn more about Nick on his website: nickhaynestrumpet.com
Pricing for trumpet lessons is as follows: half hour $30, forty-five minutes $40 and the hour at $55. We accept cash, check, Visa and MC. Students of all ages and abilities are welcome. If you need recommendations on renting a trumpet, please give us a call at 615-521-1937.
NMA is honored to serve our active duty and retired military. In appreciation of your tremendous sacrifice to our country, we are offering a 5% military discount on music lessons. This discount is good for piano, drum, guitar, voice, violin, woodwind and cello lessons. It is also applicable to any length of lesson (30, 45, or 60 minutes). This discount also extends to the spouses and children of active duty personnel and veterans.
Besides enjoyment, many military personnel are finding health benefits in music lessons and music therapy, particularly in the treatment of PTSD. A recent article from NPR highlights these benefits and the popularity of the program, Guitars for Vets. You can read about it HERE.
Those eligible for the military discount can call or email us at any time and use the code “Military” to receive the discount. Lessons are available 7 days a week from 10 am until 8 pm. and there is parking onsite. The lesson rooms are private and suited for individual lessons. Beginners or advanced students welcome.
Cello teacher Hannah Koshgarian is a valuable addition to the Nashville Music Academy. She has an impressive educational background that begin at the University of Kansas, where she performed with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra. Hannah transferred to Fort Hays State University in 2012, where she continued to study cello through private lessons, as well as performing with the Hays Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Hays Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra, and various musical and opera pit orchestras. Koshgarian was also the 2014-2015 recipient of the Edwin Moyers Orchestra Award, given each year to an exemplary string student. She graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology. Hannah currently plays with the Spring Hill Orchestra, various worship teams, and several recording artists throughout Nashville, while devoting time to being a cello teacher. Her students enjoy a wide variety of instruction in various genres ranging from classical to pop music.
Cello lessons with Hannah are available throughout on weekdays and on the weekend. To make an appointment with Hannah, give us a call at 615-521-1937 or make an appointment online here. Appointments with Hannah, our cello teacher, can be made under the selection “music instructor” at this link. If you are considering taking lessons, it is important to consider an instrument purchase. Cellos come in different sizes. Standard cellos are referred to as “4/4” and smaller cellos may be referred to in fractional sizes, such as 7/8, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10 and 1/16. Smaller cellos are the same as their full-sized counterpart, just scaled down for children. While it is a large instrument, the cello is relatively light weight, weighing only 5 – 7 lbs. Hannah is available to make recommendations about where to purchase or rent a cello.
Reading music is a goal of many students who come to Nashville Music Academy. Given my own struggles with sight reading as a young student, I always find this to be a valiant request. Learning to read music is like learning another language, and therefore comes with the benefits that you would expect from the latter. Adding to the challenge is the fact that each instrument has it’s own method for reading music. These include tablature for guitar, rhythmic notation for percussion, both bass and treble clef for piano, and the list goes on. Let’s discuss the challenges and benefits of reading music!
When I was first learning to play piano, it was by Suzuki method. Suzuki method is largely reliant on ear training. The student listens to a piece of music many times and watches the instructor perform it. Then with minimal assistance from the sheet music, the student attempts to play the song again, and again…. and again. When I enrolled in the music program at WVU, it was clear that I would have to become proficient at sight reading. It was a struggle. Of course I had been familiar with all the grade school techniques of memorizing the lines and spaces on the staff. We all know the old moniker Every Good Boy Does Fine. The challenge immediately became figuring out those notes while reading the rhythm and trying to keep up a decent tempo. Over time though, it became easier and today I am a decent accompanist.
Reading music is definitely like learning a foreign language. I would equate it to Russian, Chinese, or Arabic since it requires a new symbol charter. Like a new language, it opens you up to a whole new world. Like language, it has different dialects as well. Most are familiar with sheet music. The old familiar staff and notes sprawled out over many pages, marked with classical symbols for loud (f) and soft (p), staccato, slurs, ties, crescendos, etc. However, when I moved to Nashville I learned the “slang” of music known as charts. While some charts can be very complex, Nashville has it’s own language called the number system. This system uses numbers to represent chords, and various other markings to let you know how to emphasize certain parts of the music. Yet again, I found myself speaking as a “foreigner” and this time I had the privilege of being too formal.
Now I am able to navigate the formal and informal settings of music because I know how to read both sheet music and charts. Because piano was my first instrument, I can also read all the other forms of sheet music for the various other instruments. For this reason, many recommend starting with the piano. Reading music requires a patient student, but when it’s all said and done it’s definitely worth it. All of our instructors at NMA are proficient in both sight reading and ear training, and are literate in charts and score. To set up an appointment today, give us a call or text at 615-521-1937!
Author: Owner and Classical piano instructor/Tatia Rose
The job of being a music teacher is a wonderful one. Today I received a wonderful text from a parent (see attached photo). Not only was it accompanied by an illustration by my student Jack (who is 7 years old), it reflected what he thought about our piano lessons together. It’s a great honor to sit with a child (or adult) for an hour or more every week and help them learn how to play an instrument. As many a music teacher knows, music lessons are often more than just instruction. They are a time to listen, share, and be a friend.
This particular student of mine has been studying with me since he was 5. He is quite advanced now (not a surprise since both his parents are musicians). It is my joy to see him enthusiastic about music and the progress he has made. I have many students that I started with at Jack’s age and now graduating high school. While my tenure as a music teacher lends to the fact that I’m getting older, it is one of the most wonderful things about sharing the gift of music with others.
(Written by owner/piano instructor Tatia Rose)
Woodwind Teacher Michael Gutierrez has been teaching at Nashville Music Academy for over 5 years. He offers instruction for flute, clarinet, and saxophone. Originally from Peru, collectively he has over 20 years of performance and teaching experience with woodwinds including saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Studying under Belmont’s Associate Dean of Music Dr. Jeff Kirk, the Head of Jazz Studies at MTSU Don Aliquo, and University of Maryland’s Head of Jazz Studies Chris Vadala, Gutierrez developed a broad range of classical technique, jazz theory, and improvisational skills that make him the premier choice as a Nashville woodwind coach. He has performed and/or recorded with such artists and bands as 5-time Grammy winner Roy “Futureman” Wooten, Jeff Coffin, Steve Cropper, Black Mozart Ensemble, and the Nashville Symphony.
Micheael is available for daytime and weekend appointments. In-home lessons with our woodwind teacher are also available upon request. The hour lesson is $55, the 45 minute lesson is $40 and the half hour lesson is $30. We also offer a 5% discount when you purchase four or more lessons in a package. We accept cash, check, Visa and Mastercard. Our cancellation policy is 24 hours notice (or in any case of dangerous weather). Don’t wait! Learn to play today!
When one chooses to learn to play an instrument, several thoughts come to mind. Will I have time for this endeavor? How much will it cost? And how soon will I be able to play with ease? These are the most common questions we receive at Nashville Music Academy. First, congratulations if you have made the choice to start taking music lessons! Being able to play an instrument will bring hours of joy and comfort to your life. Now, let’s discuss further the FAQ’s of beginning music instruction.
Time. It’s a factor in everything we do, and now technology has made multi-tasking your busy life even more possible. This allows for other pursuits, like music lessons. Lessons are offered in 30, 45, or 60 minute sessions with most students attending once a week. It is recommended that students come no less than bi-weekly. Practicing at home is the second part of the student’s time commitment. In the beginning, as little as 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference. Once the student becomes more advanced, sitting down for 30 minutes several times a week is recommended.
Cost. If you want to learn to play an instrument at Nashville Music Academy, it’s going to be affordable. We have always wanted our music programs accessible to many. The 30 minutes lessons are $30, 45 minute lessons are $40, and the hour is $55. We also offer a 5% discount if you purchase 4 music lessons in advance.
When does “learn to play”, turn into “I can play.”? This depends entirely on how much time you commit to practice. In most cases, with regular lessons and reasonably frequent practice, students can play through one or two pieces within a couple months. At NMA, we encourage our students to also participate in the annual Fall recital.
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Tatia Rose founded Nashville Music Academy in June of 2015, but it had previously thrived as Rose Music Group since 2006. Rose is not only the owner, but also a piano instructor at the academy. Her primary focus is Classical Performance and Music Theory and Composition. Rose also serves as director of the Special Needs Music Program at NMA.
Upon graduating from West Virginia University in 2003, Rose moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a songwriter and pianist and eventually left that pursuit to work from home as a teacher and entrepreneur. This arrangement worked well for a young working mother, but the business (much like the baby) refused to stop growing. Her entrepreneurial work began including more diverse projects that reconnected her with the Nashville artistic community. Under the banner of Rose Music Group, this included production of concerts, artist bookings, and talent management.
In 2015, the school and the entertainment agency (RMG) were separated, and Nashville Music Academy was created in the rebranding. Tatia Rose serves as President of both companies. She is a member of the Nashville Chapter of the Nashville Recording Academy, proud supporter of Autism Speaks and the Alzheimer’s Association, and received an award from Nashville Mayor Dean recently for her work with individuals with disabilities. Her executive experience also includes aggregate management.
Please check out our sister company Rose Music Group LLC.
Matt Love started taking drum lessons at Nashville Music Academy several years ago. His skill developed very quickly (as you can see from watching the video below). By creating a foundation of strong rhythm and sight-reading skills, Matt and his drum instructor (Chris Leidecher) were able to transition him into piano and violin lessons additionally and easily. In the 2016 recital, Matt performed all three instruments. Drum lessons are available Monday through Thursday 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm and Saturday from 11:30 am to 3 pm. It is recommended that a student have a drum kit when beginning lessons.
Violin lessons have long been the first instrument studied by many great performers. Elton John being one of those. What is it about this instrument that gives beginning musicians such an edge? It’s all about the ear. Learning the violin requires intonation, which is a very intuitive and self-sharpened skill where the ear is the only true measure of correctness. It also requires the mastery of emotion and performance technique, whereas other instruments strictly start off with technical and sight-reading components.
If you’re considering violin lessons for yourself or a child, we have two great violin instructors at Nashville Music Academy: Maria Kowalski and Lauren Douglas (see our instructor page for bio’s). Both have great experience teaching classical and fiddling styles. The violin and viola performances at the annual recital are always a crowd favorite. Often students start seeing beginning mastery of the instrument after six months.
Here are some interesting facts about the violin that you may not have known (compliments of sheetmusicplus.com):
http://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2013/06/12/10-interesting-facts-about-the-violin/
Providing the highest echelon of music education is the goal at Nashville Music Academy. We strive to meet this goal because we know how important music lessons are in the lives of all our students, especially those from disadvantaged homes and others who must daily overcome physical and cognitive disabilities. As teachers, we have seen first-hand the benefits of music education in the form of self-confidence, reading and math ability, and social skills. The latter benefits are the cornerstones of every successful individual.
Northwestern University conducted a study where researchers “looked at the impact of music education on at-risk children’s nervous systems and found that music lessons could help them develop language and reading skills.” It was the first of it’s kind to document the positive influence of “after-school music education on the brains of disadvantaged children, as opposed to affluent children receiving private lessons.”
This is something that music educators have known for a long time. We see the growth of our students take place over a span of years; sometimes from Kindergarten to College. In the aforementioned study, “researchers from the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern spent two summers with children in Los Angeles who were receiving music lessons through Harmony Project, a non-profit organization providing free music education to low-income students.” The first thing that the researchers discovered was that children’s brain activity only started to respond to music education after two years of lessons. (We have personally seen results sooner, often as soon as 8 months to a year). Once responses became able to be documented, the proof was clear. Music lessons increased children’s reading and math ability, and activated parts of the brain that could only be stimulated during the process of playing or reading music.
So what do we take away from all of this? The world is competitive. Our children need every advantage to seize upon opportunity. Music builds a foundation for success by accelerated the processes of reading and calculation, and also builds an intuitive nature necessary to becoming a beneficial member of society. We would love to help your child start this journey. Call us to make an appointment for any instrument and every age.
My father (pictured) passed away from Alzheimers Disease. It began when I was a young teenager still living at home, prepping for college while continuing my studies in classical piano performance. I would practice the upright piano and he would sit quietly in the other room. Most other times, he would pace nervously back and forth between the various rooms in our modest but aging house. It was an escape for both of us…
As an article from the Alzheimers Foundation so apltly pointed out,
“Music has power—especially for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. And it can spark compelling outcomes even in the very late stages of the disease.
When used appropriately, music can shift mood, manage stress-induced agitation, stimulate positive interactions, facilitate cognitive function, and coordinate motor movements.
This happens because rhythmic and other well-rehearsed responses require little to no cognitive or mental processing. They are influenced by the motor center of the brain that responds directly to auditory rhythmic cues. A person’s ability to engage in music, particularly rhythm playing and singing, remains intact late into the disease process because, again, these activities do not mandate cognitive functioning for success.”
This is a detailed way of saying something very simple. Music is therapeutic. It heals things that are broken within us that we cannot see nor explain. Somehow, we are unlocked by harmony, melody, and rhythm. The vibration that creates sound, stirs something us in as well. As a music teacher and daughter of a parent with Alzheimers, I can tell you firsthand that I have seen the healing powers of music.
A personal letter from owner and piano instructor, Tatia Rose… As a music instructor, I have been working with people who have special needs (predominantly autism) for almost 10 years now. The most important thing I have learned is that music is indeed the universal language, even for those who are non-verbal. The connection between vibration and sound allows all of us (even those with severe disabilities), to participate and create in a method of expression.
In addition, the confidence that is born from self-expression, enhances the social interaction of people who have difficulty connecting with others. The recitals we have every year are a great example of this. A parent of one of my autistic students relayed a great story to me…
“I picked up John from school, and the teacher pulled me aside and said, “Who is this Tatia that he keeps talking about today. And he said something about playing for people.”
She relayed that I was his teacher, and he had just done a great job at his recital and was very proud of himself. The best part of this though, is that John was communicating. I consider him a prodigy given his aural and theory skills, but John lacks the ability to use words like you and I. Since starting piano lessons, John has started singing along with some of his songs, and he’s using clumps of words as opposed to sign language and out of context, one-word responses.
This is the power of music. It is healing, connecting, and divine. It enables us individually and collectively to do amazing things. If you or someone you know could benefit from music lessons, please contact us info@nashvillemusicacademy. If you would like to know more about autism or programs for individuals with special needs, please visit http://autismspeaks.org.
Looking for voice lessons? Janine Le Clair is one of Nashville’s best acting coaches and voice teachers. She played the leading-lady for international musicals and productions like The Sound of Music, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Secret Garden, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Annie. LeClair also has extensive on-camera experience, and has been acting in network television commercials for financial institutions, home furnishings, restaurants and tourist destinations as far away as Australia.
Teaching under the same principles she was taught under (Stanislavski), LeClair also includes Uta Hagen and Meisner in her technique. Her personality is warm and inviting. This compliments her coaching style, which is patient, fun, and goal effective. She has been a music instructor at Nashville Music Academy (formerly Rose Music Group) for 10 years. Best-known for the results she achieves for both beginners and advanced students, LeClair provides a professional and experienced background enabling her to sculpt each lesson to the needs of the student. She is available (by appointment only) on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.
Hello future students! This is an invitation to get to know our music school and music teachers! We offer music lessons for EVERY instrument and ANY age. We are also honored to serve the special needs community. We have students of every range of ability and disability, which is why Nashville Music Academy is a proud partner of http://autismspeaks.org. Most of our instructors have been with us for 7 or more years and have AT LEAST a Bachelor’s Degree in their area of teaching expertise. The studio, located in Berry Hill, is comfortable and laid back. There’s free Wi-Fi and a kid-friendly waiting area. We look forward to meeting you!
Being a part of the Nashville community as a premier music school is an honor. We get to work with so many great folks, like the guys and gals over at Cumulus station, NASH FM 103.3. Check out our “enhanced” radio spot! Also, check out our FB page for deals http://facebook.com/NashvilleMusicAcademy
