About

Hello! My name is Rose and I am a traveling piano teacher in Snohomish County, WA. My travel zone generally covers the area south of Mount Vernon and north of Mill Creek (including most of Stanwood, Arlington, Marysville, Everett, Lake Stevens and Snohomish). I love helping people fit music into their busy lives by offering the convenience of in-home lessons, which can save students hours of driving time every month. My students and their families appreciate learning to play piano in the comfort of their own homes (sometimes in the comfort of their pajamas–I don’t judge!).

I keep a relatively small studio and integrate it with a balanced lifestyle, which enables me to approach each student with fresh eyes and a genuine passion for their individual well-being and musical growth. After almost twenty years of teaching, I feel lucky to have avoided the dreaded burn-out, the blur of names and faces, and the potential revolving door of a larger studio.

In addition to being a piano teacher, I am a photographer, reader, keen traveler, competitive amateur mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner.

Qualifications

Growing up, weekly piano lessons were an important part of my education, from the elementary grades through high school, community college and university. My qualifications include a BA in Music (Piano) from Walla Walla University, completion of a piano pedagogy course through Everett Community College, as well as almost twenty years of teaching experience with students of all ages and abilities. For many years, I was an active member of local, state and national music teachers associations, providing my students with opportunities to participate in events sponsored by these organizations.

As the oldest of eight siblings (now grown), I am a natural leader, teacher and peacemaker, who is tuned in to a wide variety of personalities and learning styles. Six of my brothers and sisters took consistent piano lessons from me as children, through high school and even as adults!

Teaching Philosophy

My approach to teaching piano is simple, goal-centered and relational. In other words, no frills or gimmicks to distract from the music and the addictive sense of accomplishment that comes from learning to play piano. My students enjoy a streamlined, low-stress approach to developing solid musical skills, while connecting with music they love. Contrary to the harsh, knuckle-bashing piano teachers of countless horror stories, I value patience, kindness, encouragement and clear communication as the most efficient methods of cultivating musical growth.

I am experienced with a wide variety of method books (Faber, Alfred, Thompson, Bastien, etc.) and can supplement them as needed with additional material and exercises. Though classically-trained myself and a believer in the incomparable value of studying classical repertoire, I always make an extra effort to find music in any genre that my students will love, whether it is pop, country, worship, new age, jazz, etc.

I believe that music is an important part of a well-rounded education, encouraging creativity, discipline, and self-confidence. Especially for younger students, one-on-one piano lessons provide an excellent opportunity to practice self-expression, social interaction, and goal-setting, in addition to developing reading skills and vocabulary. Older students and adults who may already be skilled in these areas will enjoy challenging themselves anew with the endless opportunities that the study of music provides. Fortunately, the piano is one of the most accessible of instruments for beginners of all ages and provides a musical foundation that is widely applicable to the study of other instruments and the general enjoyment of music.