Welcome to my Take Lessons Page:

I'm Jim, a concert pianist, vocalist, composer-arranger as well as California music industry artist developer and agent. As the founder of J. R. Spencer Music, coaching students of all ages/levels has been my passion for over twenty-five years. Teaching in college, high school, and private school settings have also allowed me the opportunity to perfect my teaching skills and be sensitive to the needs and learning styles of my students.

As a specialist and musicologist in a plethora of musical genres, I can help you quickly become a master of any style of music you are interested in. Pianists will have the opportunity to study traditional Classical repertoire, or study a more contemporary approach focusing on reading charts and playing by ear allowing students to perfect playing jazz, pop, rock, blues, New Age, and Latin. Vocalists may also study all genres including: Classical/Opera, Musical Theatre, Acting, American Idol/Glee Pop, Rock,...

A lover of cats, kids, and music, Molly started taking Suzuki violin lessons at age six, finishing all ten books before finishing high school. She added guitar, guitar variants (ukulele, cuatro, tiple), and percussion during her Master’s degree in ethnomusicology at U.T. Austin and began teaching world music, piano, and theory at L.A. Trade Tech College in 2002. performing for several years with the Cal Arts Balinese gamelan, Burat Wangi.

Molly moved to New York to perform with the local chamber pop ensemble Kotorino in 2008 and it was there that she started teaching individual lessons on violin and guitar before moving back to her natal LA and taking the Suzuki book 1 training with Liz Arbus. Molly has years of experience performing in world and pop music ensembles and has a deep love for music and its transformative qualities, especially when it comes to young people and advocating for a musical education. She currently plays violin and sings with the Eastern European...

Noted violinist and gifted educator. Studied with H. Harutyunyan and V. Khachatryan, students of the great violinist L. Kogan. Tigran N. has been teaching Violin and Viola to students of all ages for over 15 years. He received his Master's degree in Music Performance from The Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, Armenia and his Bachelor of Music from Babajanyan State Music College. In addition to teaching, he has performed and recorded with several orchestras, has composed and arranged several pieces including his own album. He is a highly educated individual who enjoys sharing his knowledge and expertise with students interested in learning.

I love to teach the violin and fiddle. I really enjoy working with adult beginners to help them discover music. You are never too old to learn! My specialty is working with young children and youth to establish a wonderful foundation for the student on the violin. I work to incorporate into the lessons a strong sense of musicianship with both the violin and fiddle. I am a structured teacher, one that is helpful, friendly and fun to work with. In working with young children, I encourage the parent to be involved with the lessons...to partnership, so that the child will progress and have an enjoyable experience. I use a modern approach in selecting books for each student.. books that inspire and encourage the student at his/her level and age. Having taught several instruments during the past 15 years...I understand the importance of passing on musical knowledge to brave beginners who are starting out on a musical journey. . Music lessons can be a wonderful "corner stone" and a...

I have 40 years of Music Educational experience. Starting with a B.A. in Music Education and a B.S. in Music Composition & Theory. Both degrees are from Eastern Washington University.

I had the pleasure of teaching at King's Schools in Seattle, and Christ the King Academy in Poulsbo, Washington with a total of 8 years between the two. This included teaching Beginning and Intermediate Band classes for Elementary students. Band classes for the Jr. High and High School, Jazz Ensembles, Brass Ensembles, Orchestra and String Ensembles.

I also taught Choir for Elementary, Jr. High and High School, along with a special Vocal Ensemble.

Another fun thing I got to do was also coach teams in football, baseball, gymnastics, track and golf.

Since my Senior year in College I have been teaching private music lessons on many instruments. Because of my musical training, I am able to play and teach on all the Band and Orchestra instruments, including Combo instruments.

Another...

I have been playing music since I was about 13 years old. I initially started out on guitar but I quickly picked up mandolin, banjo, and ukulele thanks to the great theoretical tools I'd learned from my first teacher! I started studying alto saxophone around the same time I picked up guitar and began extensively studying violin a few years later.

I quickly began writing songs and at 15, I recorded my first album of original material with production help from Grammy award winning producer/guitarist Joe Reyes. Joe and I would go on to make four other records together and I would wind up doing string arrangements for one of his albums as well.

While still in high school, I began playing with a number of bands in my hometown of San Antonio, Texas as well as a few groups in Austin, Texas all while still playing in my high school's orchestra! At 18, I got to tour the country playing violin/saxophone/musical saw with the Austin band Moth!Fight!

I earned my Bachelor's degree...