Ellenwood Language Lessons

Voice and singing has been a part of my life since birth. I sing and lead others within the church and fellowship environments. While in the military, I formed a choir in Iraq during the Iraqi Freedom War and received the Director’s award. The choir was full of soldiers and airmen, and we were all given a sense of peace in the middle of war through the singing of blended angelic voices. I have performed in the U.S states and other countries for Generals, Colonels and the like. Locally, I support the military through events in singing the National Anthem for SCAD, Savannah State, and Armstrong Atlantic University. I also lead within the music ministry of Harvest Light Church.

I taught at Charisma Studios and worked side by side with students within the Broadway Dreams Foundation and many gifted people in Atlanta, Georgia. I have taught students within a Georgia State Youth Challenge program to challenge not only their voices but their character to move forward in life. I'm currently singing in Savannah and South Georgia areas. The voice inside of me grows daily and I live to share with others what I experience everyday of my life.

*** Lesson Details ***
When a student chooses to work with me, he or she will gain much strength through my teaching style. I enjoy listening to the student to pinpoint their individual need. I am very attentive to detail to ensure the student will receive everything that he or she has come to receive. I will do all that I can to the best of my ability, and with everything that I currently know and have learned. I learn from students everyday, therefore I am not the only teacher in the lesson.

When students reach the 3 month mark in voice, they will be able to hear themselves and correct their mistakes on their own. They will know if they are an alto, tenor or soprano or maybe all 3! These are the first steps to becoming a teacher themselves one day. At the 6 month point, students will have the confidence to be able to blend with other voices. If students pay attention and continue to practice they will be on their way to take steps to begin the solo and leading stages.

Within the aspect of academic tutoring, the students will learn new methods and techniques suitable for them in order to gain more confidence in the subject that is challenging them. Everyone learns differently, it is my passion to find out how the student learns and to apply the best practices and techniques to their learning experience to ensure their success in that subject.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Office/music studio setup with keyboard and computer.

*** Travel Equipment ***
The Voice
Subject Books and tools

*** Specialties ***
I teach students to sing from their diaphragm which helps them to breathe better while singing. It brings a smoother sound and it does not strain the voice. I also teach pitches and volume concerning specific songs being taught. The voice warm-ups and songs that are incorporated into the lesson, help to train the ear. It is important that a voice student learns how to hear the sound of music, so he or she can sing with any instrument including another voice:-)

Academically, I learn the student, so the student can learn.

tronic keyboard, in the lessons.
Bass Guitar: I teach rock, pop, funk, and country music on bass.
Banjo: I teach bluegrass, country, and some blues and rock music. I can also teach a bit of old-timey frailing/clawhammer style.
English and Reading: I am highly qualified, to tutor/teach English (spoken, written, and reading comprehension) to both native English speakers and to those learning it as a second language.
*** I am particularly good at working with children who have a.d.h.d. and other learning disabilities!

working on individual tasks.

I serve the entire ITP area and several OTP communities; I'm willing to travel to you, and we can meet in whatever setting is most convenient, including public areas such as libraries and coffee shops. Online tutoring is also available and I have additional times available for such sessions.

et, it is imperative to understand students' backgrounds, aspirations for the future, and proficiency levels. Additionally, I believe that setting tangible goals drives improvement and increases motivation. Finally, feedback, feedback, feedback! Intonation or vocabulary usage, personalized and specific feedback is what my students get and love.

As far as methodology goes, I am pretty eclectic. Again, methods and approaches are chosen based on students' needs. Sometimes we just have to work on drilling sounds and intonation or some simple grammar concepts like “do/does”, while at other times open conversation is the best way to practice the same content. One key component that doesn’t change is the focus on the student. I work hard on planning my lessons so that my students do most of the work during class. I also strive to contextualize everything around real life by choosing materials that are recent and relevant.

festivals, including the Yellow Barn Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Center, where she met her husband, Principal Percussionist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Joe Petrasek. Jessica and Joe perform together as the Petrasek Duo, and have given recitals and masterclasses at several universities.
Jessica has been a finalist twice for the position of Principal Flute of the Seattle Symphony. She was a finalist for Principal Flute of the Oregon Symphony, a super-finalist for Piccolo of the Houston Symphony, and was most recently the runner-up for Principal Flute of the Knoxville Symphony. You can hear some of her performances on her website, JessicaPetrasek.com.
Jessica has a huge passion for teaching, which she began at age 18. She has had students of all ages and levels, and has honed her teaching techniques, tailoring them to the specific needs of students whose manners of learning vary greatly. She is consistently surprised at what she discovers through teaching, even after 22 years of playing the flute. In addition to keeping a private flute studio, Jessica has been a tutor of Latin and Ancient Greek for five years, and has substitute taught. Her main hobby is English-style horseback riding, specifically Eventing.