College Park Music Lessons

ience working with students as young as 3 and old as 85! Often multiple generations in a family study together making for a rich family experience.

Performance opportunities: Recitals, Concerts Cabarets and Musicals are a part of developing into a musician and singer and enhancing a love of music that will last a lifetime!

*** Lesson Details ***
Piano - Classical, Jazz, Blues and Improvisation. Current students are beginners to professional musicians and music teachers.

Voice – I am an accomplished vocal coach and songwriter and currently work with a wide variety of singers from young beginners to professionals who look to develop through ear training, singing and songwriting. In a unique way I guide people to become better performers and musicians through the combination of voice, piano and composition.

I work with students as young as 3 or 4 and into their 80’s. It’s important to begin with an excellent teacher from the start to set a good foundation and to have the ability to develop as quickly and thoroughly as possible. I enjoy working with beginners as well as accomplished musicians. I also believe that music is one of the great joys of life and that lessons should be FUN!

Besides a wide variety of performance opportunities through my Family to Family Concerts, I also offer my students the curriculum and exams of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, a gold standard music curriculum.. The ABRSM is accredited in over 100 countries worldwide and exams are offered twice per year in all instruments and voice.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Lesson room with grand piano, vocal mics, recording equipment. Parents can sit in on lessons and waiting area available, parking on street. No pets.

*** Travel Equipment ***
They will need a piano or keyboard

*** Specialties ***
A message from Robert: Hello, I am a master teacher focusing on the classical repertoire along with a very creative approach to improvisation and composition. I help students to achieve their interests of music rather than focusing on teaching one particular method. Classes are tailored to the student and constantly evolving. This has led me to work in a variety of mediums and styles including Jazz, improvisation, rock and blues. This approach also enhances an understanding and love of classical music.
I also guide my students in the curriculum and exams of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. (ABRSM) Exams are offered twice per year.
I have also found it inspiring to work with people with disabilities and help them find a way to express themselves musically. I give lectures and workshops in the area and around the country on improvisation and creativity along with concerts of my own music.
I also work with a number of students in vocal coaching and accompanying.
New this year are seminars in songwriting for adults and children. Groups of 4-5 collaborate on new songs. Film and video composition coming soon!

. I can help you understand what is going on behind the music and hopefully see what the composer was hoping to convey, if that is something you want to know. When I was a student I always wanted to know "why?". As a teacher, you will know why if I do.

*** Lesson Details ***
I try to keep my lesson area as stress free as possible. It's OK to make mistakes in my studio. I would like you to bring a notebook to lessons as well as your music and instrument. I write as much as I can down because if you were like I was during lessons, I would forget everything I was supposed to be watching for after 3 days. Like I said above, we move at your pace. The more you practice, the faster we move. Questions are a good thing. It shows interest. But sometimes you just have to stop asking questions and just take the leap of faith.
We start with note reading as well as proper form and the parts of the instrument. We also deal with general care. I will tune your instrument every time you come in for lessons until you learn how to tune it yourself. We will review the day before, I will check on what work you've done and then move onto the next song/ technique etc. After we learn how to pluck the first 8 notes, we start with scales and bowing.

After that we move through the "usual" routine. Scale, etude, song(s) or school test songs, audition requirements etc.

I try to keep the same routine because for some students it's easier for them to focus if they know the lesson is going to move in a familiar way. It's reassuring. After we become proficient in the basics, we move into whatever genre you would like to play, within reason. If you are in the school orchestra we will work towards you getting an A.

I would say I'm more laid back when you are not preparing for an audition. Auditions require a lot of work and I want you to do as close to perfect as possible. I become fairly demanding during that time.

In about 6 months, you can play almost any tune you can hear on the radio. Explaining where you could be gets fairly technical and I might as well be talking like Charlie Brown's teacher.

*** Studio Equipment ***
at the away studio: music, music stand, stool, piano, laptop, tuner, metronome.

at home: music, music stands, chairs, computer, laptop, keyboard, microphone, tuner, metronome.

pictures of the away studio are posted.

*** Specialties ***
I am familiar with Paul Rolland's work, Valerie Bobbett Gardner's Violin Virtuosity, as well as Guillespie's. I was brought up Suzuki but haven't been trained in Suzuki. I have taken classes on how to teach to a variety of students so I could hold a teaching license in the state. I do participate with (Canadian) The Royal Conservatory of Music Music Development. This is active in the US also.

Special note: If you are allergic to cats, you will want to take lessons at my other studio location, not at the home.

IF you are contacting me with questions, please include either take lessons or lessons in the subject area so I can find you faster. I get a lot of junk mail and it is easy for me to miss a note from you.

timore and Municipal Opera company production of “She Never Lost a Passenger,” an original opera about the life of Harriet Tubman. Hewlett performed with Darin Atwater & the Soulful Symphony Orchestra during their inaugural season in 2005. Since 2004 he has served as music editor and copyist for local composers. In 2003, he was awarded a grand piano, gift of the Governing Members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, the Education Department of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra awarded him the Charles A. Buerger Scholarship. In the same year, Hewlett served as a music instructor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Camp Allegro, a musical enrichment experience for underprivileged students. He won first place, Classical Vocal at the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt Competition in 2000, 2002, and 2003 under the tutelage of Mrs. Delores Jones.

For 18 years, Mr. Hewlett has served as music director, organist, and guest conductor at churches of various denominations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. His church appointments include serving concurrently as Director of Music/Organist On October 31st, 2015, he was privileged to serve as Director of Music for the Vigil Eucharist for the Installation of the Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America. During the preceding summer, he was honored to serve as Director of Music for the 47th National Conference of the Union of Black Episcopalians.