Piano with Justin W.

Hello! My name is Justin, a Christian musician that recently moved to the Nashville/Brentwood area from Michigan. I'm a pianist, guitarist and bassist that loves performing, teaching, learning, and above all enjoying life. When I'm not working on music, I'm usually found biking or running through the hills of southern Nashville. I love nature and all of the opportunities that it gives us to explore and learn! I started my formal music education when I was in the third grade, taking classical piano lessons at my parents’ request. I progressed steadily but never felt truly connected to what I was doing. Two years later, I was introduced to pop piano music through the worship band at my church. I learned to play by ear and read chord charts, taking my abilities far beyond the reach of classical piano. By the time that I reached high school, I was playing piano, guitar and bass as well as singing and acting. By my senior year, music had consumed so much of my time that sports were pushed to the side. I loved it! Before I knew it, I was being pressured into picking a college. I had planned on going to school for Computer Science, but knew that music was my passion. While the money would have been great, sitting in a cubicle just isn’t my style. I decided upon Cornerstone University, a small Christian school in Grand Rapids, MI. For two years, I studied piano, voice and guitar in the school’s Contemporary Christian Music program. The program was great, but I needed a more competitive environment that only a larger school could offer. In the fall of 2008, I transferred to Grand Valley State University and loved it! My teachers were great, the other students were supportive, and overall there was a culture of learning and growth. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Grand Valley in April of 2011. I decided to take the summer off of working and enjoy the sunshine, then moved to the Nashville area in November of 2011. I’m currently serving as Worship Leader for a church in Nashville. *** Lesson Details *** I believe that every student is unique, therefore each lesson should also be unique. By understanding the student's motivation to study music and play an instrument, we can work together to set goals that will set the student up for success. For piano, I prefer to use either the Bastien or Alfred series, depending on the student's goals, experience, and age. For guitar or bass, it depends on which style(s) of music the student would like to learn. I have plenty of resources available, so the sky is the limit. No matter which instrument you study, the ability to play properly is important from the very first lesson! Above all, learning music should be fun! Life is about finding the balance between work and play - for me, music does that perfectly. What started as a simple hobby has turned into a wonderful career. With time and practice, it's amazing how much this small hobby can enrich your life! *** Studio Equipment *** Quiet home studio with seating for parents. *** Specialties *** While in college, I studied classical voice and piano, as well as a few semesters of guitar. During that time, I held positions as both a classical singer and a pianist at churches in town. On the side, I specialize in pop and rock music. Before college, most of my piano experience was playing with bands, pit orchestras, coffee shop duets, etc. Classical music is invaluable, but I realize that most students are more interested in learning how to play contemporary music. As a young musician that grew up playing what he heard on the radio, I'm able to incorporate classical music and technique with modern theory and aural skills. Once you have all of those basics, the student will easily be able to learn a variety of styles of music.