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FIND A MUSIC TEACHER

The Sierra Foothills are brimming with talented music teachers!

InConcert Sierra has assembled a listing of local music teachers as a way to support and encourage music education in our community. If you are a local music teacher and would like to be included on this list, scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out our music teacher form.

Greg van der Veen
Cello
Email: gvdv63@gmail.com
Phone: 650-248-3275
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Greg is a credentialed music teacher with experience in all grade levels (band, orchestra, chorus, general music). He coaches chamber music at all levels. He is also a professional Stage Manager specializing in orchestras (but also everything), and this means he is on stage with some of the best musicians working on a regular basis. He has found over the last 20 years of teaching and Stage Managing that "that sound" is in his ear whenever he teaches. His students only benefit.

Cello

Alexandra Roedder
Cello
Email: info@alexandraroedder.com
Phone: 510-502-7375
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Alexandra offers lessons in Auburn and Davis. Students are expected to participate in studio recitals 2-3 times a year.
Zoe Schlussel
Cello
Email: zoeschlusselmusic@gmail.com
Phone: 530-401-8991
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning​
Zoe Schlussel offers private lessons for students of all ages. She has backgrounds in classical violin and fiddle and creates a custom curriculum for each student based on their goals, needs, and interests. Lessons are offered at studios in Grass Valley and Auburn, or online. For more information and to register for lessons, please visit: www.zoeschlussel.com.

Clarinet

Elizabeth McAllister
Clarinet
Email: lizk622@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 530-559-2837
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Elizabeth offers clarinet and saxophone lessons in the Nevada County area.

Flute

Nora Nausbaum
Flute
Email: Noraroberta@gmail.com
Phone: 530-798-9585
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Nora offers both classical and jazz flute lessons in the Nevada County area.

Harp

Lisa Stine
2 harps
Email: lisastineharp@gmail.com
Phone: 530-632-6226
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
Lisa enjoys teaching students of all ages how to play the harp. Lessons include guidance in reading, ear training, improvisation, ensemble skills, and basic theory.
Mostly, she hopes students will embrace the magic of the harp in their own way!

Music Composition and Theory

Alexis Alrich
Sheet Music Edits
Email: alexisalrich@mac.com
Phone: 530-648-4714
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Alexis offers composition lessons and piano lessons with a creative bent.
Mark Vance
Sheet Music Edits
Email: markvance51@hotmail.com
Phone: 530-277-5931
Will teach in a classroom setting.
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Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Please see Mark's website for more info: www.markvance.org

Percussion / Drum

Kit Bailey
Drum Sticks
Email: kitbailey55@gmail.com
Phone: 530-264-6287
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Kit teaches all forms of percussion: classical percussion, drum set, mallet instruments (xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel), Latin percussion (congas, bongos, timbales), West African djembe & dundun, and Brazilian parade percussion. He offers percussion and drum lessons privately or in a group. He is well versed in classical, jazz, rock, and world-music styles. His teaches sticks, mallets and hand techniques and instructs by reading or by ear.
Beau Askew
Drum Sticks
Email: beau@drumloftgv.com
Phone: 530-575-2328
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Drumming and teaching has been a passion of Beau's for many years. He knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue a music career. He grew up in Grass Valley and has spent the last 10 years sharing his love for drums with our community. He has worked with hundreds of students and performed with bands both locally and nationally. 

Whether it’s your first time playing the drums or already a passion of yours as well, He'd like to offer you a free lesson!

Piano

Alexis Alrich
Piano Keys
Email: alexisalrich@mac.com
Phone: 530-648-4714
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Alexis offers composition lessons and piano lessons with a creative bent.
Michelle Coder
Piano Keys
Email: michelle.coder@gmail.com
Phone: 530-305-4627
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
Michelle is a professional vocalist, credentialed teacher, Musical Theater director and college music professor with an extensive performance background as a classical concert artist and thirty years of experience teaching music and acting to students of all ages. She currently maintains a private studio at Music & More Performing and Visual Arts Center in Auburn where she offers both onsite and online private lessons and classes, www.musicandmore.net. Michelle believes anyone can learn to sing, play the piano and act. Lessons are customized to fit each student’s age, previous experience and personal goals. Each lesson is fun, emotionally supportive, prioritizes health and well-being and provides step-by-step instruction in essential skills, theory and fun, age appropriate repertoire.
Cathy Collings
Piano Keys
Email: cathy.collings@outlook.com
Phone: 530-268-5035 (Grass Valley)
Will teach in a classroom setting.
​
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
​
Cathy has a BA in music from Oberlin College and 23 years of experience teaching piano. She teaches ages 7 to adult with an emphasize on music reading.
Heather Grove
Piano Keys
Email: heathergrove.music@gmail.com
Phone: 530-559-8150
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Heather offers private lessons for students of all ages. She has a background in classical and rock piano and has played professionally for many different concerts and events. Her students learn the joy of piano playing and lessons are customized to fit the individual needs of each student. Heather teaches her students to read music, play by ear, play in bands and compose their own music. Lessons are offered at her studio in Alta Sierra.
Linda Lyon
Piano Keys
Email: leforeman@yahoo.com
Phone: 530-274-8644
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
Linda offers private voice and piano lessons.  She also provides vocal coaching for individuals and groups at her private studio located in south county.
Jean Poff
Piano Keys
Email: roger.poff@icloud.com
Phone: 530-273-6875
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
Jean offers piano lessons to beginning and intermediate students in Nevada County. In addition to piano literature, students receive instruction in music theory, sight reading, ear training, improvisation, and composition, according to their interests.
Lynn Schugren
Piano Keys
Email: schugren@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 530-265-1907
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Lynn offers piano lessons to beginning, intermediate and advanced students in Nevada County.

Recorder, Celtic Whistle, Baroque Flute

Kathryn Canan
Recorder
Email: kacanan@yahoo.com
Phone: 916-996-7932
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Kathryn teaches all ages and particularly loves teaching early music on recorder for those who want to explore centuries beyond those we usually hear.  She offers private lessons or ensemble coaching, in person or on Zoom or Facetime.

Saxophone

Elizabeth McAllister
Sax
Email: lizk622@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 530-559-2837
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Elizabeth offers clarinet and saxophone lessons in the Nevada County area.

Trumpet

Glenn Smith
Trumpet
Email: glenntrumpet@gmail.com
Phone: 530-478-0770
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Glenn offers trumpet lessons and all other brass instrument lessons in the Nevada City area. All ages and all levels welcome!

Viola

Kasandra Klassy
Viola
Email: kasandraklassy@gmail.com
Phone: 510-461-1485
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Kasandra has been teaching violin and viola for over 40 years. She studied the Suzuki method of teaching directly from Dr. Suzuki in Japan and has certifications to teach the Suzuki books. She is experienced with age 5 to adult. She also includes fiddle music from around the world and many other styles of playing in her teaching. She has 4 concerts a year, each of which have a different focus to keep her students highly motivated and having fun. Her passion is playing Baroque violin. For more info please visit www.violinteacherkasandra.com.
Zoe Schlussel
Viola
Email: zoeschlusselmusic@gmail.com
Phone: 530-401-8991
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
Zoe Schlussel offers private lessons for students of all ages. She has backgrounds in classical violin and fiddle and creates a custom curriculum for each student based on their goals, needs, and interests. Lessons are offered at studios in Grass Valley and Auburn, or online. For more information and to register for lessons, please visit: www.zoeschlussel.com.

Violin 

Kasandra Klassy
Violins
Email: kasandraklassy@gmail.com
Phone: 510-461-1485
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Kasandra has been teaching violin and viola for over 40 years. She studied the Suzuki method of teaching directly from Dr. Suzuki in Japan and has certifications to teach the Suzuki books. She is experienced with age 5 to adult. She also includes fiddle music from around the world and many other styles of playing in her teaching. She has 4 concerts a year, each of which have a different focus to keep her students highly motivated and having fun. Her passion is playing Baroque violin. For more info please visit www.violinteacherkasandra.com.
Zoe Schlussel
Violins
Email: zoeschlusselmusic@gmail.com
Phone: 530-401-8991
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Zoe Schlussel offers private lessons for students of all ages and levels. She has backgrounds in classical violin and fiddle and creates a custom curriculum for each student based on their goals, needs, and interests. Lessons are offered at studios in Grass Valley and Auburn, or online. For more information and to register for lessons, please visit: www.zoeschlussel.com.

Voice

Michelle Coder
Music Performance
Email: michelle.coder@gmail.com
Phone: 530-305-4627
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Michelle is a professional vocalist, credentialed teacher, Musical Theater director and college music professor with an extensive performance background as a classical concert artist and thirty years of experience teaching music and acting to students of all ages. She currently maintains a private studio at Music & More Performing and Visual Arts Center in Auburn where she offers both onsite and online private lessons and classes, www.musicandmore.net. Michelle believes anyone can learn to sing, play the piano and act. Lessons are customized to fit each student’s age, previous experience and personal goals. Each lesson is fun, emotionally supportive, prioritizes health and well-being and provides step-by-step instruction in essential skills, theory and fun, age appropriate repertoire. Intermediate to advanced vocal students dig deeper, receiving targeted coaching built on the foundations of Bel Canto technique. Lessons focus on learning and habituating free, healthy tone, engaging breath management, building strength, and expanding range, then learning how to apply these new skills and reliable techniques to more challenging repertoire and high performance singing.
Ellen Johnson
Music Performance
Email: vocalvisions@gmail.com
Phone: 310-487-0048
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Temporarily doing ONLINE teaching only. Ellen holds a Masters and Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance, certificates in Expressive Arts Therapy, Creativity Coaching and UCLA Extension Music Business. Ellen's diversity in her own professional singing has made her an excellent teacher for all styles with a strong background in vocal pedagogy and vocal rehabilitation assisting singers with difficult vocal issues. Her students can be heard on Broadway, radio, recordings and have been the winners of many vocal competitions. A former NATS president, Johnson has served on the faculties of the University of San Diego, Old Globe Theatre’s MFA program, California Polytechnic University Pomona, and currently the California Jazz Conservatory/Jazzschool. Ellen studied with many prominent vocal teachers, coaches and professional musicians including Roland Wyatt (Manhattan Transfer coach), Bobby McFerrin, and Marni Nixon. Ellen's vocal philosophy is to inspire creativity while developing healthy singing habits, techniques and musicianship that allow a singer to express a song from their heart and soul. For more information go to: VocalVisions.net.
Linda Lyon
Music Performance
Email: leforeman@yahoo.com
Phone: 530-274-8644
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate​
Linda offers private voice and piano lessons.  She also provides vocal coaching for individuals and groups at her private studio located in south county.
Anne Vaaler
Music Performance
Email: annevaaler@gmail.com
Phone: 530-210-0138
Student Levels Taught:
  • Beginning
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
Anne teaches both in person and on Zoom. She believes that good and satisfying singing must come from a place of confidence and joy. She strives to approach each student as an individual, working with good technique, sensitivity to student goals, and as much fun as possible. 

Disclaimer: This is a general community listing of teachers. This list should not be interpreted as an endorsement by InConcert Sierra or its members.

If you are a local music teacher and would like to be included in the listing above, please fill out our teacher form by clicking the link below. There is a $10 fee, renewed annually.

Bass

Thank you, SmarterBroadband, for sponsoring our Education programs!

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