Sign up for music lessons at Grace Notes Music Studio

Woohoo!

Zea Performing April 2018
Zea performing in the 2019 recital

I’m so glad you’ve chosen to give your child (or yourself!) the gift of music.

Sign up below.

Give it a shot!
If you have a son or daughter that is curious or motivated [about sax or clarinet] or even in a rut looking for new challenges, ideas, and practice methods, give [lessons with Mary Ellen] a shot! If you’re clear about your goals, Mary Ellen always responds and is flexible with her teaching techniques.
Mary Ellen came highly recommended by Jacob Soto, MTMS band teacher.
Thanks, Mary Ellen! Your manner is great! It’s clear that you care about your students. 

Cara & Chris Althoff, parents of Zea

Regular music lessons provide:

  • an expert, creative teacher working one-on-one with you in-person, face-to-face
  • working one-on-one means individualized attention that you can’t get in a classroom situation
  • individualized attention in the form of a personalized lesson plan which focuses on what you need and want musically

I teach these important foundational practices.

Here is what you will learn:

  • proper embouchure
  • how to hold your instrument
  • hand positions
  • breathing instruction
  • fingerings and alternate fingerings
  • care of cane reeds
  • using synthetic reeds
  • good posture
  • reading and writing music notation
  • scales and arpeggios
  • articulation
  • songs
  • chord structure
  • performing without stress
  • how to actively listen to music
  • transcribing music from recordings
  • and more!

By-products of taking music lessons:

  • self-discipline
  • time management
  • self-confidence
  • teamwork
  • poise in front of groups
  • good listening skills

Long-term Gifts of Lessons

Georgia Hastie, outstanding soloist
Georgia, holding her Outstanding Soloist Award

Music lessons are about more than learning to play an instrument. Music lessons are a gift that keeps on giving throughout one’s life. Students learn self-discipline, time management, self-confidence, teamwork, good listening habits, poise on stage and in front of large groups.

Mary Ellen is thoughtful and encouraging in teaching me. Before I started lessons with Mary Ellen, tenor sax was hard. Now it’s not hard at all and I’m first tenor! Lessons with Mary Ellen helped me and they can help you too. 

Georgia Hastie in 2013

*Schedule your first lesson!

Lessons are delivered in-person, face-to-face, one-on-one. When weather or pandemic necessitates, lessons are delivered via a private Zoom room or FaceTime. *Not accepting new students January 2025.

Convenient Online Schedule

Scheduling is handled online for your convenience. All lessons are $65 per 50-minute period and start at quarter after the hour, ending five after the next hour.


Oh, I’m so glad you got this [automated payments] set up! That is really helpful for our budget. I like to put everything on my Visa so I know when I pay it off on the 12th of the month I am paying for everything in my budget.

L.S., mother of tenor sax student

Questions?

Do you have questions about any of the information on this page? Feel free to call me: 503-888-5796 or use my contact form.