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I Teach Adult beginners, Youth, and Toddlers!
Welcome to Rain City Melodies music studio, where music is for everyone—toddlers, youth, and adults alike. On this page, you’ll find an overview of our specialized lesson plans tailored to each age group, designed to inspire growth, confidence, and a lifelong love of music.
Michael Ray
Music gives a soul to the universe,
wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.
-Plato
Teaching is more than imparting knowledge; it is inspiring change.
At Rain City Melodies music studio, I am more than just a music teacher—I am a passionate educator, professional musician, and lifelong student of the art of music. I bring a deep love for music and our community into every lesson. I am professionally trained, with extensive experience both performing and teaching, and take pride in ensuring that students receive expert guidance tailored to their unique learning style.
Music is more than just notes on a page. It is mathematics, science, history, language, and physical discipline—all wrapped into a single, expressive art form. I don’t just teach music for the sake of performance; I teach because music has the power to shape lives. I am continually inspired by my own students and the incredible power that music has to bring people together, and how awesome it is an instilling a sense of the self. In this day and age, I believe that we all need something to help facilitate a better understanding of who we are and that any path through the studies of music will help bring us not only to ourselves, but to others. In other words, the more we understand ourselves, the more likely we are to reach out to others, and thereby instill and facilitate a sense of community in the bustling, rapid-pace world we live in today. Learning music is not just about mastering an instrument or perfecting a song, but about understanding beauty, deepening self-awareness, and enriching one’s experience of the world. No one can play music the way you do, for you and I hope that you will choose me to be your guide. Thank you so much in advance and I look forward to meeting you soon!
Whether you’re an adult beginner picking up an instrument for the first time or an advanced student looking to refine your skills, I promise a strong dedication to helping you grow. I meet you where you are, and take pride in seeing how you are working through your musical journey. I'm there to keep you on track, inspire you to push your boundaries, and foster a lifelong appreciation for music. Think of me as your own in-house personal chef that will provide so much more than by learning from an app or YouTube video.
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At its core, music education is about cultivating humanity. It teaches patience, perseverance, and the ability to express emotions in ways words cannot. I am dedicated to ensuring that every student feels comfortable every step of the way, and to provide just the right stepping stone to get you one step closer to your goal. Lesson with my studio at Rain City Melodies not only teaches you to perform with your instrument but to develop a deeper connection to the world by using music. The beauty of music is a testament to humanity; music is an integral part of our lives and to perform it ourselves means to connect with ourselves and to understand our abilities.
Whether you are taking your first lesson or refining your technique, I am here to guide and inspire you every step of the way.
Lessons for Toddlers
A number of years ago, I remember how daunting it seemed going into my first lesson with a toddler. My thoughts were, "How can I expect to keep the attention of the youngest student I've ever taught?" Well, as it turns out it was one of the best experiences of my life. It's true, there is an art to teaching someone of such a young age, and the key is communication and keeping it fun. Part of why I love to teach is that I believe my strengths come from an ability to be resourceful and creative in a spontaneous way.
I take a playful and exploratory approach to teaching music to toddlers with a concrete foundation of knowledge that early exposure to music has profound cognitive and developmental benefits. Because every toddler learns differently, I incorporate a variety of established techniques to ensure an engaging and enriching experience.
As it used to be a long time ago, I take pride in my own creation of educational material for toddlers which focuses on learning to read by a color system. Toddlers respond very readily to colors and when they use my system, they can get to playing music very quickly. Besides learning to read, lessons focus on a number of elements designed to facilitate cognitive function that will later apply to any form learning. I am currently in the middle of producing a children's book to publish that will serve as a resource for teachers to use around the world.
Ear training is used in the form of games to develop abilities to recognize pitch and melody. I have my own recorded sound library to help educate pitch, and I make a point of singing with the toddler each lesson and encourage as much singing as possible. There is quite a bit of literature surrounding the benefits of singing especially at a younger age. As part of the Suzuki method, the teacher should be the "song bird" and that is what I aim to impart to my toddler students. I remember from a young age my mother singing and I often wonder how that still serves as a foundation for music today.
Each lesson I bring a set of bongos or other percussion to assist in rhythm development. Games that incorporate movement, clapping, and simple percussion activities help with high-energy situations and lay the foundation for understanding musical notation later.
To keep lessons fresh and exciting, I periodically bring new instruments to lessons as a "show and tell." My goal is to allow toddlers to explore and become familiar with different sounds, instrument shapes, and of course to play on and explore different instruments.
Finally, from a scientific standpoint there are significant indications that early music education has immense benefits, regardless if the student goes on to study music later. Even just one year of early musical training provides immense benefits as it uses a particular part of the brain. More specifically, there is a part of the brain called the corpus callosum which is responsible for connecting the right and left hemispheres the brain. With correct implementation studies have shown improved coordination, problem-solving abilities, and overall cognitive function. Through my own teaching I also have been able to greatly improve motor-skill related abilities in the hands where there was struggle before. Please reach out if you have any questions about that.
A strong foundation in music at a young age can be instilled within just one year. My goal is to not only nurture a love for music but also support brain development in ways that benefit toddlers for life.
Elementary and Teen Learners
For students aged 6 to 15, my approach to music education is centered on individual-inspired engagement, growth with discipline, and confidence-building. At this age, children are rapidly developing physically, intellectually and emotionally, and the wonderful challenge of mine for each of these learners is to instill inspiration.
I craft custom lesson plans to keep them motivated, ensuring that learning is both productive and enjoyable. If there's a particular song that a student wants to learn, I am more than capable of producing a custom-composed piece of music for their particular skill range. On the other hand, if the student is curious about creating their own song, I am very confident in instilling this ability as well. I have had great success with many students of different personality types and this is one of the elements that serves as a foundation as to why I love to teach. Producing custom material so that they can connect to music is like a wonderful puzzle for me, and to see the students inspired by the awesome raw potential of creating music will never get old!
Lesson structure is very flexible at this age and usually corresponds to the goals of the parent, and the drive of the student. Whether there is a goal to join a competitive orchestra, or to simply learn how to play and jam with other musicians, or anything in-between, I keep lessons fluid and adaptable. I like to approach teaching from the concept that in mathematics, there are many ways to arrive at the correct answer. This is another reason why I love to teach because I get to design lessons to match the student’s energy and focus. It's true, on any given day there might be different energy levels and moods, but I have the secret weapon: patience. I recognize that children go through ups and downs as they grow, and my philosophy is to guide them through these challenges and to let music serve as a tool to help them guide themselves toward self-empowerment and confidence-building.
Learning to read music and to give life to the notes on the page are at the core of lessons at this age. To developing proficiency on their chosen instrument and facilitate a strong understanding of music theory, I host recitals every three months in a professional environment. I highly encourage participation in school orchestras, and enjoy preparing them for performances by walking them through challenging parts step-by-step. Recitals are of course optional, but they are always fun and engaging because there's always a variety of instruments. It's not uncommon for a student to perform a piece of music that I helped them compose, or to have a group of students perform a piece of music that I composed for two or more players.
Communication is at the heart of what I do. I regularly check in with families, providing updates on progress and ensuring that students stay engaged and supported. This open line of communication is what sets me apart from other music teachers, allowing me to create a learning environment that is nurturing, responsive, and tailored to each student’s needs. Every few months there are comprehensive and detailed student notes about what has been learned, and where we're going. If you have any questions about youth lessons please reach out! I teach violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, drum set, composition, ukulele and audio production.
Adult Learners
At Rain City Melodies music studio, I believe it’s never too late to begin—or return to—your musical journey. Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time, revisiting something you loved long ago, or exploring a new creative outlet, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our flexible scheduling and lenient cancellation policies are designed with your busy life in mind, making it easier than ever to make music a part of your routine and to help keep you on track to meet your goals. If you're completely new to music don't be shy! You're in the right place.
Adult lessons are fully personalized and comprehensive. I take pride in taking a step back and examining how you are approaching a particular exercise or song and do my best to slow down instruction. I will teach you exactly what you want to learn, from your favorite songs to styles you’ve always admired. More than just reading notes on a page, I will help you understand the ideas behind the music—the emotion, the history, the intention—so that you can experience it on a deeper level and truly make it your own. One example of how I will stand out is that I can design step-by-step exercises that are tailored to whatever goal or challenge that we'll run into. I'm confident that you will be up and running after just a few lessons. Please reach out and we can talk about your goals so you can discover your strengths and learn to use music to make sense of a bustling, often-chaotic lifestyle. With me, you'll enjoy learning at your own pace and I promise that each lesson will feel purposeful and motivating.
Never read music? No problem!
If traditional music notation isn’t your thing, that’s perfectly fine. I can guide you through patterns, chords, ear training, and creativity because I believe music should be accessible, intuitive, and enjoyable... regardless of your background or experience level.
If you want to learn how to read music as an adult I highly encourage it because of the many benefits associated with learning something new as an adult. You can think of the notes as learning a new language, and there are so many benefits with creating new pathways in your mind, especially when paired with the motor skills that you develop alongside your studies of your instrument.
Learning an instrument as an adult comes with a wide range of benefits—from increased focus and reduced stress, to improved memory and coordination. Beyond that, music gives you something more profound: a way to connect with yourself, to process emotion, and to reflect on life with a sense of presence and beauty. Whether you’re playing for personal enjoyment, or sharing songs with loved ones, I am here to guide you on a path that is rewarding, meaningful, and uniquely yours.
I can’t wait to meet you and be part of your musical story.
