Detroit Music Teachers Collective

About

DMTC offers affordable music education to music lovers of all ages, with private lessons in violin, voice, guitar, ukulele, saxophone, piano & drums.

Story

Call one number, reach six professional teachers. All ages & abilities welcome! Teacher bios below.


VIOLIN
Clara Hardie teaches using the Suzuki Method (Books 1-6). Once a Suzuki student herself, Clara has experience performing in orchestras, original bands, and is familiar with traditional fiddle music. She offers youth 15, 30, 45 or 60 minute lessons, depending on age. Adults can choose 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Lessons cator to the individual needs of each student. Fee is sliding scale. A 30 minute lesson could be $25-30, depending on what you can afford. Suzuki Association of the Americas bio here:
kiassociation.org/people/clara-hardie/

Joey Tanner started playing Suzuki violin as a toddler. As a teenager he traveled for 2 summers to Europe with the Blue Lake International Orchestra. Now he mainly plays jazz improv and is interested in supporting others in this endeavor.

VOICE
Jennie Knaggs works with adults and young people interested in learning proper technique for improved tone and vocal longevity, with the purpose of enhancing ones own singing style. Jennie is classically trained, with a BA in Performing Arts from Antioch College, and has been performing as a vocalist for 25 years within many genres, including opera, folk, and rock.

She also works with bands who want to focus on group harmony. Learn more at www.jennieknaggs.com

Voice lessons consist of:
- Warm - ups
- Proper Breathing
- Pitch Control
- Ear Training and Harmony
- Pronunciation, Interpretation, and Performance
- Basic music comprehension; the fundamentals
of reading and music theory
- Customized to individual students needs and tastes


GUITAR, UKULELE
Jennie teaches beginning guitar and ukulele for all ages. Guitar
and Ukulele lessons consist of:
- Basic music comprehension; the fundamentals of reading and music theory
- Covering all elements of guitar, including solo, accompanying and ensemble
- Finger picking and chord progressions
- Learning many musical styles for a broad musical language
- Customized to individual students needs and tastes


SAXOPHONE
Nicole McUmber has been playing the saxophone for 20 years. She earned her music degree in 2005 from Eastern Michigan University and is currently pursuing her teaching certification in instrumental music education at Wayne State University. She has played in numerous bands and ensembles throughout her career and has toured the United States and Internationally. Nicole is familiar with a variety of styles including classical, jazz, and rock.


PIANO
Jen David has been playing piano since the age of 5. Born of a piano selling mother and jazz pianist father, music was only natural. While classically trained, Jen enjoys many styles of music, and performs her original work in a rock & roll duo, Illy Mack. Lessons incorporate traditional training while encouraging creativity and songwriting. Each student's path is unique, whether you want to learn Mozart, Gershwin, or Adele. Theory, technique, ear training, finger strength, and sight reading are all included in lessons. She teaches piano at Evola Music in Shelby Twp, and is excited at the opportunity to teach closer to her home in Detroit. She teaches children as well as adults.


DRUMS and Percussion
Fritz McGirr is an alum of the University of Michigan classical percussion program. He studied with world renowned faculty multi-percussionist Joseph Gramley, vibraphonist Cary Kocher, and pedagogy legend Michael Udow. Fritz has grown a passion for the traditions of non-western percussion and after studying at the University of Limerick, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, has obtained a bodhran performance certificate while also focusing on the globalization of traditional Irish music in the ethnomusicology field. He has also studied traditional Brazilian and Afro-Cuban drumming with Michael Spiro and Mark Lamson. The last three years have seen Fritz performing, touring and recording with Celtic fusion trio, The Moxie Strings, as well as past work with the bluegrass folk-rock band, Dragon Wagon. This past year, Fritz obtained a certificate in sound engineering and recording technology from The Soundscape Recording Studio in Royal Oak, MI.
Read more about Fritz McGirr at http://fritzmcgirr.com/