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Meet some Forte teachers
John Charles Cook
Lessons Starting at: $31.25
Guitar
Experience: 40yrs
John Charles Cook is a guitarist that enjoys performing all genres music. He continues to play as a soloist, as well as in Jazz trios and Classical Quintets.
John grew up in New York and had the opportunity to learn from variety of great musicians. He studied with John Knowles in Nashville, Tennessee, who has transcribed several Books for Chet Atkins music. He's participated in Master Classes with David Tanenbaum and taught at Carondelet Music for 20 years, where he enjoyed sharing music with others and teaching his students how to play the guitar. He currently continue to perform at concerts, corporate events, weddings, festivals as well as federal and state engagements. John teaches privately, as well as going into various Schools to show others the enjoyment of the guitar and beauty of music.
Kinnie Dye
Lessons Starting at: $31.25
Guitar (or voice)
Experience: 5yrs (10yrs for voice)
Kinnie Dye has been a professional musician since 2003, touring all over the United States with Broadway shows and as a singer/songwriter. She believes everyone has a gift to share with others.
Kinnie meets every student where they are. She wants to make sure YOU feel comfortable with our pace and only has one rule in her lessons: Only work on music you LOVE. Practicing isn't always fun, but she's going to make sure it's as enjoyable as possible. You will learn basic music theory and how to create chords, how to read and create a chord chart, and you'll even start to write and create your OWN songs!! Picking up a new instrument can be scary – Kinnie wants to help you gain confidence in playing one song at a time.
Esther King Smith
Lessons Starting at: $25
Violin
Experience: 17yrs
Junior
Department
Teacher
Esther is a prize-winning graduate of the RCM where she undertook both an undergraduate degree and a postgraduate diploma. She currently teaches in the RCM’s Junior Department, where she works with some of the world’s most talented young musicians. Her students have been successful in auditioning for places at UK music conservatoires and gaining places in national ensembles such as the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She plays a 1757 Joseph Hill violin, which before she acquired it in 2006 had not been played for around two hundred years.
Mike Errico
Lessons Starting at: $12.50
Guitar
Experience: 10yrs
Mike teaches at universities including Yale, Wesleyan, the New School, and NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. He was nominated for 2019’s David Payne-Carter Award for Excellence in Teaching and taught the 2022 GRAMMY® Museum’s inaugural Summer Sessions in New York City.
About teaching, he says, “I've always tried to connect deeply with students and draw them out with a combination of laughter and vulnerability."
Cody Bauer
Lessons Starting at: $18.75
Violin
Experience: 10yrs
Learn bluegrass, old-time, western swing, country and Irish fiddling with a professional fiddler from the heart of East Tennessee.
Aurelien Pinchon
Lessons Starting at: $43.75
Cello
Experience: 9yrs
Alumni
Teacher
Aurelien has been teaching for nearly 10 years. From the start, it became quite obvious that he was passionate about passing on his passion and love for music, and teaching became an essential part of his musical journey.
Aurelien teaches privately, in music schools, conservatoires and summer music courses, to a wide range of profiles, from complete beginners to college students, of all ages.
Although constantly evolving, his teaching methods are based upon one simple principle: prioritising the needs of the students and the pleasure they must take from playing the instrument. Over the years he's been putting a strong emphasis on the acquisition of music as a language and means of expression, so that it creates lifelong, durable knowledge. His teaching brings together the excellence and reputation of the most renowned French and English schools, and passes on a long, established tradition of music making.
Mary Mendoza
Lessons Starting at: $27.50
Voice
Experience: 5yrs
Mary Mendoza is an accomplished R&B/Pop Singer-Songwriter who teaches aspiring female artists to sing, write songs, and play instruments while overcoming stage fright. Shes personally experienced shyness, social anxiety, and depression, and music was my path to confidence and hope. Mary offers a nurturing environment for students aged 7 and up, focusing on the joy of learning music and its mental health benefits. Whether you aim to become a versatile artist or simply want to play guitar and write songs, she here to help you discover your inner artist and build confidence. I look forward to seeing you shine!
Jamey McClellan
Lessons Starting at: $31.25
Voice
Experience: 20yrs
Jamey McClellan is passionate about helping you take your singing and musical joy to new heights. With a Master's in Voice Performance and Literature and extensive experience in private teaching, she's equipped to teach students of all ages and abilities. Together, you'll explore vocal techniques, mindfulness, body awareness, and performance psychology to nurture your unique voice and style.
Giulia Grassi
Lessons Starting at: $37.50
Piano
Experience: 12yrs
Alumni
Teacher
Curiosity has always been the driving force in life and music for Giulia Grassi! This is why she delved into Improvisation, World Music and Jazz while pursuing her Classical music studies at the Royal College of Music of London. Whether you are at your first steps or already experienced, she'd be a great teacher for you!
Alex Frank
Lessons Starting at: $31.25
Guitar
Experience: 10yrs
Alex Frank currently holds an adjunct teaching position at the University of Kansas where he teaches in-person jazz guitar lessons, coaches jazz and pop/rock ensembles, and teaches a beginner group guitar class. Additionally he holds a remote position teaching online guitar lessons at Western Colorado University. Alex is a working musician in Kansas City, has toured Europe several times, and has an album coming out later this year!
On his teaching, Alex says "I am always learning and growing in my dedication, appreciation, and enjoyment music and wish to impart this attitude on all of my students. I try to foster an organic goal-driven work ethic in my students to maximize their potential on the guitar while keeping things loose, fun, and rewarding."
Jennifer Sheehan
Lessons Starting at: $18.75
Voice
Experience: 18yrs
Jennifer Sheehan's studio offers high-quality voice and piano training and performance coaching to aspiring performers of all ages. A graduate of The Juilliard School, a multi-award winning professional performer, and an experienced teacher with over a decade of experience, she helps students develop sustainable and healthy technique, improve musicianship, and learn performance skills that lead to greater confidence, self-expression and joy!
Vivian Boot
Lessons Starting at: $12.50
Piano
Experience: 30yrs
Vivian Boot has been teaching students piano of all ages since 1990. She bagn lessons at the age seven and continued to major in Classical Piano Performance at Rutgers. She enjoys being an accompanist for local choirs and she is the Operations Manager for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck, MI.
She teaches ages 5-adult, beginner through advanced; Lessons cover all aspects of piano: Theory, Technique, Ear-Training, and Musicianship. Shes worked with many different approaches and always seek to assess which methods work best for each unique student.
Makeba Woods
Lessons Starting at: $31.25
Songwriting / Composition
Experience: 19yrs
GRAMMY®
Nominee
Makeba has co-written and co-produced songs for some of the biggest artists in the world, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Mariah Carey.
About teaching, she says: “I enjoy offering guidance and direction to young artists that aspire to greatness. I was once that person. Offering my knowledge and expertise is what fuels my creativity.”
Keith Davis
Lessons Starting at: $12.50
Piano
Experience: 30yrs
Keith Davis is a jazz pianist with a 40-year career as a professional musician. He has established a distinguished reputation as a jazz pianist, composer, and educator, and has toured with the Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw orchestras, and with Matt “Guitar” Murphy (Blues Brothers). Other appearances have included performances with musical greats David “Fathead” Newman, Ben Riley, Donald Byrd, Mike Mainieri, Pat LaBarbera, Jeff Hirshfield, Jamie Baum, Joel Spencer, Wallace Roney, Javon Jackson and Rakalam Bob Moses, among others.
His goal as a teacher is to help students on the path to finding their own voice as musicians. He helps students understand rhythm, melody and harmony, as well as helping them learn how to prepare for performances, auditions, recording dates. As a jazz pianist, he shares ideas about improvisation, and how to play with other musicians. He also encourages students to compose their own music, finding this is an important way for students to discover their own unique style.
Liviu-Mihai Preda
Lessons Starting at: $12.50
Violin
Experience: 7yrs
Book a lesson with Liviu-Mihai
Liviu-Mihai Preda began his musical journey at the age of four, as a member of a children's choir, as a soloist and chorister, releasing several albums between 2003 and 2008.
Guided by Ukrainian virtuoso Feodor Balan at age 6, he started studying the violin. This period marked his first international appearances and concerts with the "Allegretto" String Ensemble "Allegretto" in Budapest, Esterhazy and Eisenstadt.
While pursuing two dregresss at the "Gheorghe Dima" National Academy of Music and the "Gustav Mahler" University of Music, he consolidated his commitment to classical music performance. He's currently enrolled in a Masters Degree at the Conservatoire de Reims, as protégé of French violinist Elsa Grether and benefiting from collaborations with the Opéra de Reims.
Liviu-Mihai strongly believes in the importance of having a good teacher, one that is able to deliver personalized methods to each and every student. In his opinion, teaching is a sacred calling and you need a certain talent for it and looks forward to offering an important input in your musical journey.
Alex Polyakov
Lessons Starting at: $12.50
Piano
Experience: 15yrs
I'm convinced that learning anything is an incredible fun, joyful and interactive process that should feed your motivation rather than drawing from it. Every learner is unique, and learning should be tailored for unique needs, and never be monotonous.
Shannin “Shining Rae” Watkins
Lessons Starting at: $62.50
Voice
Experience: 10yrs
Recording
Academy
member
Shining Rae lives up to her name as a high energy, loving, inspirational music teacher who focuses on increasing students’ overall self-esteem by letting their “light shine.” Since 2015 she has taught voice lessons across the country through her LA based company Raediyance, LLC. Many of her students have gained national recognition from Burger King commercials to endorsements from musical legends such as Timbaland and more. Her students range from age 9-adult and stay with her for many years, so she is able to have a direct influence on their growth as a vocal performer and mentor them like a big sister. Sining Rae lives for teaching music and seeing the joy and excitement on her students’ faces once they hear their voices truly shine!
Christine Chen
Lessons Starting at: $18.75
Violin
Experience: 10yrs
Christine Chen's musical journey started at a young age when she began learning the violin and piano. Teaching has been her passion for the past 10 years.
Throughout her journey, shes had the honor of collaborating with and performing for notable artists such as Michael Bublé, Richard Clayderman, Silkroad, astronaut Chris Hadfield, jazz pianist Kenny Barron, and others. She has also had the opportunity to work with GRAMMY®-winning film composer Nan Schwartz in a masterclass and contributed to film scores and pop songs, including projects with China Mega Boy Band TNT (時代少年團), among others.
Christine is CM Certified, Suzuki Trained and RCM gold medal teacher ready to meet students of all ages, all grades and goals.
Why Forte
Access to world-class music teachers
We offer teachers certified by the world’s most prestigious music institutions, exclusively on Forte
Teachers that are right for you
Get paired and choose from teachers that align with your skill level, musical aspirations, and budget
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Recorded lessons, dual camera angles, live notebooks, and everything you need, all in one place
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FAQs
- How much does my first lesson cost?
Lesson fees vary by teacher, as they set their own rates.
With many teachers, the trial lesson or initial consultation is discounted or free. Others charge their normal hourly rate.
Lesson fees and trial lesson information are shown as part of the teacher profile when you review your matches.
- Can I take a lesson from any teacher on Forte?
Based on the survey you complete or the preferences you fill in your My Profile tab, Forte will show you teachers who are likely to be a good fit for you. We will suggest teachers based on your current ability level, musical goals, desired genres, and more. Our matching expertise will ensure you find the right teacher.
- What are your security and privacy measures to keep my child safe?
A commitment to child safety is one of the founding principles of Forte. We utilize world-class security tools to ensure any data collected and lesson recordings are safely stored. We never earn monetary consideration from sharing or selling your personal information with any outside party.
With our parent/administrator accounts, you have complete control and access to your child’s Forte account, and you are able to review their lesson materials, recordings, and more.