our teaching philosophy
first and foremost, our aim is to understand and
address each student’s individual goals, whether
that's understanding the basics of an instrument,
reading music notation, specializing in a specific
style, or anything else.
we aim not only to build technical skills, but to help
students develop a holistic understanding of what
music is and how it works by weaving music theory
and broader conceptual ideas into our teaching.
we believe that learning should be fun and student
centered - every part of your lessons should reflect
and compliment the joy and excitement that we all
share towards music.
our teaching philosophy
first and foremost, our aim is to understand and
address each student’s individual goals, whether
that's understanding the basics of an instrument,
reading music notation, specializing in a specific
style, or anything else.
we aim not only to build technical skills, but to help
students develop a holistic understanding of what
music is and how it works by weaving music theory
and broader conceptual ideas into our teaching.
we believe that learning should be fun and student
centered - every part of your lessons should reflect
and compliment the joy and excitement that we all
share towards music.
about fernwood
about fernwood
meet our teachers
meet our teachers
joseph cudahy is a bassist, multi instrumentalist,
and producer based in east nashville. a graduate
of berklee college of music, he's taught privately
and in group settings for over 4 years, working
with students of all ages and and levels. his lessons
focus on developing great time, tone, and technique
while centering creativity and musical curiosity.
outside of teaching, joseph performs and records
across genres from indie rock and pop to jazz,
funk, and folk, and co-writes and produces for his
project montara. his approach to teaching is rooted
in experience as both a player and a listener,
helping each student build a strong foundation
and find their sound.
Rein Vaska is a drummer, keyboard player, and producer originally from the San Fransisco Bay Area. He’s taught private lessons on multiple instruments for the last seven years, coached small bands and ensembles, and worked as a teaching assistant for college-level music composition and technology courses.
By first getting to know each learner and then creating lessons around their unique needs, interests, and motivations, his teaching style balances the development of technical skill with a deeper goal of fostering each student’s love and passion for their craft.
anna vtipil
rein vaska
joseph cudahy
music has been at the heart of anna’s life since childhood, when she began writing songs on the family piano. she graduated from berklee college of music, where she studied contemporary writing and production with a minor in teaching contemporary voice.
anna’s personal teaching philosophy emanates from a place of curiosity, empathy, and kindness. she believes that students learn best when they are encouraged by their teacher through positive affirmations, constructive feedback, and personalized tools to help them improve. one of her main goals as a teacher is to help students nurture and foster their joy in playing music and to create a lesson atmosphere representative of that intention.
(place your cursor over an image to learn about that teacher)
our home studio
