JULIE CLEVELAND has been playing and composing at the piano for over almost 40 years. She earned her B.A. cum laude in music performance and composition from Bard College, and her Master of Music degree at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
Cleveland Piano Studio
fort lauderdale and Delray Beach, Florida
teaching children and adults to play the piano since 1988
NEW!!! Recreational Music Making (RMM) Group Piano Classes for Older Adults beginning in January, 2010 -- Click here for information
I offer piano lessons in my downtown Fort Lauderdale home studio and in students' homes* to students of all ages, children and adults, and teach beginning through early advanced levels, in classical, jazz, and popular styles. I have been teaching since the mid-1980s and hold two degrees in music.
All young beginners start with a traditional method and repertoire. Piano instruction includes a well-rounded music education, with study in composition, theory, improvisation, ear training, and sightreading. For more details, please see the lessons page.
gift certificates available - contact CPS for details.
*Dependent on location in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods and in the Boca Raton, Delray Beach, or Boynton Beach area
basic requirements
- A piano in your home on which to practice (88-key digital keyboard acceptable for in-studio students; students receiving in-home lessons must have an acoustic piano). If you don't yet have an acoustic or digital piano, or fear you can't afford and/or don't have the space for one, don't give up! Give me a call and I will give you loads of info on how to get the right instrument within your money/space constraints - I have loads of experience with both topics! For students in the Delray Beach area, Chafin Music in Lake Worth rents pianos for as low as about $30 a month - that's less than a peppermint mocha latte at Starbucks per day! What a deal! For Fort Lauderdale students, check with Piano Showcase, the largest piano store in the area, one that I endorse 100%. Please see the piano FAQ page about acoustic versus digital pianos.
- Dedication, self-motivation, and a serious commitment to learning to play the piano on the part of the student. For younger students, this includes a commitment to practice at least 20–30 minutes a day, 5 days per week.
- For adult students, I teach year round, offering lessons by the quarter. Please see the adult lessons page (coming soon—until then, please visit the contact page).
- For school-aged students, I teach by the semester, fall and spring; all students begin with an initial interview before signing up for lessons. This is not an audition, just a chance to see if student and teacher are a good fit!
For Young Students
What you get for your tuition dollars:
- A dedicated teacher, committed to students, providing scrupulous, individual attention to and careful preparation for each student;
- A teacher whose piano training began at the age of 8 and whose formal music education includes both a bachelor's and a master's degree in music, the latter from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston;
- A teacher with over twenty years' experience teaching students both young and old;
- A teacher who is consistently furthering her own education in music education and piano pedagogy by being an active member of professional music teacher organizations, attending professional master classes and workshops, and attending meetings with colleagues;
- And a teacher who is kind, caring, enthusiastic, encouraging, creative, positive, and fun!
For Adult Students
- All of the above, plus a program of study tailored to the adult student's individual interests and needs.
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Learning to play the piano for both young and old, is a challenging yet greatly rewarding life experience. In every lesson my goal as teacher and mentor is to fully support each student’s individual creativity, personal discoveries, and real joy at the piano. In every lesson I focus on:
- Injury-preventive piano technique
- Good posture and alignment as foundation for excellent technique
- Music theory, ear training, and exercises to improve sightreading (required for younger students; adults, depending on interest)
Students of all ages are also encouraged to improvise and compose at the piano, as exploring the piano in these ways contributes to a well-rounded and “whole” music education, plus it's a lot of fun!