Piano Teachers

To register for lessons with any of our piano teachers, please click here. To inquire, please email us here. We are excited to hear from you.

 

Sarah Jane Perbix

Sarah Jane Perbix has been teaching music to kids and adults since 2000. Sarah graduated from Augsburg College with an emphasis in piano and french horn and has continued to freelance as a musician in the Twin Cities. Before opening her private studio, Sarah taught with the Yamaha Music Education system for years and completed their rigorous teacher exams and certification program. She is a current member of MMTA and MTNA, which allows many performance opportunities for her students. She enjoys and incorporates differing styles of music into her teaching and encourages students to be creative as well as diligent in their study.

Sarah has been embarking on national and international tours over the last 10 years as a member of Cloud Cult. Playing with Cloud Cult and other artists has provided performance opportunities at Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra, at national festivals such as Bonnarroo and Sasquatch, local festivals such as Rock the Garden, as well as TV appearances on the Tonight Show with David Letterman. All of these experiences are brought back into the teaching studio passing on a wealth of performance knowledge and musical styles to her students.

  • Sarah Jane currently has limited openings on week days only

  • Lessons with Sarah Jane start at $35 for 30 minutes

Youngju (Julie) Lueck

Julie has taught piano for over 25 years so far. After moving to Minnesota in 2002, Julie received a master’s degree in piano performance at Minnesota State University in Mankato, and she also received a master’s degree in organ performance at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Previously, she had received a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and early childhood education in South Korea. While she was studying piano with Dr. David Viscoli at Minnesota State University in Mankato, she became the 7th generation student of Beethoven and the 6th generation student of Chopin.

She has taught over 500 piano students from Centennial School District (ISD 12), her own piano studio, and music schools. She has been teaching a variety of students from 5 to 78 years old with a variety of teaching experiences. She has also worked as a music director, pianist, accompanist, and organist in Minnesota, where she has been working and performing with many musicians and groups in a variety of genres, as well as directing orchestra, adult choir, handbell choir, youth choir, children’s choir, and accompanying them.

Julie enjoys building and maintaining relationships with people of all ages. Her greatest desire for music is to share her musical talents with others, help them develop their talents, and bring all people the same joy of music that she has.

  • Julie currently teaches on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

  • Lessons with Julie start at $35 for 30 minutes

Martin McGinn

Martin’s journey in music started at age 9 after he inherited his grandmother's electric organ. He played the clarinet in a variety of bands and started composing music in high school. Martin earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition from the University of Iowa in 2003, while also studying piano and organ.

In 2003, Martin moved to Oakland, California to study composition with Pauline Oliveros at Mills College. After earning his Master’s, he began teaching and playing the piano professionally in a variety of settings around the Bay Area. In 2009, he started a singer/songwriter project under the pseudonym Art Elliot.

Martin loves having the opportunity to share his love and knowledge of music with children and adults alike. His various experiences have taught him that music is more than one style, one way of playing, or one way of sense-making. Music can be a form of expression just as much as it can be a form of experimentation.

  • Martin currently teaches on Mondays and Wednesdays

  • Lessons with Martin start at $33 for 30 minutes

Liz Hawkinson
she/her

Liz Hawkinson has been teaching at Sarah's Jane's Music School since 2018. She is a theater artist who lives and works in Minneapolis. She studied voice at St. Olaf College and earned a music degree in vocal performance. After graduation she studied German Lieder at the Franz-Schubert-Institut near Vienna, Austria. She has since pursued freelance performing opportunities with Theater Latté Da, 7th House Theater, Park Square Theater, Trademark Theater, The Ordway, Old Log Theatre, and Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. Cabaret performances with friends from Chronofon Productions at Minneapolis Women's Club, The Dakota, Crooners, and at M.I.M. in Phoenix, Arizona.

She loves teaching the language of music to young people. Students (of any age!) will gain a strong foundation for excellent musicianship as well as learn music we love to sing or play. 

  • Liz currently teaches voice and beginner piano on Tuesdays and Saturdays

  • Lessons with Liz start at $33 for 30 minutes

Dr. Rosita Tendall
she/her

Rosita Tendall has a BME from Wartburg College and holds MA, and PhD degrees in music education from the University of Iowa.  She taught music education and supervised elementary music student teachers at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL for 10 years after teaching elementary classroom music for over 30 years. She has directed both children’s and adult choirs throughout her career, and she enjoys teaching both children and adults. Rosita was a singer with both the Plymouth Ensemble Singers (currently Vocalessence) and the Dale Warland Singers and has performed in operas, choral, and jazz performances. Teaching preschool and elementary music courses and private piano lessons have informed her that working with young children is her favorite!  She has extensive training in Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroze philosophies which informs and enhances her teaching. 

Rosita and her husband, Stephen, currently live in Saint Anthony, MN, (super close to her daughter, Sarah Jane and her family) where she enjoys gardening, biking, hiking, reading, and spending time with all of her 8 grandchildren.

  • Rosita currently teaches mostly on Mondays

  • Lessons with Rosita start at $35 for 30 minutes

Vanessa McKinney

Vanessa’s love of music first began while learning piano at age 6 and continues today. She has written her own music for over 20 years and is currently in several local bands playing guitar, ukulele, and lead vocals. Vanessa has written and self-produced an EP under the moniker VansAnn.  She has a great love for a variety of music from classical to punk rock. One of Vanessa’s highlights in her career has been playing Minneapolis Pride in 2021 with her band Pink Triggers. She has over 10 years of experience playing the ukulele and over 20 years of playing guitar.

Vanessa has been teaching piano to children and adults since 2019, working with Schubert Club's Project Cheer program in Saint Paul as well as offering private lessons. She enjoys getting to know her students’ interests and curating lessons that engage and excite them. This can include learning popular songs as well as making up songs together or simply processing performance anxiety before a recital. Vanessa believes that musical talent is as diverse as each student; one might excel at playing music by ear while another will start reading music in a snap!

In her free time, Vanessa loves camping in her VW Westfalia named Poppy, climbing, biking, and traveling, and she has recently discovered a passion for painting. She also strongly believes in the importance of diversity and inclusivity.

  • Vanessa currently teaches on Thursdays

  • Lessons with Vanessa start at $30 for 30 minutes

James Kennedy

James Kennedy started teaching music privately in 2012.  Since receiving his music degree from the University of Iowa in 2014, he has spent much of his time performing professionally as a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since 2020, he has served as an adjunct professor at The School for Music Vocations teaching private lessons, music theory courses, and directing ensembles.  James believes that music can and should be a positive experience for everyone and does everything he can to facilitate a safe and supportive environment for his students to explore both the technical and creative sides of music. James’s areas of interests include music theory, ear training, improvisation, and songwriting. Aside from teaching, James gigs professionally and works as a sound engineer at local music venues.

  • James teaches piano on Tuesdays

  • Lessons with James start at $32 for 30 minutes

Ashley Groves
she/her

After studying voice for 10 years and graduating with a degree as a Recording Artist, Ashley discovered a love for teaching music! As a person who loves spending time with people and music, it could not be more ideal. She's now been teaching music lessons since 2016 and is always excited to meet new students. With training and experience in Classical, Broadway, Jazz, Soul, and Pop, it's easy to start learning to sing and play in a healthy way. If you want to find Ashley outside the studio, you can catch her at one of her band's shows in the Twin Cities.

  • Ashley currently teaches voice and beginner/intermediate piano on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

  • Lessons with Ashley start at $35 for 30 minutes

Becky Poppke
she/her

Becky Poppke brings a smile, enthusiasm, and fifteen years of experience to the private lesson studio. She believes music builds meaningful community and is lots of fun! Becky’s teaching style encourages discovery, improvisation, and student choice. Oh, yeah - and sometimes silly Youtube videos. Previous leadership roles recently include Assistant Director of the Twin Cities Girls’ Choir (2018-2019), and leading the Small Singers and Choristers at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis (2010-2017). Becky currently teaches voice and piano lessons full-time at Sarah Jane’s Music School and another private studio in the NW suburbs. She is a member of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association; the Music Teachers National Association; and she holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine Osher School of Music.

  • Becky teaches voice and beginner/intermediate piano on Mondays and Saturdays

  • Lessons with Becky start at $34 for 30 minutes

Tommy Boynton
he/him

Tommy Boynton is a singer, composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist from Aurora, CO and now resides in Saint Paul, MN. Since graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2012, Tommy has been an active collaborator in the Midwest music scene, and an international touring musician with The Four Freshmen since 2015, and regionally with The Mimzees (original song cycles by Tommy), The River Monks, Extravision, Field Division, and much more. As a performer, he has been blessed to share the stage with many of his role models, including Dominique Eade, Ron Miles, Fred Hersch, Kate McGarry, and most importantly his close friends.

He began teaching jazz voice in 2008, and since then has taught privately and at a collegiate level. His teaching background includes jazz and classical piano, bass, drums, guitar, studio engineering, theory, ear training, psychology of success, and directing vocal and instrumental ensembles. After attending as a student from 2008-10,  Tommy joined the faculty at the School for Music Vocations at Southwestern Community College in Creston, IA, and recently stepped down from his position to step back into the community and touring.

In an eagerness to utilize the times we live in, he finds the recording arts to be an integral part of growth, documentation, and experimentation, that has the potential to lead to self-discovery, as well as an expansive awareness of the artist within. Through this process he has been able to craft his relationship with his voice, composing, arranging, piano, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers, and more to explore the endless palettes that documentation can provide. As an artist and educator, he is grateful for the paths that have allowed him to stay actively creative and exploring while seeking to welcome all in experiencing and enjoying music free of judgment and shame.

  • Tommy teaches piano, guitar, and bass guitar on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

  • Lessons with Tommy start at $30 for 30 minutes

Koreann Martin (Virtual Only)

Koreann Martin is a virtual instructor based out of the Brainerd, MN area. She has been teaching privately since 2004; after graduating from The School for Music Vocations in Creston, IA, she worked as a private music instructor in the Minneapolis area for over a decade before relocating back north. Her career highlights include performing in vocal jazz groups across the US, traveling abroad with church choirs, directing youth and adult choirs, leading parent/teacher ukulele classes, accompanying over 300 soloists and ensembles, as well as being a wedding and funeral musician for many years. She is currently the vocal director for the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center and collaborative pianist for the Brainerd High School’s Music Department. She continues to participate in a variety of musical events while teaching from home. Her approach to fundamental music learning is student-shared, her belief in fostering passion for music education and theoretical understanding of musical elements is paramount. She loves to keep music engaging and whimsical and is always eager to help students explore and apply advanced skills in areas such as arranging, composition and improvisation. 

Thank you for considering sharing music-making with Koreann!

  • Koreann teaches piano, ukulele, classical and jazz theory. She only offers lessons virtually. Please contact info@sarahjanesmusicschool with questions or to be connected.

  • Lessons with Koreann start at $3o for 30 minutes

May Klug

She/her

May Klug is a composer and performer based in Minneapolis. She primarily works with keyboards, flute, voice, and electronics, particularly feedback. She teaches piano, flute, music theory and improvisation. She has a background in classical and jazz, and her practice is deeply influenced by her time studying with experimental composers including Alvin Lucier and Paula Matthusen. 

  • May teaches on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

  • Lessons with May start at $27 for 30 minutes

Valerie Evans

she/her

Valerie Evans has been teaching private voice, trombone, and beginning piano since 2018. She is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Central Wisconsin, and holds a B.A. in Vocal and Trombone Performance from UW-Stevens Point.

At the root of her teaching philosophy, Valerie hopes to instill a love and admiration for music. She believes in guiding her students with a kind but steady hand in order to establish the dedicated qualities of a well rounded musician. Through this approach, she finds it remarkable to witness the growth and authenticity each individual is capable of no matter where they begin.

In addition to her classical training, Valerie explores an array of genres including jazz, soul, indie, folk, pop, and musical theatre. As a freelance musician, she’s had the opportunity to perform all across the midwest. She plays in a number of bands including Mélange Trio (voice), Echo Parlor (voice/keys), Hip Pocket (trombone), and an Electric Bass/Vocal duo with her partner. Each ensemble allows her to stretch different musical muscles, which has spurred her curiosity to learn different approaches to music making.

Before moving to Minneapolis, Valerie ran her own private studio in Eau Claire, WI and worked for the Stand in the Light Memory Choir, an organization that uses the power of singing to move people with memory loss and their care partners to rediscover themselves, make friends, laugh together, and contribute to their community.

  • Valerie teaches Thursdays and Saturdays

  • Lessons with Valerie start at $33 for 30 minutes

Joe Strachan

Joe Strachan is a versatile pianist and educator based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His personal piano education is steeped in jazz and improvisation. As an educator, he welcomes students of all ages, from young children to adults. Joe loves helping students come to grips with theory, harmony, and how to translate these concepts to the keys, so students can learn by ear in whatever style they desire. Having personally experienced tendinitis and repetitive stress injuries from playing, he’s dedicated to incorporating healthy and sustainable ways of playing the piano into his teaching. 

With over a decade of professional experience, Joe’s career playing the piano includes accompanying dance, performing on synths and electronics, and composing for a diverse range of collaborations in dance and theater. Recent work includes touring with Craig Finn, and Mixed Blood Theater, as well as performing locally with ThoughtCast, Charanga Tropical, Ahndendet, The Stylites, Little Boat, Adam Zahller's Wheel Eternal, and HatchDance. Joe’s work has been recognized with awards such as the Next Step Fund (2020).

  • Joe teaches piano on Mondays and Thursdays

  • Lessons with Joe start at $30 for 30 minutes