Category Archives: music

NMA Welcomes New Banjo Instructor

August 30, 2023Adult Music Lessons, Banjo Lessons, guitar lessons, Mandolin Lessons, music, music academy, Music Lessons, nashville music academy, Teacher Spotlightbrianneemmedia

Nashville Music Academy welcomes banjo, mandolin and guitar instructor to the staff. Graham has over 10 years of experience as a professional multi-instrumentalist. He has played banjo, guitar, dobro, and lap steel in several different bands since 2012. He graduated from Berklee College of Music summa cum laude in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Writing and Production. In person at our North Nashville location, and online lessons are available with Graham. Banjo lessons are available for any age or experience level.

Learn more about Graham Northrop here.

Drum Lessons for Beginners

March 18, 2021music, music academy, Music Lessons, nashville music academy, percussion lessonsany age, drums, Music Lessons, Nashville, nashville music academy, toddler activitiesTatia Rose

Portrait of small girl indoors at home, playing drums.

Drum lessons are a great option for the young beginner student. There are many benefits to music lessons for your child; it builds language skills, makes them academically stronger, teaches them discipline, and supports the healthy development of motor skills and muscle development! Learn more about the benefits of music lessons for your little one HERE.

Call us at 615-521-1937 to get your little musician started on their journey.

“The Banjo Lesson”

February 12, 2021music, music academy, nashville music academy, Newsafriclassical, Banjo, Black History, Black History Month, Fine Art, Henry Ossa WatannerTatia Rose

“The Banjo Lesson” as painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner in 1893. Oil on canvas, on exhibit at the Hampton University Museum in Hampton VA.

Tanner is an extraordinary legacy of Black History, as are his works. The Banjo depicted here, and played today, was introduced to America by enslaved Africans, where it soon became popularized here and in Europe.

Henry Ossawa Tanner painted “The Banjo Lesson” after spending some time in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It had only been a mere 25 years prior that slavery had been abolished. Although Tanner was born in Pittsburgh at the time of “a burgeoning African-American intelligentsia”, his mother was born enslaved and escaped through the Underground Railroad to Pennsylvania. His father was a Methodist minister and an abolitionist.

The time that Tanner spent in Paris particularly intrigued me as a classical musician. It was there that he combined and refined the styles of American realism and European tradition into something of his own. There is a trait of Black Excellence to take something artful and expressive, and enhance it further. Tanner was a master of such traits, and his artwork and family history are valuable pieces of Black History.

The Black Mozart

January 28, 2021music, music academy, nashville music academy, Newsafriclassical, atlantic slave trade, black mozart, black mozart ensemble, black music, mozart, music history, Nashville, nashville music academyTatia Rose

Otherwise known as the Black Mozart, the Chevalier St. Georges is an exceptional figure in the history of European Classical music. He was a contemporary of Mozart, and at a time when the Atlantic Slave Trade was raging, he offered a stark contrast of Black life. As a conductor he led an orchestra in Paris, was a virtuoso violinist, and a respected composer. I first became aware of Chevalier St Georges through Roy Wooten and his Black Mozart Ensemble which I STRONGLY recommend exploring and listening to.

Artist: “Saint-Georges with Violin, watercolor for AfriClassical”
© Copyright 2020 AfriClassical; Artist: Olesia Panaseiko

Gift Certificates for Holidays and Special Occasions

December 22, 2020music, music academy, nashville music academy, News, voice lessons nashvillegift certificate, holiday, Music LessonsTatia Rose

Gift Certificate are the gift that keeps giving. They are good for any age and every instrument (including voice and songwriting lessons). You don’t have to be in Nashville to enjoy the experience of learning music either! These gift certificates are good for online and in-person lessons. Within 24 hours of ordering, you will receive a PDF of the Gift Certificate to print and present, so these make an excellent last minute gift as well. Have questions? Email us at info@nashvillemusicacademy.org or click HERE to purchase.

Presidential Musicians

November 4, 2020Adult Music Lessons, Instrument Spotlight, music, music academy, Music Lessons, nashville music academy, NewsTatia Rose

As we all await the decision that will decide our next President, I pondered to myself… how many of our Presidents have been musically talented? Of course we all remembered Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on late night television, but there had to be others.

Interestingly enough, only 13 of our 45 Presidents have been able to play an instrument. The first was Thomas Jefferson, who played both cello and violin. Tyler and Lincoln both also played the violin. John Quincy Adams was the only woodwind player in the group. Flute was his instrument of choice. These were all common “parlor” instruments of the time.

As time wore on, the instruments changed. Chester Alan Arthur played the banjo, Roosevelt and Wilson were both competent singers, while Coolidge and Reagan both enjoyed playing the Harmonica. Truman was an accomplished pianist whereas Nixon was the lone accordion player in the group.

My favorite was Harding though. He was a true musical bi-partisan. As 29th president of the United States, he organized the Citizen’s Cornet Band, which would perform at both Republican and Democratic rallies. He once remarked that, “I played every instrument but the slide trombone and the E-flat cornet.”

Gov. Bill Clinton, sitting with the band, turns out an impressive version of "Heatrbreak Hotel" as Arsenio Hall gestures approvingly in the musical opening of "The Arsenio Hall Show" taping at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, June 3, 1992. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Sources: https://nafme.org/the-most-musical-united-states-presidents/

Gift Certificates

December 4, 2019flute lessons, gift certificates, music, music academy, Music Lessons, music lessons for autistic children, nashville music academy, percussion lessons, Special Needs, voice lessons nashville, woodwind lessonsbanjo lessons, drum lessons, gift certificates, guitar lessons, Music lesson, Music Lessons, music lessons nashville, Nashville, piano lessons, piano lessons nashville, saxophone lessons, special needs, trumpet lessons, violin lessons, voice lessonsTatia Rose

Nashville Music Academy gift certificates are the perfect way to give the gift that keeps on giving: music. NMA offers Skype lessons for long distance students, so those not located in Nashville are still able to receive lessons.

Our highly accomplished staff of instructors are among Nashville’s best. The staff consists of 17 skilled musicians, with lessons ranging from voice to strings, piano, drums, brass and more. With award winning drummers Phil Yochum and Ben Andrew, your student is guaranteed the best. Piano instructor Elliot McClain has a Master of Music degree, and is blind, with his lessons focusing on aural and improvisational skills. Shelly Blair, violin instructor, is a creative teacher who also works with our Valor after school music program. Our diverse staff will teach both music and life lessons.

Give the gift of music today with a Nashville Music Academy Gift Certificate.

Holiday Gift Certificates for Music Lessons

December 13, 2017gift certificates, music, Music Lessons, nashville music academyChristmas, gift certificates, Hanukah, Holidays, NashvilleTatia Rose

Holiday Gift Certificates are a great way to give the everlasting gift of music. A Nashville Music Academy gift certificate is good for any music lesson that we offer. Your recipient can choose from guitar lessons, piano lessons, violin lessons, piano lessons, voice lessons, drum lessons, saxophone and woodwind lessons, and much more. There is also no expiration limit for our certificates and they can be transferred to anyone. Once you purchase a gift certificate, an associate will be in touch within the hour to help customize your certificate. Once they have all the information you would like included, a printable PDF of the certificate will be emailed to you, or to the recipient with a message of your choice included. There are no age limits for our music lessons and the certificate is also good for our special needs music programs as well. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 615-521-1937!

Click here to purchase a Gift Certificate now!

Guitar Lessons, Everything You Need to Get Started!

September 20, 2016Adult Music Lessons, Instrument Spotlight, music, music academy, Music Lessons, Newsguitar lessons, guitar lessons nashville, nashville music academyTatia Rose

Guitar lessons are one of the most popular choices for beginning and adult students. It’s a very approachable and portable instrument, and can quickly become an accessory, depending on how much you like to play. There are just a few things to know if you are interested in taking guitar lessons at Nashville Music Academy; physical expectations, notation, type of guitar, and genre.

One thing all guitar players know, is that the instrument will physically change your fingertips. Callouses and tenderness are to be expected. For this reason, it is important to understand the commitment of practice and the pain (however so slight) it might cause, especially with very young students. The types of strings you choose for your guitar will also make a difference. Your instructor can guide you through all these decisions.

Unlike piano, guitar is notated with tablature. Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches. You can learn more about tablature HERE. If a guitar student is interested in crossing over to other instruments, such as voice or piano, it is important that they understand the sight-reading approach of tablature only applies to the guitar. Your guitar instructor can teach you the other methods if you plan on being a multi-instrumentalist!

Most folks know there are two types of guitar – electric or acoustic. The guitar lesson will vary depending on what type you choose. Acoustic is commonly associated with the genres of classical, bluegrass, country, Americana, singer-songwriter, and world music. Electric is often associated with Blues, Funk, Rock, and Punk. Both Pop and Jazz have crossover with both acoustic and electric. Knowing what kind of music you would like to learn will play a large role in which you choose.

At Nashville Music Academy, we have teachers that teach all styles, genres, and types of guitar lessons. Adam Korsvik, Rebecca Frazier, and Michaela Neller are all excellent teachers well versed and waiting to share their years of expertise with you. Call today, 615-521-1937 to set up an appointment.

Cinco De Mayo Spotlight: Latin Music

May 4, 2016guitar lessons, music, nashville music academy, News, percussion lessons, woodwind lessonsCinco De Mayo, Latin Music, music lessons nashvilleTatia Rose

Latin music is a large part of our American society. No more do we realize this than on Cinco De Mayo when our senses are flooded with the rhythms and instruments of our Latin American friends. Latin music combines the “musical traditions of Mexico, Central America, and the portions of South America and the Caribbean colonized by the Spanish and the Portuguese. These traditions reflect the distinctive mixtures of Native American, African, and European influences that have shifted throughout the region over time.”

Instruments indigenous to Latin American music are mostly stringed and woodwind instruments as well as percussion. These stringed instruments include guitar and guitar-like instruments, lute, mandolin, harp, and violin. As for the woodwind instruments, many of them are flutes. Most are single-pipe vertical flutes with “either whistle-type (e.g., the pincollos of the Inca) or end-notched (e.g., the Andean quena) mouthpieces. Whistles and ocarinas are also found throughout Latin America.” The percussion instruments are the prominent sound of Latin Music and include a rich history of use. These include “slit-drums, single-headed small drums, cup-shaped ceramic drums, double-headed drums (e.g., bombos), and a great variety of shaken rattles (maracas), scrapers, and stamping tubes.”

At Nashville Music Academy, we offer music lessons for genres, styles, and instruments specific to Latin American music. We have two instructors at NMA that have experience to help you reach your latin music performance goals. They are Chris Leidecher (percussion) and Michael Gutierrez (woodwinds). Guitar instructor Adam Korsvik is also available for Acoustic and Spanish Guitar instruction. Call today! 615-521-1937 to make an appointment.

References from Britannica.

Piano Lessons Open Doors! A Student Success Story

January 5, 2016music, Music Lessons, News, Student Storyautism, Music Student, nashville music academy, Nashville Music Lessons, piano lessons, piano lessons nashville, Tatia Rose, voice lessonsTatia Rose

Piano lessons are the most popular choice for students when it comes time to choose an instrument to study. Perhaps it’s because of the familiarity, or the absolute joy that comes from sitting at the piano. Either way, the piano teachers are often the busiest at Nashville Music Academy.

When George came to the studio, he was looking for voice and piano lessons. He had heard about our work through the great folks at ARC (an adult resource for individuals with special needs that met at Vanderbilt). George had played the pipe organ his whole life, but wanted to improve his technique and perhaps find an advocate who could help him find work as a church organist again. He was assigned Tatia Rose for piano lessons and Janine Le Clair for voice lessons. Both teachers immediately fell in love with George, who was a funny and bright (and highly talented) individual with Autism.

As time went by, George eventually shared a secret with his piano teacher. He had been working on a complete Symphonic work for organ and had been using the theory he was learning at piano, to complete the score. He asked Ms. Rose if she would help him find a place to perform his work. In August of 2015, George did just that at Vine Street Baptist Church. This also led to George securing a job as an organist at a church in East Nashville.

All of this good news came from George’s choice to better himself with music lessons. The dedicated staff at Nashville Music Academy recognized his potential and gave him the encouragement and support he needed to achieve his goals. Here’s to the power of piano lessons, and of course… a great student.

Voice Lessons with Janine LeClair, a Teacher Spotlight

December 15, 2015music, music academy, Music Lessons, News, Teacher Spotlight, voice lessons nashvilleacting coach, drum lessons, guitar lessons, Janine Le Clair, Music Lessons, music school, nashville music academy, Nashville Music Lessons, piano lessons, voice lessonsTatia Rose

Looking for voice lessons? Janine Le Clair is one of Nashville’s best acting coaches and voice teachers. She played the leading-lady for international musicals and productions like The Sound of Music, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Secret Garden, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Annie. LeClair also has extensive on-camera experience, and has been acting in network television commercials for financial institutions, home furnishings, restaurants and tourist destinations as far away as Australia.

Teaching under the same principles she was taught under (Stanislavski), LeClair also includes Uta Hagen and Meisner in her technique. Her personality is warm and inviting. This compliments her coaching style, which is patient, fun, and goal effective. She has been a music instructor at Nashville Music Academy (formerly Rose Music Group) for 10 years. Best-known for the results she achieves for both beginners and advanced students, LeClair provides a professional and experienced background enabling her to sculpt each lesson to the needs of the student. She is available (by appointment only) on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.

http://janineleclair.com