Ardmore Neighborhood - Music Studio
Studio Recital May 2019
At a Glance
Private Piano Lessons for beginners of any age
Private Piano Lessons for Intermediate/Advanced players
Group lessons
Adult students: it is never too late!
Online lessons
Audiation-based piano instruction
Training in the Lister-Sink Method
Injured professional musicians: free consultation!
Audition coaching (college, summer programs, etc.)
Piano Literature Class
Accompanying/Collaboration/Chamber Music
Weddings/Funerals
Event music (dinner parties, graduations, etc)
New Piano Teacher Mentorship
Schedule An Introduction Lesson
It is important that both teacher and student get an opportunity to see if they are a good fit to go on a musical together! The first lesson includes an exchange of background information, discussion of student goals, going over studio policies and answering parent and student questions. Schedule an introduction lesson now; no commitment necessary!
Testimonials
“I would highly recommend Bethany as a piano teacher. My (now 11 yr old) daughter began with Bethany 2 years ago after a less than inspiring year with a different piano teacher. When I asked my daughter what she most enjoyed about their lessons, she said that Bethany took time in the beginning to understand her learning style which helped with ease of learning. She also said that Bethany exposed her to music that she was unfamiliar with and eventually enjoyed played at recitals. From a parents perspective, it was delightful to see my child enjoying her piano lesson vs see them as a chore. Bethany was able to keep the learning fun while still delivering results. When Bethany left the school she was teaching at to work full time at the local university, we followed her. I am happy that she is now following her dream to further her musical education but sad that we couldn’t follow this time around as she now lives in a different state. I hope you and yours enjoy Bethany as much as and we did!”
“My daughter started piano lessons with Bethany when she was 6 years old. With little knowledge of music and note reading my daughter had fun and learned quickly with Little Mozarts. After 2 years she has now moved on to more advanced note reading, song play and finger exercises. Bethany always keeps music exciting and challenging for my spunky girl which holds her interest and has helped develop her skill and love for music. Bethany is great with children; she is always smiling with a positive attitude and flexible thinking to keep young minds engaged. We are sad Bethany has moved away but will always stay in touch as she has become our friend and not just our piano teacher.”
“My kids were about to give up on piano. They just didn’t have the enthusiasm to really want to play. When we started working with Bethany that all changed and they started to really love piano and practice on their own. She was a miracle for my children.
From my youngest daughter (9 yrs): ‘Bethany is our best piano teacher. She made it fun.’”
“I was 50 years away from the piano when I began taking lessons with Bethany a couple of years ago. She has encouraged me to push beyond my comfort zone and taught me with grace, patience, and an ear to what’s important to me as an adult learner. She herself continues to learn and shares her newfound wisdom with me. Based on recitals with her younger students, it is evident she loves them and encourages the best in them as well.”
About Me
Meet bethany COthern
I moved to Chattanooga in August of 2021 to begin a teaching studio in my home state of Tennessee. My credentials include: Bachelors and Masters in piano performance, Masters in piano pedagogy, Masters in Injury-Preventive Technique, international experience in Austria and France, and participation and officer positions in local, state, and national music teacher associations. I have twelve years of teaching experience. I teach people of all ages and stages in their music journey. Ask me about audiation-based piano instruction and the Lister-Sink Method; these are unique focuses of my pedagogy and they set my students up for success!
A love of teaching and the learning process is what energizes and inspires me - I look forward to working with you and your family!
SEE MY Past Performances/Studio Pictures
Teaching Approach
The love of the learning process, that which takes place in music and in many other settings outside music, is what has lead me to where I am today. I love when I understand something in a comprehensive way, and that joy of understanding is where I aim to lead all my students. I aspire to conduct myself with excellence as a performer and lifelong learner, and to collaborate with colleagues in order to foster community.
I like to break concepts into small manageable parts that resonate with the student using musical thinking and non; sometimes we must be mathematicians, scientists, choreographers, and explorers in our approach to music! I like to take these smaller parts, in consideration of the different learning modalities, and give the student a visual, aural, emotional, and physical context in which to place them. For an aural learner I would exemplify the sound sought after, and have them repeat what was played and also sing the melody themselves. For a visual learner, I would try to think of an appropriate analogy or image that would make a musical concept "click." For a kinesthetic learner - I would go into detail describing HOW to perform a certain motion (possibly using an analogy or asking them to sing in order to "feel" what is happening in a thorough way), maybe practicing it away from the piano first and then asking them to try it themselves.
Since I am in the discovery-mode for this intense Injury-Preventive degree, my teaching is being continually refined. I am challenging myself and my students to move in the most bio-mechanically sound way while having a joyous music-making experience. I also spend time each week reflecting on what my students have taught me during weekly lessons that can help me to be an even more informed and effective teacher.
“I think this best describes my experience with Bethany Cothern as a piano instructor for adults: amazing. As a teenager over fifty years ago I quit taking piano lessons after a year of frustration with nothing significant having been accomplished. Something I grew to regret later in life. After I retired, and with trepidation, I searched for a piano instructor to see if I could learn to play piano for my own enjoyment. That’s how I met Bethany when she was an instructor in the Community Music Program at the University of Louisville. She is an amazing piano teacher. After two years of lessons with Bethany I am now at the point where I can comfortably sight read music, work out tempo, fingering, and left hand accompanyment. She even (with a little encouragement) taught me how to prepare to perform and still be comfortable participating in her student recitals. I whole heartedly recommend Bethany as a piano instructor for adults.”