Music Lessons in Westminster (124th and Huron)
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Chelsey's Story
My piano teacher used to tap my back with a fork when I slouched.
Yep. That was me. While I didn't hate lessons I also didn't like practicing. My teacher was gracious to
give me lessons and she was an amazing pianist herself but (by fault of my own, probably) she was less
than inspiring.
So....I quit.
Now, you're probably surprised that I quit lessons because I am the advocate for continuing lessons
consistently. Honestly, I am too....a little bit, anyway.
Here's the thing--as soon as I quit I had freedom to play whatever I wanted! I thrived. I grew. And by age
15, I accompanied church and began mastering the organ.
So, would I have been better if I would've stuck with lessons. Probably. I think about that a lot. But I also think I would have HATED it and maybe not been a musician today.
The moral? I've built this studio with this cautionary tale in mind. I'm so thankful that my parents sought out lessons for me but it may come as no surprise to some of you that I'm a bit difficult:). Here at Arias our goal isn't to just push through lesson books and pound theory and technique into our students' heads. No, our goal is to create future and life-long musicians. Musicians who love and appreciate many facets of music. Musicians who will be musicians for the rest of their lives.
Who We Are
Naturally drawn to the musical arts, Chelsey Hanel has been creating music since age 7 -- and even accompanied her first church service at age 15. She has worked with students from grades 1 to 12 as an elementary teacher, high school teacher, piano instructor, choir director, theatre and musical director, and summer camp leader.
Where does she get the energy to do all that? Maybe it comes from growing up in a large family (she has 7 siblings, and is smack dab in the middle). Maybe it comes from her mom who was a primary grade teacher and loves creating and performing music and still inspires her to this day. Maybe it comes from her own 3 girls and her amazing husband who helps her stay balanced and sane through the busy times.
But wherever it comes from, what students and parents notice most about Chelsey is her compassionate grit -- she pushes herself and others to try hard even when it's not comfortable, but also coaches and encourages them every step of the way.
And while Chelsey has fond memories of her own musical experiences in school, like every musician she also has had moments of disappointment when her work didn't pan out or she missed out on performances. She credits these experiences as some of her best training -- the times where she learned all about the work and joy of music and this helps coach her own students when they face disappointments and need to develop their own growth mindset.
Chelsey has a B.A. in Education with a minor in Music Education as well as a Masters in Secondary English Education. On the weekends you may find her playing organ at her church or giving lessons to students at her Theatre Group (check it out HERE). During the week she balances her time teaching, growing her businesses, and partnering with her husband as they raise 3 amazing kids.
Outside of Chelsey, we have a group of well-qualified and compassionate teachers at the studio. Our teachers all perform regularly and even take lessons themselves. They are all amazing human beings who care deeply about children and growth in music. We are constantly training and discussing how to help each of our students in their uniqueness. The benefits of that collaboration are immeasurable and unique.
Want to chat with Chelsey about music lessons and if Arias is the right fit for your budding musician? Schedule a 15 minute phone chat below!
Top 5 reasons you would NOT enroll today:
...and answers!
1. Too expensive.
2. Not sure if it will work for my child.
3. Can’t imagine fitting this into our schedule.
4. Your child likes many instruments.
5. We’ve tried music lessons before and they didn’t work out.
1. We understand that people have different budgets and still want to provide activities for their children. That’s why we provide predictable, all-in-one membership pricing. Easily add the tuition to your budget and watch your child blossom.
2. Your child loves music already. We provide structure and consistency which are the foundations of any success. All you need to do is bring them here--they’ll be playing music before you know it!
3. You may think that your busy life can’t handle one more activity. But we make it easy: convenient times, easy reschedules, and consistency. We promise that we will work hard to find the right time for your family.
4. That’s great! We do too! We think we fall into the collectors category when it comes to instruments:). Our teachers can move between multiple instruments and satisfy any desire to experiment with those different instruments while still teaching and nurturing knowledge and love for music.
5. Unlike other programs, our desire isn’t for surface-level success but for a deep love of music. Keeping this as our foundation, you and your child will want to come back every week!