About
Our Studio
The secret to growing passionate musicians…
Isn’t enrolling your child in music lessons at the earliest possible age. Nor is it requiring your child to develop strict practice discipline at the very beginning.
In my nearly 20 years of teaching students of all ages in both piano and voice, ‘The Secret’ is actually quite simple:
MAKE THE LEARNING FUN.
That’s it!
Whether your student is in preschool, or you as an adult are seeking something new to sink your teeth into intellectually, there’s ALWAYS a way to make music fun. And fun comes with great benefits: when we have fun, we open ourselves up to genuine curiosity, motivation, focus, and the drive to keep going. The fire is lit and we are ready to nurture our newfound passion for music.
Our Approach
As a professional musician and a licensed K-12 MA Music Educator, I place a high value on quality music-making. I aim to cultivate confident musicians who have strong skills in music literacy, artistic expression, technique, and collaboration.
Our small group semi-private lesson format aims to do just that while offering the best of both worlds: individualized instruction at their own pace with headphones at their piano stations among the quiet company of others. Each class type—the Practiced Pianist (2nd Grade+), Versatile Vocalist (2nd grade +) or Marvelous Musician (Pre-K through 1st grade) has extra time to “practice practicing” along with a personalized lesson woven in from Ms. Jess. In Versatile Vocalist and Marvelous Musician, students also explore their voices together in a relaxed, collaborative setting. They sing silly tongue twister warm-ups, use fun props to develop technical awareness like breath, and practice songs together with a broad range of repertoire.
All classes get to practice rhythm and performance for each other in our very popular twice-monthly Drumming and Studio Performance weeks. The entire studio also has studio-wide performance opportunities several times a year, including Winter and Summer Music Gatherings and special pop-up performances around town.
Have an eager learner who’s not yet in Pre-K? I offer a limited amount of Preschool Mini Lessons on Saturday mornings to help jumpstart your budding musician’s passion for music for learners as young as age 3.
And are you looking for lessons yourself? We have that, too! I offer individual lessons for adults in either/both voice and piano and tailor the lessons to your unique goals.
And don’t forget to periodically check out our Workshops page, which lists our beloved Songa and Embody (yoga + music) sessions during summer and holiday breaks.
No matter the age and interest, I truly believe our studio has so much to offer. I always offer free discovery calls where we can go over the options together to help you find the best fit for your student, or yourself.
About Ms. Jess
Plato once said, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
And he couldn’t have been more accurate.
Music, to me, is so much more than notes on a page, vocal warm-ups or fingerings on a keyboard. It’s about blending a love of melody and rhythm with personality and approach. It’s about connecting with smiles and laughter, curiosity and compassion.
In many ways, my musical journey started very similarly to that of your children. My parents would find me plunking random notes at our family piano, or setting up “voice concerts” over by our fireplace. I loved being musical, and even more so, I LOVED making my musical experience my own. While over the years I studied piano, oboe, and eventually voice, I adored the teacher who taught me necessary skills while giving me the creative autonomy to be original.
That approach worked well for me in my youth, and is what eventually led me to a career in music. I first came to Boston in 2012 to set up shop as a singer shortly after receiving my Masters in Voice from the Yale School of Music. I sang with various ensembles around Boston including Handel and Haydn Society, Emmanuel Music, Church Of The Advent, Blue Heron, Boston Early Music Festival, Musicians Of The Old Post Road, among others. My singing also took me regularly across the country to NYC, Tucson, San Diego, Miami, Texas, and even internationally to Europe and Asia. While I loved many aspects of the performance career, I always looked forward to returning to my private students back in Boston when I wasn’t on the road. I loved sitting with and helping them figure out who they were and what they needed in order to thrive in music. And no two students’ journeys ever looked identical.
Today, I have the honor of guiding over 50 students in all ages in both piano and voice right here in Natick. I still love figuring out what makes people tick, and using my creativity and empathy to help guide them along their journey. When I’m not teaching, you’ll find me helping new families eat, sleep and be well with Burgeoning Bud Postpartum Doula and Pediatric Sleep Consulting, singing and playing keys in Real Expressions with my husband, Evan, popping in as a singer on a last-minute gig in town, or cooking up something tasty at home with our three children, William, June, and Oscar.
EDUCATION/Certifications
Bachelors of Music in Voice Performance and Choral Music Education (K-12); The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Masters of Music in Early Music, Oratorio, and Chamber Ensemble; Yale Institute of Sacred Music and School of Music
MA Department of DESE, Licensed Music Teacher (Voice/Instrumental/General: All Levels)
Pretzel Kids® Certified Yoga And Mindfulness Teacher (2020-Present)
Ready to learn more?
Book a FREE Discovery call by filling out the form below or emailing me at jessica.petrus@gmail.com.