Coaching & Lessons with Rachel LaFond
Rachel offers regular weekly piano lessons to a small number of students at her studio in Austin, TX, as well as performance coaching sessions and master classes for pianists of advanced intermediate level up to professional level in her studio in Austin or virtually.
Rachel particularly excels at coaching pianists into stronger performances, with a focus on the emotional impact on the listener. She enjoys geeking out about the ‘why’ of music with students, and delving into the reasoning behind physical technique and musical theory. Students come away with an understanding of why they’re being asked to work on a particular technique, and how it is going to impact their playing.
Regular Weekly Lessons
Rachel offers regular weekly lessons to a select number of students at her studio in Austin, TX. Lessons are usually 60 to 90 minutes, or 45 minutes for very young students. Tuition is paid in advance, on a monthly basis. The first lesson is 60 minutes and charged as a one-off coaching session (see below) to determine fit. Email Rachel at rachel@rachellafond.com for more information.
Performance Coaching & Master Classes
Available for individuals and groups of students of advanced-intermediate level and up, coaching sessions and master classes are intended for the more independent and self-driven student or professional, for whom regularity of classes is not vital. Rachel will pull from a vast well of techniques to help students express the emotionality of their music and connect more deeply with their audience. These sessions are highly personalized to the student’s skill and situation, and can include technique and theory, presentation and performance practice, or even discussion about the music industry. Sessions range from 60 to 120 minutes. Email Rachel at rachel@rachellafond.com for more information.
About Rachel as a Teacher
Rachel takes a special joy out of teaching and sharing the wonder of music-making, as well as music-creation. She began studying music at the piano when she was four years old, and began teaching piano in the summer of 1995 at the age of (get this!) 11. She has studied with Professor Manfred Wagner-Artzt at the University of Vienna, Dr. Peter Mack of Cornish College of the Arts, Dr. Regina Yeh of the University of Washington, and Madame Sandra LaFond, her esteemed mother, as well as taking master lessons in performance and pedagogy with many others. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in piano and music from the University of Washington in 2006, and spent many years of her professional life as a full-time private piano teacher. She is currently a full-time composer and recording artist who teaches for the joy of it. Rachel’s teaching style fosters independent thinking and creative self-development through meaningful and consistent practice and performance.