Melbourne School Of Music

Jenny Ford is a teacher I highly respect. I have achieved my greatest progress in piano throughout the past two years in Jenny's class . The classes and practice content provided are well structured with clear direction. It is easy to practice and improve with such clarity.nnThe passion is clear every week when I am given insight into the different varieties of music. We cover how cultural and historical influences shape music and the various styles that have been produced by past composers. This passion is infectious and has completely changed the way I look at music. The classes are fun, calm and a pleasure to be apart of.nnI would highly recommend Jenny to anyone who is serious about taking their piano to the next level.

Some 5 years ago I signed up for lessons with Don at Melbourne School of Music as a mature age student, eager to learn to play the electric guitar. As a person of little musical talent and knowledge, and very little time – only a love of music and a desire to learn – I knew I’d need someone patient as well as capable.nnSince then my mind and ears have been opened to the world of music. I have become a competent guitar player, I read music, I’ve learnt about the guitar as an instrument, and I understand music theory. I actually listen to music differently now, with far greater awareness and appreciation! I enjoy music of many styles, not just those I grew up listening to on the radio and TV. And I even mess around creating my own music (when no one is listening).nnDon is a master musician and guitarist. He has a deep and extensive knowledge and love of music. He’s a perfectionist who insists upon developing solid foundational skills. And he’s a wonderful, patient teacher. I consider myself to be most fortunate to be one of his students.

Piano lessons with Jenny are one of the joys of my week. They're fun, interesting and I always leave feeling rejuvenated and recommitted – even if I don’t always live up to the practice hours I envisage as I walk out.nnI had learned piano as a child and was playing occasionally before I started lessons at the Melbourne School of Music, but in the four years I have been having lessons, my playing has improved immensely. Piano has gone from something I did intermittently, to a rewarding work in progress.nnJenny helps motivate me and has exposed me to pieces from a range of styles and eras, including a lot of music I would never have found myself. She offers solutions to technical problems week by week, slowly building musical understanding and provides insight into what different compositions are trying to do and how they should be preformed. She also helps more broadly by teaching ways to practise effectively, learn pieces more quickly and improve reading.nnShe is a devoted teacher and her curiosity about music in general means lessons are peppered with historical background on composers, insights on how thinking about music has changed throughout history and glimpses of the underlying structures of music. I would highly recommend Jenny as a piano teacher to anyone.

If you're expecting a school that teaches tabs, party tricks and licks, it's definitely not that kind of place. If you're open to learning to read music properly, learning the theory of music and how to play guitar well with the correct technique, then I'd highly recommend Don at Melbourne School of MusicnnThanks Raquael

I've learned both guitar from Don and piano from Jenny throughout my time with the Melbourne School of Music, and both have been delightful to learn from and talk to. When it comes to key knowledge in musical theory, practice and history, they really have it covered.nWhen you're a student of any sort, you need a mentor who is patient, knowledgable, passionate and most of all willing to take you under their wing, be honest with you, and give you advice that is worth your time. These are all qualities that are shown in every lesson I've received with Don and Jenny.nIf I had to describe how I feel towards the 5 years I've spent learning from them, I would say that I am extremely lucky to have found such talented, well-spoken and down to earth teachers as I have in the two of them.