Private Instruction
It’s never too late to learn an instrument…
Research suggests that playing an instrument or singing in a choir can enhance emotional well-being, brain health, cognition, and hearing.
At CSMA, experienced music teachers and performers offer lessons for all skill levels. They teach with patience and encouragement and provide practice strategies letting you develop musical skills at your own pace.
We are offering both virtual and in-person private instruction with many of our talented music educators.
Lesson Rates
30 min. $35 | 45 min. $48 | 1 Hour $60
CSMA membership is required. Students may take up to four lessons on a trial basis before choosing to become a member.
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Four Coupons for Private Instruction – 30 Minute Lesson
$140.00 ($140.00 w/membership) Age: All Ages Instructor: Multiple Instructors -
Four Coupons for Private Instruction – 45 Minute Lesson
$192.00 ($192.00 w/membership) Age: All Ages Instructor: Multiple Instructors -
Four Coupons for Private Instruction – 60 Minute Lesson
$240.00 ($240.00 w/membership) Age: All Ages Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Private Instruction Faculty
Ashley Ickes
Ashley (she/her) graduated with a BM in Music Performance, Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University in 2013. She has been performing professionally and teaching private and group lessons for well over twenty years. With experience in many styles including rock,...
Leah Missall
Leah Missall (she/they) is a flute teacher for CSMA. She is originally from Shrewsbury, MA, and graduated Ithaca College with a bachelors in music performance and education. She did her student teaching here in Ithaca at Boynton middle school. She has been playing flute for 13 years now and is excited to begin her education career. Outside of music, she enjoys reading, hiking, and playing with her cat, Padfoot.
Jennifer Lawrence Birnbaum
Jennifer Lawrence Birnbaum is a music teacher, choral director, performer and event coordinator with music education degrees from Ithaca College and Columbia University. In addition to serving on the faculty of the Community School of Music and Arts, she is the choir director at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca and teaches at Namaste Montessori School.
Amy Opperman Cash
B.A. Piano, Ithaca College. Attended High School of Music and Art, NYC. Studied with Kendall Taylor in London, England. Over twenty years teaching experience.
Ed Cohn
Ed began his musical journey early, starting on clarinet at age 9. He soon moved on to saxophone, guitar, and piano and gained experience on trombone, French horn, and flute before falling in love with singing and opera.
William Hurley
William Hurley is an Ithaca-based violinist/violist, teacher, and luthier. Violin – M.M., Violin Performance, Ithaca College. B.A. in Violin Performance, University of South Carolina.
Jaime Kibelsbeck
Violist Jaime Kibelsbeck has been an instructor and freelance performer for over fifteen years. She has performed in the Binghamton Philharmonic, the Tri-Cities Opera, and the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes. An early music enthusiast, she has also performed as a member of Cornell University’s early music ensemble Le Petit Violons as a baroque violis
Nolan Miller
Pianist Nolan Miller grew up in Ithaca, and is active in the area as a teacher and performer. He holds a BM in piano performance from Houghton College; an MM from Syracuse University; and a DM from Florida State University, where his major professor was Read...
Christopher Morgan Loy
Composer-pianist Christopher Morgan Loy has a catalog of compositions which includes works for piano, voice, chamber ensembles, chamber orchestra, full orchestra, and chorus. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from Cornell University where he studied composition with Pulitzer Prize-winning composers, Karel Husa (1969) and Steven Stucky (2005).
Zaun Marshburn
Zaun Marshburn has been a professional drummer and percussionist since 1993. He has traveled throughout the U.S. and abroad playing in venues large and small such as The Bowery Ballroom in NYC opening for Julianna Hetfield, and The Haunt in Ithaca, as well as in many area schools. He can be heard playing with several groups including Wingnut, Black is Green, and MSZM.
Karen Melamed Smith
Karen Melamed Smith studied piano and composition at the Music Institute of Chicago while growing up and has taught piano and various music and movement classes in similar community schools in NYC and at CSMA for many years.
Emmett Scott
Proficient in classical, jazz, folk/rock, and hip hop Emmett splits his time teaching private lessons and accompanying vocalists and instrumentalists at Ithaca College. Emmett is passionate about fostering a love of music in both beginners and experienced players, and teaching with aspects of theory, aural training and sight reading for a well rounded musical education.
Gerald Slevin
Specializing in teaching students how to play and sing simultaneously and employing an easy-going, creative, song-oriented pop/rock approach, Gerald has taught for over 12 years both one-on-one and in groups with students of all ages. To help each student uncover...
Chris White
Chris White is a classical, jazz and improvisational cellist and teacher. He has performed and taught around the U.S., and in Canada, Europe and North Africa. Chris has several solo recordings and has played on numerous recordings of other artists including Jody Kessler, Joe Crookston, Scott Adams, Javier Ruibal and others.
Private Instruction by Instrument
Bass
Cello
Composition
Flute
Clarinet
Percussion
Recorder
Viola
Voice
Private Instruction Inquiry Form
Please complete this form so we may refer you to an instructor who best matches your interests and availability. Due to current demand, many of our instructors’ schedules are full. If you don’t see your instrument listed in the drop-down menu below (Instrument Requested), there is no availability at this time — please check back soon for additional openings!
Please see our policies page for more about private instruction.