Piano and Keyboard

Our piano teachers teach a variety of styles from classical to popular music. Whether you want to learn a classical sonatina, rock chords or popular sheet music, our teachers are happy to help you become the pianist you want to be. Our piano faculty will show you the fundamentals of sight reading, technique and theory, all while incorporating your favourite songs. Our piano teachers have warm personalities and enjoy sharing their love for the piano with you.

It is ideal if you do have a piano at home, but you can start lessons with our piano teachers by using an electric keyboard to practice on. Most of our students rent or buy small electric keyboards to practice on at home. We recommend a keyboard that has regular sized keys and a touch sensitive response. 

Guitar

Our guitar teachers teach rock, blues, metal, country and classical guitar lessons on electric and acoustic guitars. Beginner students can expect to work on chords, simple songs and melodies, sight reading, and theory. We balance musicianship and fun by making sure that each lesson you are challenged with a new technical or theory concept, but always end with something fun such as your favorite riff or song.

We use a variety of guitar method books to accomplish this and encourage students to bring CD's or their mobile devices to their lesson to learn their favorite tunes. Our teachers can even help you with guitar repair: such as the set up of your guitar or replacing your strings!

Drums

Our drum instructors will teach rock, metal, jazz, funk, blues and many other styles. Drum language can be complex and our instructors will challenge any drummer with a wide variety of technical exercises designed to improve your speed and comfort. All drummers may bring in their favorite drum parts to learn in their lessons and theory is encouraged.

You do not have to purchase a drum kit to take lessons. Beginning students can learn with a drum pad and sticks for about $40.00. Students use our drum set at their lessons and do not have to bring anything except their drum sticks and a notebook. We also offer Percussion Lessons, which is a wonderful addition to any school band program, rock band, or worship band.

Voice

Our private voice teachers primarily focus on popular music and musical theatre songs. If you have always wanted to be a better rock, pop, country, jazz, gospel, theatre, or R&B singer, then we have the right voice teachers for you!

Voice students spend time each week doing physical exercises to improve their vocal range, ear training, breath control, vibrato, tone production, enunciation and more. All voice students set goals with their teacher to work on sounding like their favorite recording artists, preparing for a theatre audition, or if they prefer, to develop their own unique voice. 

Bass

Our bass teachers teach rock, blues, metal, country and jazz styles.  Beginner students can expect to work on simple songs and appropriate changes, sight reading and theory. We balance musicianship and fun by making sure that each lesson you are challenged with a new technical or theory concept, but always end with something fun such as your favorite riff or song.

Bass students can anticipate applying a variety of useful techniques including: hammer ons, pull offs, slides, walking bass lines and slap. We use a variety of method books to accomplish this and encourage students to bring CDs or their mobile devices to their lesson to learn their favorite tunes. 

Choir

Fort Erie School of Music’s Choir offers young vocalists an opportunity to light up the stage performing while learning the fundamentals of vocal technique. Our choir director coaches our singers to utilize their voices safely with proper breathing technique, vocal exercises and appropriate posture while singing a variety of inspirational songs as well as all time favourites!

Not only does our choir regularly perform in our biannual recitals, they also take advantage of numerous performance opportunities throughout the year.

Woodwind

As a beginning woodwind student, you will first learn how to make a sound on your instrument. If you are playing a saxophone or clarinet, you will learn how to blow into your mouthpiece using the correct mouth position so that the reed vibrates. If you are playing the flute, you will learn how to correctly blow over your mouthpiece to produce sound.  

Proper breathing techniques and posture are stressed in your lessons so that you are able to produce a clear, consistent sound. Tuning, fingering technique and music reading skills are also important aspects of your lessons.

More advanced students may focus on further developing their technique and on interpreting woodwind repertoire in a variety of styles. Students who are enrolled in their school music program are encouraged to bring music from their school as a practical application at their lessons.

Violin, Viola and Cello

Our violin and cello teachers provide one-on-one lessons for all ages and levels from beginners to the advanced level using the Suzuki Method. In these lessons you will learn:

• Good sitting and standing posture is essential
• Developing a bow hold and pressure
• Bow arm motion and techniques
• The left hand; fingering, intonation, shifting, vibrato, thumb position, double stops, extensions
• Breathing, releasing muscle tension and choosing what to focus on
• Balance and coordination
• How to pluck a one octave D major scale.  Starting with the descending scale

Brass

As a beginning brass student you will focus on the development of proper breathing techniques with exercises designed to strengthen the muscles needed to produce a steady and strong air supply. Good posture is stressed as is the importance of developing a proper embouchure which involves learning to use your facial muscles and mouth correctly to produce the best sound from your instrument. Tuning, music reading skills and correct fingering or slide positions are covered as well.

More advanced students can focus on refining their technique and expand their brass repertoire in a variety of styles. Students who are enrolled in their school music program are encouraged to bring music from their school as a practical application at their lessons.

Banjo

Pickin’ and Grinnin’ on the banjo is a bona fide source of a good time. With banjo lessons at Fort Erie School of Music you will learn core concepts like tuning, reading tablature, positioning, a variety of roll techniques, hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides.

While learning these valuable skills you will be applying them to a collection of all-time favourites as well as your own choice of music.

Ukulele

Learning to play the ukulele is fun and everyone can learn to play it!

What you can expect to learn in your ukulele lessons:

• How to hold your ukulele, sitting, standing, resting on one leg
• Learn basic chords starting with the majors and minors and moving on to other chords
• Learn different styles of strumming, slapping and palm muting patterns
• Chord changes and tablatures, start slow to get a clean sound with no buzzing or muting
• Learn finger picking exercises
• Start playing your favorite songs! 
• Learn to play with others and record yourself playing

When purchasing your first ukulele, look for ones which are around $75. While you can buy them for $50 and under, they often don’t keep their tune.

Rock Band

Rock Band class is an amazing experience that allows students to create and collaborate together as a musical group. It’s a terrific opportunity to unlock your creative potential, acquire rehearsal skills and learn about cooperation and teamwork. The relaxed learning environment allows you to further develop your musical skills and confidence while making new friends. 

In this course you can learn:

• Songs from notation, tablature & chord charts
• Songs by ear
• Songwriting/song structure skills
• How to improvise
• How to work in a band setting
• How to play songs and have fun right away
• How to play a variety of styles including Pop, Rock, Metal, Blues and Raggae.
• Preparation for a recording
• Professional recording skills and techniques

Our bands are always encouraged to participate in our biannual recitals as well as at
numerous performance opportunities.

Theory

If you’ve ever wanted to have a better understanding of how the language of music is read, written or spoken, or to just improve your music knowledge, we offer a useful and practical way to understand theory and put it to proficient use.

In this course you can learn everything from the basic beginnings of reading notation, using measured rhythm and applying dynamics straight through to scales, chord progressions, song structure, harmony and transposition.  

Understanding and applying theory this way provides endless opportunities for aspiring musicians to expressively create their own music. Equipped with these effective strategies, students will have a better grasp to master whatever music they aspire to learn.

Animal Adventures in Music (for kids aged 2-6)

Introducing our newest program, specially designed for your little Mozarts!

This innovative lesson program for ages 2-6 gives students a head start in music in a FUN way! Unlike other music lessons for students this age, this program by Animal Adventures in Music teaches a robust, comprehensive curriculum, covering topics from rhythm to note reading to instrument introduction and exposure, all through games, activities, and fun weekly homework!

Lessons in an individual, one-to-one format (one teacher, one student) give students the ability to move at their own pace and explore their own interests. the private one-to-one feel of the program ensures that no child is going to be rushed to grasp a concept and they can take their time exploring the world of music and have a blast while doing it!

Recitals

We are proud to offer recitals bi-annually for students to showcase their talents. Our recitals are completely voluntary and without pressure. Students can confidently showcase their progress in a state-of-the-art performance facility equipped with professional sound and lighting. Recital performances provide a number of beneficial incentives for all students who participate. Some of these benefits include:

• A goal to work toward (incentive to practice)

• Regularly gained experience with every performance

• Inspiration from seeing and being around more advance performers

• A sense of pride and accomplishment

• Overcome stage jitters and develop a new level of confidence

Red carpet and performance photos are provided by a professional photographer at each recital.