Testimonials

Mary Farris is simply an amazing music teacher. My older daughter studied clarinet with Mary for eight years. Mary brought her from a newbie clarinetist barely able to read music through several honor band selections and, finally, guided her in her audition (and acceptance) to the most selective wind ensemble at her college. Mary also taught alto sax to my younger daughter for four years, both classical and jazz. I know of many young musicians who owe their musical accomplishments to Mary’s thoughtful instruction. Besides her obvious passion for music, Mary’s greatest assets are her positive approach and patience. We were all very sorry to see Mary leave our community – tears were shed. My girls are better musicians and people for having worked under Mary’s guidance.

I still remember my first lesson with Mary, back when I was in seventh grade: I wasn’t the most excited student to have to go to clarinet lessons, but at the same time, I was slightly motivated to get better. I walked into the room not expecting very much; 30 minutes later, I walked out wanting to come back for another lesson…and another…and this continued for the next six years. Her high-spirits and dedication to her students is obvious year after year. Because of this, Mary never failed to make things both fun and challenging, whether it’s a new piece or a new articulation exercise. It has been awhile since I’ve had regular lessons with Mary, but even now, every time I pick up my clarinet, I still think back to our lessons and and the inspiration Mary has given me to love music.

Congratulations to Anne Coombs, the Music Academy and the Rock Academy!

To my long time friend Anne Coombs. You have been a strong and much needed resource for our areas very talented young (and older) musicians. It has been a pleasure to be your friend for 20+years, band mate in Crimes of Fashion when you got your first electric guitar, landlady when you started the school so many years ago, and benefactor when times were tough.

Your success warms my heart, keep on rocking this town!

“Wendy is an amazing talent and lessons with her were always a pleasure. She made me feel very comfortable in my lessons; she instilled confidence and best of all…she made me want to learn more. I LOVE her spirit!”

“Whitney has given my daughter what she was searching for: direction, instruction, and a belief that she can ‘go for it’- no matter what the ‘it’ is. Whitney is an amazing person and instructor- we couldn’t have prayed for more and gotten it.  She takes an interest in our daughter that is genuine.”

“Since starting voice lessons with Whitney, we have noticed an exceptional increase in my daughter’s vocal abilities.  She has gained the confidence to perform before large crowds and overcome virtually all anxiety.  Although she has always loved to sing, this experience has ignited a passion inside her for singing that has enriched her life and the lives of all those who hear her beautiful voice.”

“Whitney is so grounded and present that I have no shyness to sing in front of her.   I’ve always wanted to sing, but made my voice little so I would not be heard above anyone else. Now I feel confident that with a bit of practice, I can sing along with people without any shame. She gave me the skills and the tips to help me to continue on my own. I feel like Whitney gave my voice to me.  She surprised and delighted me when she tuned in to my in-confidence intuitively, and saw exactly what I needed to bring forth.”

“We’ve had our fair share of music teachers with three daughters. Each of them has offered something different and good. But I must say that Anne Coombs has brought all of the qualities that we’ve loved in our previous teachers together in one person. She’s, first of all, a gifted musician in her own right and that’s inspiring. She’s committed to our daughter as if she were Anne’s only student. She’s able to motivate without imposing a burden, and for a busy teenage student this is vitally important. She’s always positive and encouraging. Finally, Anne is such a nice person that you’re glad to be taking lessons from her just to get to know her.”

“I was looking more for a coach to help me to find my own voice and guide me through interpreting a song. I’d studied with classical singing teachers and in a choir, all of whom had a very academic approach- all our work was done through sight reading.   I got very excited when I saw that I could pick a song I wanted to sing- and that we wouldn’t be using sheet music!   Whitney walked me through the beginning stage creating an atmosphere of comfort but at the same time demanding that I learn and achieve certain goals such as maintaining rhythm while singing. She encouraged me to stretch out of my comfort zone experimenting with my voice rather than just hitting notes. When I felt the vibration of my voice for the first in my stomach area I had a deep physical reaction, as if a block was moved out of the way. Since that experience I have felt more pleasure in singing more security and freedom with my own voice.  I am very grateful to Whitney for walking me through that beginning process, she is able to create an atmosphere of confidence joy and the necessary discipline needed.”

“Anne is one super talented lady! I never knew I’d enjoy the sound of a Telecaster until I heard one played by her hands! And she’s also a “giant” on a Strat!”

“Whitney is so grounded and present that I have no shyness to sing in front of her.   I’ve always wanted to sing, but made my voice little so I would not be heard above anyone else. Now I feel confident that with a bit of practice, I can sing along with people without any shame. She gave me the skills and the tips to help me to continue on my own. I feel like Whitney gave my voice to me.  She surprised and delighted me when she tuned in to my in-confidence intuitively, and saw exactly what I needed to bring forth.”

“Anne is able to teach Clay a lot and make it fun.  His music has given him something to feel good about.”

“Working with Valerie not only improved my skills as a violinist, but the lessons I learned have extended into my career as a school counselor as well.  Valerie’s kind and patient instruction has served as a model for me with my own students, and her constant suport has given me confidence in my life as a musician and beyond.”

“Anne taught me so much, she deserves to be bragged on”.

“As a performing musician and former dancer, the stage is not unexplored territory for me. But my voice was an instrument I felt unable to master – in fact, singing in public at all made me self-conscious! My first lesson with Whitney put me at ease immediately, my discomfort evaporated with her kind and encouraging wisdom, guidance and humor. Whitney introduced me to my own voice and its possibilities and I’m so grateful!”

“Anne has been teaching Parker (12) guitar for 2 years and he switches between acoustic and electric. His interests have branched out from guitar to trumpet and now piano based on the fundamentals and love of music Anne helped him develop. Her teaching style is effective and approachable. Parker enjoys her summer Guitar Camp, too. I would recommend her to all ages. I hope to sometime take lessons myself! She is a delight.”

“Before finding Whitney, I had spent 2 and a half years (and at least a thousand dollars) studying with teachers and singing materials.  I thought I at least knew how to sing with my diaphragm but Whitney showed me that I wasn’t, but that it was simple to do. On our 3rd lesson I learned it well enough that I could put it into practice on my own, which gave me the confidence to sing and begin to explore my voice. The reality of it is that to date Whitney’s course is probably the most worthwhile thing I’ve done in my study of the voice.”

“Anne has been teaching my son, Thomas, a little over three years. He now plays both acoustic and electric guitars. Anne established a positive, relaxed rapport with Thomas from day one. Her gentle, supportive style of instruction is both motivating and fun! While Anne strives to improve the skills of her students, having fun is her primary goal. Thomas’ experience with Anne has boosted his self-confidence and has spilled over into other musical endeavors in his middle school band. Thomas will tell anyone who asks that he is a musician: a guitarist, a percussionist and a pianist. Anne seems to be able to bring out the best in him and make him eager to learn more!”

“I love music, and I can honestly say Valerie is the reason for that.  I am infinitely and indefinitely grateful for that gift of love of music that she has given me.  But, she has taught me so very much more.  For example, she taught me the delicate crafts of practice and performance–of having a task, analyzing that task, breaking it down into its constituent parts, practicing each part individually until learning to execute the parts in sequence, and then reliably reproducing this sequence of events in performance situations despite my own feelings of fear or anxiety.  Now a practicing physician, training to become a specialist in Emergency Medicine, I use these skills every day.  Every time I walk into a trauma bay and have to perform a physically and mentally complex procedure to save someone’s life or limb, I am able to focus on my task, to put all the faculties of my mind to work in my hands, forgetting everything going on around me and using the chaos and emotion of the situation only as fuel to concentrate, to do better, and to push myself toward that unattainable goal of flawlessness.”

“Anne is a remarkably gifted and dedicated teacher who fosters a love of music in – and brings hidden (and not so hidden) talents out of – her students. She encourages us to play from our hearts and inspires us to bring our own interpretations to what we’re playing/singing. I’m learning to play songs I never thought I could, thanks to Anne. She’s a rare teacher who, in her teaching, combines necessary rudimentary instruction, kindness, patience, love of music and genuine interest in her students’ musical paths. My musical life has been enlivened and enriched by having Anne as a teacher and creative guide, and I highly recommend her!”

“I was very fortunate to have had private violin instruction by Valerie Poullette for five years at Loyola University.  Valerie Poullette is a person who puts her heart and soul into her students and their success.  Valerie sets high expectations for her students and gives them the skills and knowledge needed to achieve a high level of playing.  Valerie serves not only the role of a violin teacher but also as a fantastic mentor.  She is certainly the best violin teacher I have ever had and has been an inspiration to me on many levels, both professionally and personally.  Valerie approaches her lessons with deliberate care and concern and always has the students best interests at heart.”

“Anne Coombs is an amazing talent. She has performed during many of our events. Her repertoire is extensive and she has been very open and flexible with client special requests. Anne’s musicianship and skill, both vocally and on guitar, is impressive, but it’s her attitude and willingness to accommodate the needs of our clients that keeps us coming back to her. I couldn’t offer a higher recommendation.”

“Ms. Poullette gave me a foundation for my professional life as a violinist.  She taught me how to practice, and that showed me how to teach myself.”

“My daughter and I take lessons with Anne. My daughter plays electric guitar and I acoustic. My daughter has been a student since March and I recently started this summer. We love Anne because of her teaching style. She uses positive reinforcement to help build your confidence and makes you feel relaxed. She always has a smile for you and I think she would be a great instructor for anyone. My 13 year old daughter thinks she ROCKS! I think she is pretty cool myself.”