Private Music Lessons with Ms. Anna

Hey there!

Does your child love music?
Are they constantly singing a song about whatever they happen to be doing?
Do you find them making silly versions of popular songs?
Are you baffled as to what to do about it?
We should probably work together.

Contact:

Scheduling Link: Free Trial Lesson
Work Phone: 737-242-0654
Email: anna@annawestbrook.com

Nice To Meet You!

My name is Anna Westbrook, and I am a composer and songwriter.

I teach piano, voice, songwriting, and guitar.

Average Cost of Lessons = $250 / month

My "Best Fit" Families:

I provide music lessons for students ages 4 - 14. I offer a free trial lesson to make sure I am the best fit for a student before either moving forward or referring elsewhere.

Why Families Choose To Work With Me:

Song-Writing Families:

These families have someone who enjoys making up songs and wants to learn to do that more effectively. We learn the music theory required to read and write our own music, using both chord charts and traditional notation.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Families:

These families have one or more SEL goals in mind for their child which they believe music lessons will support; i.e. Building confidence, managing perfectionism, or reducing anxiety. They want to cultivate their child's musicality as part of their overall wellness journey.

Theatre-Kid Families:

These families usually have a student who loves being on stage and wants to add some voice and / or abilities to their theatre prep experience. These families are usually investing in some sort of group theatre program but think their student could benefit from individual coaching as they pursue these group goals.

More About My Teaching Studio:

About My Neighborhood:

If you travel to me for lessons, there are some nearby activities that can make the trip extra fun. I live in Pflugerville near the corner of Windermere and Pecan. There is an Austin Pets Alive Thrift Store and several restaurants four blocks from my home. There are two local coffee shops about a 5/10 minute drive away (West Pecan Coffee and Beer for sit down and Dazzle for drive through). About a 10/15 minute walk away there is a park with a playground and a nice walking path, it's also adjacent to a local farm with a coin - operated goat feeding station.

My Musical Values:

I believe music is a powerful avenue for self-expression, empathy-building, and the exploration of many other social - emotional learning (SEL) topics. I love helping my students learn to find their voice and focus on each student as a whole-person during the entirety of our lesson. I believe in personalizing each lesson to meet the unique student's need. That is why communication with the parents on their family’s musical goals is crucial to my teaching style.

My Teaching Style:

Teaching the WHY behind each song is an incredibly empowering experience. I tell all my families that I "teach like a composer." What does that mean? It means we'll pause mid-lesson to question WHY a song sounds the way it sounds. It means we're going to learn scales and make a lot of chord charts, but all with the WHY in mind: being able to arrange our own versions of current songs or make up our own songs. It means that if your student doesn't like a certain note in a song, I very well may teach them how to CHANGE it. I am totally open to changing the music, as long as we accurately update the written piece. My students learn how to do this and often find it fun and rebellious to do so.

My Professional Background:

I got my B.A. in Music Composition from Connecticut College after transferring from my studies in Bilingual & Elementary Education at Southern Connecticut State University. I have been a music educator since 2013, a children's entertainer / educator since 2001 (so long ago! I know. I started young), and have been a songwriter since about 3 years old when I baffled my parents much like your child may be baffling you now. My personal composition career is linked with my career as a playwright and musical theatre producer. You can learn more about my theater career on the home page of my website.

FAQs

Where do you teach?

I open up my home for lessons on Saturdays. I am open to taking on students in my home on Sundays starting in June 2025 if there is a demand for it. I live in the Windermere neighborhood of Pflugerville, near the intersection of Windermere and Pecan.

Do you travel to your student's homes?

I currently travel to Austin to teach in student homes three days per week. I do not have any current slots available for traveling to my student’s homes, but I am taking new students at my home in Pflugerville. If you are hoping for an in - home lesson opportunity, let me know and I'll keep you updated on my availability. My lesson fees for travel clients are $50 per 30-minute lesson, and $75 per 45-minute lesson, with the option to schedule multiple students back-to-back. I also charge a $25 - 45 travel fee for each lesson taught outside of my home. The exact fee depends on the distance I would be traveling.

How often should my student take lessons?

I require weekly lessons, but of course there will be reasons to take off throughout a given semester.

What are your rates?

I offer a FREE TRIAL lesson, which includes 45 minutes of teaching and 15 minutes of goal discussion with the student and parent (if applicable).

After that, my rates per individual lesson in my home are...

45-minute lesson (single student): $75
60-minute lesson (single student): $90

I also apply a $30 supply fee every 6 months. I take the burden of ordering books off my families by charging a flat fee and then getting the appropriate supplies from local bookstores.

Note: 30-minute lessons are available in some cases, so feel free to ask about those. For multi-student families, I can split 60 minutes of lesson time between two students (this multi-student discount does not apply to travel families).

What is your cancellation policy?

For any individual lesson cancellations, I require 24 hours' notice. Without that notice, the family is responsible for the full fee. However, I never charge for day of cancellations due to illness. I consider mental health a crucial part of health care, so if a parent decides their child needs a mental health day, that can count as a cancellation due to illness. I trust my families to know what their kids need.

What is your availability?

I am available to take on new students on Saturdays at my home in Pflugerville. My schedule changes at the start of each school semester / summer break. You can book a free trial lesson or start a scheduling conversation with the info below.

Contact:

Scheduling Link: Free Trial Lesson
Work Phone: 737-242-0654
Email: anna@annawestbrook.com