Erin Cooke

Stone Oak and North West

Piano and Cello

Piano: ages 4 to adult, all levels (focus on beginner to intermediate)
Cello: all ages, beginner only

Bachelor of Arts in Music Education (certified K-12), Grove City College

Teaching Philosophy

Because every person is different, Erin firmly believes that flexibility is one of the most important goals of good teaching. She focuses on treating every student as an individual and readily adapts her teaching style to find the best fit for each student. According to each students’ varying skills and interests, her lessons have included different focuses: technique, improvisation, sight-reading, performance, theory, hymns, composition, history, or accompaniment. Erin’s goal is to give every person the joy of mastering an instrument. Whether taking music lessons for fun, general curiosity, or desire to compete and perform professionally, Erin strives to find the best repertoire for each individual’s interests and works to instill independent practice routines. Performances are not required; however, Erin strongly advises every student to participate in biannual studio recitals.

Biography

Erin has been providing instrumental lessons for over thirteen years. Since high school, she has been teaching piano, organizing yearly recitals for families and the local community to attend, as well as involving her students in local festivals and music clubs. A member of PMEA and the Oil City Schubert Club in northwestern Pennsylvania, Erin also performed in festivals, earning a gold cup in two years, volunteered with staff, and later working as judge, continually encouraging her students to perform. Erin also performed with her cello in community orchestras, school musicals, and her local quartet group, performing for weddings and special events. Upon receiving her K-12 teacher’s certification, she was employed in Pennsylvania as a substitute teacher while continuing to provide music lessons to students of all ages. In addition to piano, she also taught cello, beginning violin and viola, theory, and hymn improvisation. Erin also loves composition, and has written arrangements for her friends and fellow music teachers, which were used for school concerts, studio recitals, and local performances. Her enthusiasm for composition also led her to write the music for her own wedding. Erin moved with her husband to San Antonio in 2015 and has been thrilled to be a part of the musical pursuits at MACSA.