Teaching

Dr. Matthew Brower offers in-person and online piano lessons in a variety of styles, from classical to jazz, rock, blues, and pop. Online lessons can be provided through multiple platforms, including Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and Google Hangouts. 

Matthew is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through the Music Teachers National Association with over 15 years of teaching experience. He is Artist Affiliate in Piano at Emory University and Agnes Scott College and a faculty member of the Atlanta Music High School at Community Music Centers of Atlanta. One of his students was recently honored to perform at Carnegie Hall as a second-place winner of the American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition. Matthew received his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan, and his Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. 

Matthew’s piano studio is currently full and he is not accepting new students at this time.

Tuition:
45 minutes: $60
60 minutes: $75 

See student testimonials below and contact Matthew here to set up your lessons today!

Dr. Brower has all of the qualities a piano student would want in their teacher: he is personable and attentive, and is very knowledgeable when it comes to piano! More importantly, he does a great job of clearly communicating advice and insights during lessons, but also encourages the student to develop their own interpretations and individual artistry. His style of teaching makes for a collaborative and creative learning environment, which is perfect for students of all skill levels.

I have learned an incredible amount from studying with Dr. Brower—technically and artistically—and have seen significant improvements in my abilities as a pianist over the past few years of lessons with him. He’s an excellent teacher, and his guidance has been invaluable to me as a pianist. I’m really grateful for having the opportunity to be his student, and would highly recommend him to any piano student!

Bridget L.

You have been a fantastic instructor for my son. As you know, he has strengths in some areas and weaknesses in others. What I liked so much is that you could meet him where he was instead of imposing a rigid one-size-fits all approach on his learning. I attribute that to the fact that as a true musician yourself, you recognize the many forms that talent can take. And you were able to play to his strengths while also helping him to improve in areas where he is weak. I also really appreciated the gentleness of your approach, the excitement, the inquisitiveness. For my son, the joy of piano is in the free-form exploration of sounds and melodies and rhythms– and it was clear that he saw that joy in you too. I really appreciate all of the time you worked with him. This is a lifelong gift for him.

Karl K.

I’ve been taking piano lessons with Dr. Brower for over two years (but have been playing for close to fifteen years) and I have grown so much as a pianist with his guidance! I wanted to have lessons that covered both classical and jazz music and Dr. Brower can do it all! He is an extraordinarily talented classical pianist but can just as easily switch to jazz or to other genres. His lessons are so engaging, and we have had so many great conversations about music. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a piano teacher, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player!

Maura W.

I had the great pleasure of taking piano lessons with Matt for just a few months, as he has moved from my area to advance his career. I learned SO much from him in such a short time:

How to practice – thereby making the time spent really count
Interpretation – How to really “FEEL” the music
Encouragement – making me eager to move on, reminding me how much progress I have made

I am now working on my own, practicing a couple of hours each day, feeling that this gifted young man is still with me. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity, especially during these challenging times.

Chris R.

I worked with Dr. Brower at Washington College for three years in private piano lessons while pursuing a music major. I have played piano for most of my life, since I was a young child, but had had very little formal technique coaching until beginning my coursework in college. With Dr. Brower’s coaching and expertise, I was able to improve my playing immensely and achieve a major dream in presenting a senior capstone recital. Dr. Brower and I worked together to develop my recital program, putting together a setlist of pieces that showcased a variety of American musical styles and developments, to fit in with my American Studies major. While I love music and it is a passion of mine, I am not a virtuoso and I primarily play what I think is fun. Dr. Brower was wonderful at teaching with a mixture of more difficult Classical and Romantic era pieces to push and challenge me alongside Broadway show tunes and pop/rock music that I found more fun to play. With his teaching and coaching, I worked for several seasons during college as an accompanist, from a youth choir to student recitals to an original musical. I found Dr. Brower’s enthusiasm and kindness a fantastic atmosphere in which to learn and grow as a musician. I am blown away by his own skill as a pianist, and yet never felt intimidated or inferior in my own music ability because of his support and enthusiasm. After college, largely due to the skills I honed with Dr. Brower and the confidence that he helped instill in me, I was able to begin working professionally as a music minister in church settings. I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a talented, brilliant musician who is also so kind and such a competent educator.

Heidi B.

Dr. Matthew Brower has made an incredible impact on both my career and passion for music. The day of my first lesson I was a timid, shy girl who doubted her gifts on the piano. After only two semesters of lessons with Dr. Brower, I finally believed in my God-given abilities again. He continually encouraged me and taught me valuable skills that I still use today. For anyone looking for piano lessons, I would encourage you to consider taking them from Dr. Brower. He will help you cultivate a love for music and will guide your hobby or career in any direction you could ever dream.

Joanna W.

 2015-2016 Washington College Piano Studio

2019 Washington College Piano Festival
University of Delaware Master Players Festival; Chopin Polonaise in E-flat minor, Op. 26, No. 2

Video by James Sui