Meet the Teacher!
Hello there, I'm Rachel Derr!
Music and the arts have always played a role in my life, and my goal is to help develop well-rounded young musicians who can share their skills with others! I have 19 years of music performance experience and 5 years of private piano teaching, and music theory knowledge through the collegiate level.
I began formal musical instruction when I was nine years old with voice lessons. I also joined a homeschool handbell choir around the same time. By age twelve, I had started to play the piano by ear. In order to ensure I picked up good habits, my parents made the wonderful decision to enroll me in piano lessons.
My musical knowledge and understanding skyrocketed once I began lessons, as my teacher instructed me not only in how to play the piano, but in understanding how to read music and understand the what and why behind the notes on the page. As I reached my late teen years, I started to share what I knew with local families by teaching their children piano. I was fortunate to teach ten students during my senior year of high school and start them on their musical journeys!
Fast forward after college—where I began as a music major and later earned my degree in Studio and Digital Art—I moved to Southwest Florida. Upon arriving here, I started picking up new piano students through my church and local connections. After teaching for a few years, my student count reached thirty-five.
In the Fall of 2022, I took a break from teaching private piano lessons. But the time has now come for my lessons to start back up again, and I look forward to sharing my love of music with your students!
I am also a verified Step Up For Students Provider and accept payments through SUFS; find me by searching "Rachel Derr"!
