Willow Music offers classes for every child as well as Music Summer Camp. Our philosophy emphasizes the health and well-being of the students. We also offer piano instruction for all ages after school.
About Willow Music
What do parents want for their kids?
They want them to be:
- Resilient
- Good at Collaboration
- Happy!
We help our students develop these very traits by teaching sophisticated music-making in an age-appropriate manner. Together we become people who are brave enough to sing in front of a crowd, smart enough to read a music score, able to jam with a group of friends!
“Fearless Artist”
For beginning students, young children, and adults who deal with a persistent fear of performance, we bring students to a beginning mastery of their musicianship at a pace that is comfortable for them. We promote student understanding of their own learning process so that they can advance their skills at their own rate, always in a place of joy and curiosity.
“True Musician”
For emerging musicians of all ages, we offer superior Classical and Jazz instruction on the piano, violin, drums, voice and guitar. Our focus is always on mastery through process-based instruction. “How good can you get?” is always answered only with the question “Better than I am now.” As an example of the progress of our youngest students, watch our Rhythm Explorers grow over 16 weeks.
“Emerging Composer”
For creatives, beginning and experienced, who seek to learn to write and compose in an environment that instills confidence in themselves and their emerging process. While our focus is on music, we welcome writers and artists who are looking for a different way to approach their creativity. We develop improvisation and body-listening to unlock the interior voice.
Click to read a bio
Director, Willow Music
“I wanted a vocal coach because I had absolutely no confidence in my singing voice. I do both jazz and voice, but I did only voice for roughly the first year. Mr. Cole is very good at explaining things, better than most of or all of my teachers at school. This is a feat especially in the context of jazz, which includes very confusing and strange content, or voice, which (since you can’t see or hold it), is hard to describe. He is patient and encouraging as well. At the end of most lessons I ask him unrelated questions, usually about some strange compositional device, and he typically answers it well, completely off the cuff. The results I’ve seen are day and night, honestly. My singing voice has improved tremendously, and I now sing confidently with my band. My piano skills also shot through the roof from where they were. Before I started lessons, I could only play written music on piano, but now I can improvise confidently while playing improvised basslines or playing chords underneath my solos.” Harrison H.
Read more about what our students are saying!
The Director of Willow Music, Adam Cole is a pianist, composer and conductor who has worked professionally in Atlanta since 1991. He also serves as the organist at First Christian Church of Decatur.
A graduate of Oberlin College and Georgia State University, he is the author of numerous books on jazz and classical piano and vocal instruction. A former Choral Director with Atlanta and Fulton County Schools, he has worked as a Project Manager for the Georgia Department of Education to develop Georgia’s Standards for Music Instruction. In addition, Adam earned his Guild Certification in the Feldenkrais Method in 2000. To learn more about Adam, please visit www.acole.net
“In my professional capacity, I routinely observe instruction in settings across the country. I can say with confidence that Adam is one of the best teachers I have ever observed! Adam creates an environment where it is safe to fail, while holding high expectations for quality. He gives clear and precise feedback that helps our son correct his mistakes, but in a way that never puts him on the defensive. Adam expects honesty from his students about how much they practice, but gives advice about the power of discipline and commitment without ever seeming to judge. We have seen our son grow tremendously under Adam’s guidance and look forward to much more beautiful music!” Doannie T.
Early Music Specialist
Sara Fanucchi is a music educator, teaching artist, and singer and is thrilled to be a part of the wonderful Willow School community! Sara has been teaching early childhood and preschool music for more than 15 years and finds so much joy in making music with the very young. Most recently she was the director and head teacher of the early childhood music program for CenterStage Stars in NYC. As a teaching artist and mezzo-soprano, Sara has been involved in opera outreach and education programs in schools and public libraries and has performed extensively in operas and concerts across the country. Sara holds a Master of Music degree in voice from Manhattan School of Music, a dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, and has completed Orff Level 1 certification in music education. Outside of the music room, Sara can be found spending as much time as possible with her family, walking her dogs, planting native wildflowers, and watching birds.