Jon Persson, Piano & Accordion Lessons
About
My focus: Classical, Cocktail Jazz, Ragtime, Argentine Tango, European ethnic styles, and a little light 70's-90's pop. I don't do rock piano (Elton John, Billy Joel, etc.) If my focus interests you, please contact me. I like to combine a few etudes (exercises), with work on individual pieces. If you don't already read music, I can help you with that.
For the past 30 years, I have performed as a musician/entertainer in a variety of venues: major hotels, arts festivals, country clubs, churches, retirement communities, the South Florida condo circuit, musical theatre productions, and concert tours in North America and Europe. I performed for 4 years at Walt Disney World / EPCOT in Orlando, Florida. But mainly I've spent over 30 years appearing on 35 cruise ships on a dozen different major lines traveling around the world.
If you are considering learning to play accordion or piano, have a look at my website, www.jonpersson.com. I've taught students aged 8 to 80, and I'd love to hear from you.
I'm equipped to do online lessons, either via Skype or Zoom, but if you'd like me to come to your home, that's a possibility as well.
I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life, and perhaps learning something from my students. One of my most enjoyable experiences recently was teaching groups of 20 Chinese passengers on a cruise ship how to play "Twinkle Twinkle", while using a language translator to communicate with my students.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to ask a few basic questions about the student's previous experience: for instance, do you read music, have you played the instrument previously, and what type of music interests you.
If you are an accordion player, do you have a piano-accordion or a chromatic-button accordion?
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I spent 9 years taking private lessons from 3 of the top teachers in Seattle, one of whom produced several national and international competition winners. Although I do not have a music degree, I studied most of the music major courses at the University of Washington, in Seattle. I also have performed for many major cruise lines, luxury hotels, and at Disney World and Universal Studios.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
MY RATES:
Choice of either IN-PERSON having me come to you, or ONLINE.
IF ONLINE:
a 55-minute lesson: $50
a 25-minute lesson: $35
IF I TRAVEL TO YOU, ADD $10/LESSON:
a 55-minute lesson: $60
a 25-minute lesson: $45
-One lesson per week, twice is possible.
How did you get started teaching?
I have taught since I was 20 years old (it's been a long time!)
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked with many small children, but the majority of my students have been adults, often retirees.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently held beginning accordion classes for Chinese people onboard a cruise ship sailing from China to Japan & Korea. This was the first time I ever have taught via a Mandarin translator.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
If you don't already own an accordion, I can connect you to an accordion dealer with a variety to choose from.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
If you are a beginner, you should realize that learning to play an instrument can be somewhat slow in the beginning, and it takes time to build up the skills to play at an intermediate method, so try not to get discouraged if you're not playing like a Star right away!