At Settlement Music Online, students can get the Settlement Music School experience, learning from passionate teachers through live video lessons.

One of those teachers is Scott Coulter, a jazz, rock and pop pianist who has been teaching at Settlement for over 10 years. Scott started his teaching career in Philadelphia, where he taught at the Wynnefield and Kardon Northeast branches. He now lives in Colorado, his home state, but he still maintains a strong connection with Settlement and his students through online lessons.

“Professionally, I am a jazz, rock and pop pianist, and this is what I love teaching the most,” Scott says. “I have a lot of adult students who are coming back to the instrument after many years, often looking for a chance to explore some new musical styles they might not have explored in the piano lessons of their childhood.”

Scott explains that online lessons offer a great deal of flexibility for both students and teachers.

“Obviously, the pandemic made online lessons absolutely vital, and I think having lessons able to continue through that deeply jarring and traumatizing period helped a lot of folks maintain a sense of normalcy and stability,” says Scott. “Now that we are in the post-pandemic period, I think the greatest gift of online lessons is the flexibility they offer.”

“I have several young students whose families simply don’t have the extra time to drive into yet another activity every week,” Scott adds. “I have a number of adult students who similarly would struggle to schedule in-person lessons. I had one student who was a writer, living in a remote home in Maine, taking jazz piano lessons. There was no way she could make in-person lessons happen given where she was living.”

Scott encourages anyone who is interested in learning piano or improving their skills to try out online lessons at Settlement Music Online. He says that online lessons can be a great way to get started, to reconnect with the instrument, or to advance to the next level.

“Online lessons are a great way to try out lessons if you’re on the fence,” says Scott. “Being remote helps it feel a little less imposing for some people, so it can be a nice, gentle introduction. And it’s a wonderful way to reconnect to the instrument if you’re someone who played previously and wants to return to it.”

Scott adds that, if you ever become more serious about your instrument, envisioning a path towards a music degree or career, you can always take that next step! “There are so many amazing teachers here who can welcome you into an in-person studio and move you forward in your journey without skipping a beat!”

If you are interested in learning more about Settlement Music Online, visit settlementmusic.org/online.