Our Teaching Philosophy
Why study music? Is it just to check the box of an extra-curricular, fulfill an archaic assumption of a well-rounded classical education? Music is a gift—a thing that brings joy, helps us express our deepest joys and griefs, leads us to worship, trains our minds and fingers to pursue excellence and diligence. We view music as a gift given to us that we desire to share with the next generation of students. We hope our studio is filled with warmth and joy as we teach, and that lessons can embody the gentle art of learning, whilst still pursuing excellence. Our early childhood classes follow the Musikgarten curriculum—one founded on the motto, “Come for the fun, stay for the education,” as it teaches foundational musical principles through song and play. Our private music lessons are for those students who have demonstrated the diligence and focus to continue refining their music skills and technique while learning upper-level classical and sacred repertoire.
Meet Our Team
Ryan Baldridge
Musikgarten instructor, piano teacher, piano tuner
A graduate of the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music (BM Piano Performance), Ryan’s love of music began as a very young child, watching his mother teach piano lessons and his father conduct choirs. As he grew, he got to participate in all the music his family did. While in college, he received training in the Musikgarten curriculum, becoming certified to teach across all the Musikgarten age ranges (birth-9 years), hoping to one day pass along the early exposure and love of music that he received. Ryan is also fully certified in the Orff-Schulwerk method of teaching music. In addition to Musikgarten classes, Ryan has also taught and conducted choirs in elementary and preschool settings, leading his elementary choir to first place in the state competition, and is the music director of his church, where he is beginning choirs with the children.
Abbie Baldridge
Piano teacher
Beginning piano as a stubborn 6 year old, Abbie was insistent that she did not want to do piano—harp would be her instrument. After a very patient teacher taught her to love piano, she quickly progressed, taking advantage of the numerous classical piano competitions in the Jacksonville area. Her teacher also passed on her love of hymns to Abbie, teaching her to improvise and arrange music. These things profoundly shaped how Abbie wanted to teach: convincing even those who maybe aren’t thrilled about piano to love it, opening opportunities to try performing, and fostering a love of creativity and service while still pursuing classical excellence. Abbie holds music and history degrees from Wheaton College, and she serves as one of the pianists at her church.
Fun Fact: Both Ryan and Abbie studied with teachers who studied under teachers who studied under other teachers including Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Czerny, and Rubinstein. That means that their students are also musically “related” to these composers!