Teacher Profile: Kate Van Note

About Kate Van Note

Kate Van Note received her Bachelors degree in Music from Goucher College where she studied jazz and classical piano, as well as music theory and conducting. During her education, she performed in showcases and the Goucher jazz ensemble, conducted the Goucher College Choir, and performed in master classes for renowned pianists Gilles Vonsattel and Michael Brown. She studied with well known professors of classical and jazz piano including Jeffrey Chapel and Carol Wolfe-Ralph and was a recipient of the Julia Gontrum Hill Award in Music.

Her background in piano is far from average, having received lessons for two years as a child, only to take another year of lessons before starting her bachelors degree in music. What motivated her to return to the piano in middle school, (ultimately becoming a self-taught pianist) was the music of Yann Tiersen, Rachmaninov, Satie, Chopin and many others.

As a pianist and teacher in the Washington D.C. area, Kate knows the importance of encouragement and good practice habits. She strives to foster a fun environment where her students can develop a passion for piano music in congruence with technique, quality, and ability. Kate believes that any student can excel in piano and hopes to give her students motivation to discover their own hidden talents!