Doug Yassen has been part of the Lessons In Your Home family for years, inspiring students and helping them grow as musicians. From the moment he first picked up a cello, music has shaped his life in ways he never expected.
His journey into music was, as he puts it, a happy accident. In sixth grade, he signed up for strings class to avoid PE, not realizing it would spark a lifelong passion. That decision led him to Texas Tech University, where he double-majored in Music Education and Music Composition. After college, he moved to Seattle and started teaching to make ends meet. What started as a side job quickly became something more. He loved working with students, seeing their progress, and helping them find their musical voices. Over a decade later, Doug is now a full-time teacher and composer, fully committed to music education.
Doug believes that no two students learn the same way. He adapts his teaching to fit each student, always looking for creative ways to make concepts stick. One of his favorite tricks is turning technical skills into fun activities. When teaching bow holds, he makes up goofy little songs to help students remember proper finger placement. It might be a little silly, but if it helps them learn, it is worth it.
The best part of teaching, for Doug, is seeing students push past self-doubt. He has watched students look at a piece of music and think it is impossible, only to master it with the right mindset. One of his proudest moments was watching a longtime student graduate after ten years of lessons, growing from a beginner into a confident musician.
Of course, not every student comes into lessons excited about learning an instrument. Some are there because their parents signed them up, which can be a challenge. Doug’s approach is to keep lessons fun while making sure students walk away with valuable skills, even if they do not realize how much they are learning in the moment.
Outside of teaching, Doug is also a composer who has written music for video games and indie films. One of his biggest accomplishments was making the leap into full-time teaching. He remembers the moment he realized he was making more from lessons than his day job. That was when he knew he could make it work as a full-time musician.
His advice for students just starting out? If you play a string instrument, use more bow. It sounds simple, but it fixes so many tone issues. And for musicians in general, he believes in always staying open to learning. No one knows everything, and anyone who says they do is not to be trusted.
Beyond music, Doug is a big baseball fan and loves fantasy and sci-fi books. He fully embraces the “dorky fiction stuff” and is always up for a good read.
Doug’s passion, creativity, and dedication make him an invaluable part of the Lessons In Your Home team. Whether he is helping a student through a challenge or celebrating a breakthrough, he brings energy and heart to every lesson. We are lucky to have him and cannot wait to see the continued impact he makes.