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RAISING THE STANDARD OF MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

Author: Sean Riley

Posted on by Sean Riley

“[My kids] learned about perseverance, dedication, commitment, how to conquer perfectionism, and the value of hard work.”

I can’t say enough about how wonderful Scott Smith and the Kansas City School of Music have been! My son took piano lessons for many years with Mr. Smith until he graduated from high school and moved away to college, and my daughter is going to be a senior in high school and is still taking lessons. I’ve lost track of how many years, 9 maybe?, but it says a lot about the instructor when both your children continue to study and practice, despite the many demands of other extracurricular activities, especially in high school. They have learned so much through studying with Mr. Smith and the Kansas City School of Music, and I’m not just talking about technique, theory, and music knowledge, although they have been exposed to so much more knowledge than I could have ever hoped for. More than this, they learned about perseverance, dedication, commitment, how to conquer perfectionism, and the value of hard work, largely through the example set for them by Mr. Smith. They find such enjoyment in music now, it is a vital part of who they are, and I attribute this to Mr. Smith’s influence in their lives. You won’t find a better school of music. It has been worth every penny over the last nine or so years. I read a review here saying that it may be a little pricey, but worth it. It is definitely, definitely worth it. Honestly, knowing what I know now and how our lives would be blessed by enrolling at the Kansas City School of Music, I’d pay twice what we have over the years. Mr. Smith’s influence on our family’s life has been invaluable. I wish I could leave my number here for those that have questions, because I could go on and on, but I absolutely, unquestionably recommend the Kansas City School of Music for the best music education in the Kansas City area.

Jennifer Vrablic

Posted on by Sean Riley

“This school [is] the best place in town…”

I can’t thank God enough for leading us to Kansas City Shool of Music! 5 years ago. My daughter started “from scratch” in 5th grade and Mr Scott applied an outanding teaching method on her and currently she is playing like a real pianist! His patience, talent, sense of humor, but still with a rigorous lesson and routines make this school the best place in town if you are interested in playing any instrument professionally.

Susana Belvedere, from Facebook

Posted on by Sean Riley

Will Peak

Saxophone and Clarinet Instructor

Email: wpeak@kansascityschoolofmusic.com

Will Peak is a saxophone and clarinet teacher at the Kansas City School of Music. He holds a degree in music performance from the UMKC Conservatory of Music, where he studied saxophone with Zach Shemon and clarinet with Jane Carl. In addition to his classical studies, Mr. Peak was also actively involved in the jazz program under the direction of Dan Thomas and Bobby Watson.

Will has experience performing in a variety of ensembles including jazz band, pit orchestra, wind ensemble, and saxophone quartet. He has also been commissioned as a concerto soloist by the Church of the Resurrection, with whom he made his debut at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Helzberg Hall.

Mr. Peak has many years of experience giving private music lessons as a saxophone and clarinet teacher. He has also been a guest lecturer and clinician at public schools and universities throughout the United States.

In addition to performing and teaching, Will is also an accomplished woodwind repair specialist. He has performed repair customization for many of Kansas City’s top woodwind musicians.

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Posted on by Sean Riley

Clarinet Lessons

Clarinet is one of three woodwind instruments we offer lessons in here at Kansas City School of Music. Whether you’ve never held a clarinet before or you’ve been playing for several years, we’d be happy to offer you comprehensive music lessons. The clarinet has a long history and a diverse selection of repertoire and our lesson plans reflect that. Our aim is to not only develop your skills as a clarinetist, but to build a solid foundation of musicianship that will serve you for years to come. Our students don’t just play the clarinet — they excel at it.

Our Instructors

Kansas City School of Music prides itself on its music instructors. We create a custom music lesson plan for each student who comes to us based off their age and skill level. We work with each student from the ground up to ensure they understand the fundamentals of playing the clarinet and are able to show it through each piece of music they perform. Our master instructors provide lessons for students of all ages and musical backgrounds.

Performance Opportunities

Regular performances are key to developing your skills as a clarinetist. Although we strongly advise our students to get involved in music groups outside of our music school, we do offer ensembles and other opportunities to work with other students. These groups are open to all of our students. Give us a call if you would like more information about this.

High-Quality Facilities

Offering two state-of-the-art facilities is part of our high standards of excellence. We want our students to be able to learn and develop in a productive atmosphere and part of that comes down to the design of our facilities. Each of our music school facilities comes with the following amenities:

  • Soundproof walls
  • Temperature control
  • Professional quality instruments
  • Spacious rooms for ensemble rehearsals and individual practice sessions
  • Electric and acoustic pianos

Parental Involvement

Parental involvement is crucial for the musical development of young children. That’s why if your child is in preschool or elementary school, we require parents to sit in on music lessons. However, if they are older than that, we still strongly recommend getting involved in their education. If you have any questions about this, give us a call, and we can help you figure out what level of parental involvement would be most beneficial to your child.

Will Peak - Saxophone and Clarinet

Will Peak - Saxophone and Clarinet

Posted on by Sean Riley

Grace Mott

Voice Instructor

Email: gmott@kansascityschoolofmusic.com

Grace Wallace

Grace Ann Mott, soprano, is a versatile and multifaceted vocalist and vocal coach with Kansas City School of Music. Grace graduated with a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in performance and vocal pedagogy from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS. She received a masters degree in vocal performance at the UMKC Conservatory of Music under the direction of Vinson Cole.

Grace has performed multiple operatic roles but most recently the role of Gertrud in Hansel und Gretel at UMKC. She has performed with the Kansas City Symphony as a soloist in their educational outreach program. 

Mrs. Mott competed in the Kansas City region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing where she received first place in the Musical Theater and Upper Woman’s Classical divisions. She attended Utah Vocal Arts Academy where she studied the role of Fiordiligi and performed excerpts from Così fan tutte. Along with opera, Mrs. Mott has experience in musical theatre most recently with Theatre in the Park where she performed in The Wizard of Oz. She is also the soprano section leader at St. John’s United Methodists Church 

Grace lives in downtown Kansas City. She is heavily involved in music, directing youth musical theater and teaching music at Inclusion Connections, an inclusion program for individuals with special needs.   

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