About Janet Toomes

"For me, teaching piano is far more than a job. There is nothing  as important and exciting as investing in the life of a child; planting the love of music in them, nurturing their talent and watching them grow"

Bio

Janet Toomes began teaching piano at age 14, learning under her teacher, Betty Scott in Naperville, IL. She eventually ran a large piano studio for 13 years in the Washington, DC area before starting her orchestra management career. For the next 15 years, she was privileged to work with some of the finest US symphony orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony and San Antonio Symphony.

Ms. Toomes studied piano at Hope College where she earned her BA. She earned teaching certifications from the Art Publication Society, the Levine School in Washington, DC and the Suzuki Association of America where she has registered piano pedagogy training with Jeanne Luedke, Valerie Lloyd-Watts and Sue Vasquez. She also studied piano pedagogy with Michiko Yurko (author of Music Mind Games) and piano performance with Anthony Kooiker, Betty Scott and Brian Ganz.

In addition to Individual piano lessons, her studio included group theory and performance classes with combined traditional and Suzuki students. She also taught parent education classes to all Suzuki parents, preparing them to assist in the training of their children as the "home teacher". All of her students, taught via Suzuki and traditional methods were active in National Piano Guild auditions, local music club recitals and competitions. One outstanding student was selected to perform as piano soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra on the Kennedy Center Concert Hall stage. 

Ms. Toomes is a member of MTNA, SAMTA and SAA.  She is active as piano accompanist for area churches, school programs and soloists and serves as studio accompanist for the Aimee (Toomes) Lopez Violin Studio. 

"I strongly believe that musical talent is not reserved for a few extraordinary individuals but that talent can be taught through a nurturing and encouraging environment. Students can learn skill by skill, one element building upon the other until mastery of something difficult is now well within reach."

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