The study of music has been shown to produce students that rise to the top of their class academically. Through professional instruction, with much encouragement and nurturing, my primary goal is to help every student achieve his or her greatest potential and enjoy the process of getting there.

I aim to help composition students tap into the musical present and past by introducing them to a wide variety of musical languages. Aspiring composers, in particular, must learn how we got where we are today in order to write poignant and compelling music for the 21st century. As they try out musical techniques and styles, students learn to effectively share ideas in ways that words alone cannot express.

I teach private composition, voice, or beginning to early-intermediate level piano lessons in the schools or in my home.

Music was always in my ear as I grew up singing in church. Besides voice, piano was my first instrument and first love. For as long as I can remember, I desired so much to play it hurt; so I worked it out to buy my first piano on installments with money from a newspaper route.

I started piano lessons with the composer Jane McFadden, and later added vocal studies with Carol Marty of Capital University. In high school I accompanied choral groups on piano, sang when I wasn't playing, and played percussion in the band.

In college, I received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Harding University in Arkansas, where I was very active in choir, musicals, and band. I received my masters and am now writing my dissertation for a doctorate in music composition at the University of North Texas. My related field of study throughout has been voice, and I continued studying piano while working on my masters. (Names of some of my teachers are listed in the "education" section of my résumé .)

I began teaching music as Associate Director of Choral Music with Sally Schott at South Houston High School. Later I taught music courses, Italian language, choir, and private voice lessons at Harding University. My voice students made significant progress at home and enjoyed notable success at our regional NATS conventions.

While studying at UNT, I taught music and Italian courses and private lessons in music composition. Along with their other teachers, I am honored to have played a part in their education, and I applaud them for the numerous awards won for their works.

To request lessons and inquire about payment, please contact me at:

COMPOSER@JAYALANWALLS.COM