Joanna Schubert

Hello! My name is Joanna, I am an experienced and passionate music educator and singer-songwriter based in NYC, and I would love to make music with you.

For the last 11 years, I've been very lucky to have spent my time teaching, playing, and creating music with people of all ages. This has included:
-Teaching private lessons in piano, songwriting, and voice
-Creating and leading contemporary vocal groups and youth songwriter collectives
-Devising original musicals and music directing productions with kids and teens
-Teaching general music and chorus in public schools

I am a working musician who writes, performs, and records my own music under the name Oropendola. I frequently collaborate and play with other artists as a vocalist, pianist, and/or arranger, and am always exploring something new musically (most recently, teaching myself how to play the harp).

And lest I forget, I have a very cute and sweet 9-year-old cat named Moose who may make some appearances during our lessons. :)

Music lessons are shaped around each student’s particular interests, needs, and learning styles. I teach with a lot of energy, humor, flexibility, and lovingly high expectations, encouraging creativity, confidence, authentic expression, and a genuine love and enthusiasm for music.

I teach a wide spectrum of levels and musical styles from the broad western classical and jazz canons. I specialize in all shades and eras of popular music, self-accompaniment while singing, and songwriting. I always incorporate varying balances of music theory, ear training, improvisation, and technique.

Rather than “teaching” songwriting per se, I consider myself more of a guide. I help foster the environment and provide many different tools and pathways for every student to find, develop, and articulate their unique musical voice and preferences, and tap into the limitless creative world that already exists within them.