“Our piano teacher from Northwest School of Music is wonderful, she goes above and beyond. We highly recommend her! She is very thorough in her teaching and use of time. She is also attentive to the individual’s need.
Her encouragement and enthusiasm is very uplifting as she helps them grow into their talent.”
– Nicole W.
About Northwest School of Music
Northwest School of Music was founded in 2006 to provide quality musical education to both children and adults. Since 2006, our studio in Salem has grown to teach over 130 students each week. We are thrilled to be able to share the joy of music with so many eager students.
Inspiring musical excellence since 2006
Northwest School of Music is the region’s premier institution for the study of the arts. We offer lessons to students of all ages and abilities throughout Salem and surrounding areas. We provide both private lessons and group classes at our downtown studio, as well as in-home private lessons. Whether you are looking for piano lessons, voice lessons, guitar, or instruction on any of numerous band and orchestra instruments, NWSM is the place to come!
At Northwest School of Music, our teachers believe that music is about more than just learning how to read notes on a page. We teach our students the joy of music—for with joy comes true understanding. Music begins inside each of us long before we are able to read it in black and white. Music is a living and breathing thing! Because of that, we show our students how to feel the music before we teach them how to read it. We listen, sing, and do rhythm activities to get our students in-tune with the music!
Music Lessons Enrich Our Lives
Music lessons make our lives richer by expanding horizons, developing creativity and imagination, and providing a lifetime of enjoyment. Whether you or your child are pursuing music instruction as a hobby or on a competitive or professional level, learning to play the piano or other instrument will help to create a sense of self-worth, a joy of learning, and a love for music.
At Northwest School of Music, our ambition is to develop the full creative potential of each and every student who walks through our doors.
The Northwest School of Music Difference
Northwest School of Music understands that you have many choices when looking at music studios. Here are just a few of the differences you’ll experience at NWSM:
- Qualified music instruction by trained and experience teachers
- Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend music classes
- Private and group lessons available
- Optimum music class sizes – maximum 10 students per class
- Age appropriate programs available for all ages – infants through adults
- Specialists in piano, guitar, voice, strings, and woodwinds—all located in one place!
- Convenient class schedules – classes are available weekdays, evenings, Saturdays
- Performance opportunities (low-pressure recitals) offered several times each year
- Desk staff available to assist you during the week
Highest Quality Music Lessons in Salem, Oregon
Northwest School of Music currently offers both in-home and studio lessons for piano, voice, guitar, violin and woodwinds. Our teachers travel throughout Marion, Polk, and Linn counties, teaching students in many cities, including Salem, Dallas, Woodburn, Keizer, Stayton, Aumsville, Scio, Turner, Jefferson, and Silverton. Private music lessons are available to students from ages 3 – adult, whether beginner or advanced. We also offer group classes for piano, guitar, and young children.
Music Lesson Openings
NWSM is currently accepting new students for the 2017 Spring term. Please contact us with questions, or click here to register for music lessons.
Meet Our Instructors
Salem’s Best Music Teachers
Mallory Huerta
Executive Director, Northwest School of Music
Instructor of Piano & Voice
Mrs. Mallory Huerta began taking private music lessons at the age of 8, and continued training through her elementary school and high school careers. This eventually led to a Bachelor of Music at Eastern Oregon University, majoring in music and minoring in theatre. She has always been musically inclined with structured training in both Voice and Piano. Ms. Huerta has also had the pleasure of dabbling in violin, cello, baritone, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, guitar and various African drums such as the djembe and dunun.
Ms. Huerta studied privately with almost a dozen private instructors, including Leandro Espinosa, Matt Cooper, and Jamie Jacobson. She has received training in vocal and piano performance, technique, music theory, music history, and pedagogy.
Teaching music consistently since 2007-2008, she brings skill and expertise to every music lesson. She enjoys working with all ages, having much experience with children, adults, and seniors as students, yet feels her emphasis falls with the youngest students – and specializes in children under 6. Ms. Huerta teaches with a classical focus, and incorporates solid music theory training, technique, classical repertoire, performance, and music history into training with each student.
Mrs. Huerta considers tailored teaching to each student’s learning style of utmost importance – for every individual is different. She ensures to explain and demonstrates each concept in a variety of ways that each specific student can connect and understand.
Alma Marianos B.A., NCTM
Instructor of Piano
Alma Marianos began her music studies in Cairo, Egypt, at the Conservatoire Tiegerman. Through the Conservatoire, Alma received a Licentiate in Performance from the Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music, U.K. She also holds a B.A. in English Literature from the American University in Cairo and a B.A. in Music from Oregon State University.
After moving to the United States, Ms. Marianos performed on several occasions in Cannon Beach, Oregon, both as a soloist with the North Coast Chamber Orchestra as well as a participant in many chamber concerts. She also maintained a piano teaching studio in Cannon Beach and commuted to Portland to study with Nellie Tholen.
Alma moved to Salem in 1985. Between July 2011 and September 2014, Ms Marianos lived in London, UK, where she taught at her private studio as well as at Coloma Convent Catholic School for Girls in Croydon. She now resides in Salem and maintains a private piano teaching studio. She is a member of the Oregon Music Teachers Association and the Federation of Music Clubs and is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in piano (NCTM) from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
Michelle Reed
Instructor of Violin & Piano
Michelle Reed began studying the violin sixteen years ago in elementary school orchestra. After quickly falling in love with the voice of this instrument, she pursued private instruction, and constantly sought out more opportunities to play. Over the years this led to her involvement in several string quartets and trios, performance in the Klamath Symphony, the Ross Ragland Theatre Pit Orchestra, and the Western Oregon Symphony. In her musical pursuits Ms. Reed found the need to further understand piano as well, and started taking both private lessons and group classes, and expanded this practice in college aided by aural skills and theory classes.
Since finishing her Bachelor of Arts from Western Oregon University in 2015, Ms. Reed has moved to Salem and enjoys substitute teaching for the Salem-Keizer School District, and spends her time playing in the Salem Philharmonia, the Rainey Day String Quartet, as well as the touring orchestral-rock group: Yaquina Bay.
Ms. Reed began receiving requests to teach private lessons in Klamath Falls in 2011, and started gaining experience assistant teaching in orchestra classrooms throughout the Klamath Falls City Schools District. After instructing a variety of violin classes at the Klamath Symphony Summer String Camp for three consecutive summers, Ms. Reed went on to direct the entire camp in 2013, and quickly developed a deep passion for teaching.
Above all else, Ms. Reed believes in exploring the range and power of the violin, and strives to understand each student’s individual strengths and struggles with this instrument. In her lessons she prioritizes helping each student develop a personal sense of musicality through exposure to a generous variety of styles and sounds. Ms. Reed intends to inspire dedication through meaningful practice, helping students establish essential technical foundations, a well-rounded understanding of musical concepts, and a passion to reach new goals each week, month, and year!
Eva Kelley
Instructor of Voice and Piano
Ms. Eva Kelley began taking voice lessons as a young teenager and quickly fell in love with operatic music. After adding piano as a secondary instrument, Eva attended Appalachian State University in North Carolina where she completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Performance.
Carly Eilers
Instructor of Piano
Ms. Carly Eilers began taking private piano lessons in 2002 from Rebecca Hedman, and then from Barbara Van Vliet from 2010-2015. Throughout elementary and high school, she participated in annual piano adjudications, and was additionally involved in local competitions during her high school years. Carly has received master lessons from instructors such as Kay Zavislak, Jody Graves, Yelena Balabanova, and Oksana Ezhokina. Since 2009, she has accompanied various choirs, including those from Burlington-Edison High School and Skagit Valley College. Most recently, she was the rehearsal accompanist for Corban University’s Concert Choir, as well as for various solo instrument/vocal lessons and performances at the school. Carly is a 2018 graduate of Corban University, where she studied privately under Peggy Dougherty, receiving her degree in Music Performance with a Concentration in Piano. Prior to her undergraduate studies, she has had 3 years of private piano teaching experience (2012-2015).
Carly believes her role as a teacher is to partner with her students in the learning process. She wants to mutually pursue dedication, excellence, consistent growth, and a love for music alongside her students. This is accomplished by maintaining consistent practice, developing healthy technique, understanding music theory and notation, and refining musical expression, both in practice and performance. She wants to encourage her students not to see music as an end in itself, but as a means to enrich the lives of others and convey truths which are inadequately expressed in words. Because every student possesses a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses, Carly believes in the importance of adjusting teaching strategies to the student’s personality, learning style, and individual goals. She loves working with students of all ages, although her primary experience has been with elementary and high school students of varying levels and proficiency.
Norman DeVol
Instructor of Voice
Norman DeVol is both an accomplished tenor soloist and vocal instructor living in Salem, Oregon. He received his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from San Jose State University studying with Jeanne Garson. The California native has performed numerous roles in operas and concerts with many outstanding musical organizations throughout the Greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Areas – including Pocket Opera, West Bay Opera, Mission City Opera,
Berkeley Opera, Monterey Symphony, Camerata California, Auburn Symphony, Camellia Symphony, Gold Country Chamber Orchestra, Sacramento State University, Opera La Piccola Scala and Sierra College.
Norman was also a member of the San Francisco Opera Chorus for many years and the Assistant Conductor of the award-winning Masterworks Chorale in San Mateo, CA.
Norm is a current member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and was a member of AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists) for many years.
Some of his favorite roles include Tamino in Magic Flute, Ghermann in Queen of Spades and Rudolpho in La Boheme for which he was nominated for a Sacramento regional theater Elly Award.
In addition, Norman is well known as a professional vocal coach and instructor, teaches privately and was on the music faculty of Sierra College in Rocklin, CA, for ten years.
He would like to thank is wife, Vicki, and daughters, Briana and Samantha, for their love and support.
Melody Morrison
Instructor of Piano
Melody Morrison is a recent graduate of the Masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy program at University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton School of Music. During her time at U of I, Morrison won the 2016-17 University of Idaho Concerto Competition and the 2016-17 Washington-Idaho Symphony’s Young Artist Competition. As a result, Melody was given the opportunity to perform with the Washington Idaho Symphony as a guest soloist during the 2017-18 concert season.
Melody also holds a Bachelor of Science in Piano Performance from Corban University in Salem, OR. During the course of her undergraduate study at Corban, she served as pianist and percussionist in Jazz Band, assistant principal second violinist in Chamber Orchestra, and accompanist for Chamber Choir. She also appeared as a guest soloist with the Corban University Concert Band and was a recipient of the 2016 Music Performance Award. Melody holds much accompanying experience, and enjoys collaborating with all types of instrumentalists and ensembles.
Ms. Morrison has been playing piano since the age of five and has been teaching private lessons since 2011. Melody uses all of her past and present musical experiences to enhance her teaching in creative approaches and aims for each student to learn about and love music, while having fun along the way. She has taught students ages ranging anywhere from ages 3-70 and has taught styles from baroque to modern pop.
Melody is currently an active member of MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), has presented at various conferences across the country, and continues to carry out research. In addition to this, Melody is involved in several piano teaching forums and associations where she shares ideas with other teachers across the world and attempts to keep up with the latest trends and discoveries in piano pedagogy.
Trevor Fischer
Instructor of Guitar & Cello
Trevor Fischer is a composition and instrumental performance major at WOU, and possess nine years of musical experience on the cello and guitar. Throughout his years of involvement in music, Trevor has played in All City Orchestra, Salem Youth Symphony, Salem Philharmonia Orchestra, and has been inducted into the International Thespian Society for his contribution to the musicals put on by McKay High School. Trevor also has experience playing bass guitar, baroque guitar, baroque cello, ukulele, violin, mandolin, and piano, and has played music genres spanning from classical and metal, to jazz and samba.
Trevor currently plays guitar in an alternative band (The Ferenjis), and aspires to compose and arrange music for films like Interstellar and Whiplash, while still expanding his knowledge of music theory and performance skills. He hopes not only to pass on his knowledge to his students, but also wants to inspire the youth to find their voice within music to create a personalized relationship with art. Whether the student wants to master repertoire, write their own song, or learn a song for fun, Trevor plans to provide the essential tools to make it happen.
Jake Cokeley
Instructor of Piano
Jake Cokeley began studying classical piano in 1993 while finishing high school in New Haven, CT. At that time, he also studied music theory and composition at Yale University. These early experiences gave Jake a strong foundation throughout his musical career. He spent many years in Chicago where he wrote and performed music for a small three piece group.
In 2004, Jake moved to Tiennen Belgium where he also played with several small groups for about three years: before returning to the States in 2007. Jake began teaching locally a little under two years ago. He is currently completing an undergraduate degree in Composition at Western Oregon University. He plans to continue his education by pursuing a graduate degree as well as maintaining a healthy studio of individual students with private lessons.
Ashley Eddings
Instructor of Flute, Bass, and Voice
Ashley Eddings is a graduate of Western Oregon University with a Bachelor of Music degree. While studying flute, voice, and bass guitar at Western, she trained in performance, technique, orchestration, composition, music theory, pedagogy, and music history. Membership with various groups and ensembles of differing styles has given Ashley the amazing opportunity to travel and perform all over the world with great talents, such as Kurt Elling, in locations including Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer Hall in New York.
Ashley began her musical career as a vocalist. She began playing flute in fifth grade, and in sixth grade she taught herself bass guitar and joined her school’s jazz band. Several years later, she joined a local rock band called Stillfire as a vocalist and bassist while continuing her classical flute, vocal, and jazz studies. College allowed Ashley to explore learning and performing new styles on additional instruments, such as oboe and percussion, as principal flautist and principal oboe of the wind ensemble, chamber choir vocalist, bassist in the guitar ensemble, and as a founding member of the WOU drumline.
Since beginning her teaching career over ten years ago, Ashley has gained experience teaching several instruments and voice in public school classroom settings, musical summer camps, as well as masterclasses for students of all ages and abilities. Ashley’s students are dynamic and diverse, studying music ranging from original personal compositions to classical literature. Her goal is to make music fun! Everyone has a different learning style and a different outlook on life. As such, Ashley creates custom lesson plans tailored to each individual player’s goals and designed to create the greatest opportunity for success. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
Gillian Perkins
Founder, Northwest School of Music
Mrs. Gillian Perkins, the founder of Northwest School of Music, spent ten years as the executive director. She has studied music for 16 years and has over 12 years experience teaching piano, flute, voice, and music theory. She is pleased to have taught hundreds of students during her career as a music instructor.
Our Students LOVE Their Teachers
“Our teacher from Northwest School of Music is very patient; my daughter loves having her as a piano teacher. It is very convenient to have her come to the house for a reasonable fee. She is prompt and flexible, and easy to get ahold of. I can’t wait for my son to start lessons with her as well.”
– Denise Basilan
“The instructors at Northwest School of Music do a fantastic job with our children. It’s a positive and fun learning environment and we are so happy to be a part of this school.”
– Morales Jude
“My son is 3 and has been taking private piano lessons with Mrs. Mallory for almost a year now. She is amazing with him and makes the lessons fun and easy. All the staff is very professional and friendly. I highly recommend Northwest School of Music.”