Anna Westbrook, Composer & Educator

Anna Westbrook
The Teacher for Future Songwriters

Nice to Meet You!

My Musical Values: 

I believe music is a powerful avenue for self-expression, empathy-building, and the exploration of many other SEL topics. I love helping my students learn to find their voice and focus on each student as a whole-person during the entirety of our lesson. I believe in personalizing each lesson to meet the unique student's need. 

*I am fully vaccinated, as is my husband (#teamPfizer)

My Teaching Style: 

Teaching the WHY behind each song is an incredibly empowering experience. I tell all my families that I "teach like a composer." What does that mean? It means we'll pause mid-lesson to question WHY a song sounds the way it sounds. It means we're going to learn scales and make a lot of chord charts, but all with the WHY in mind: being able to arrange our own versions of current songs or make up our own songs. It means that if your student doesn't like a certain note in a song, I very well may teach them how to CHANGE it. I am totally open to changing the music, as long as we accurately update the written piece. My students learn how to do this and often find it fun and rebellious to do so. 

My Professional Background: 

I got my B.A. in Music Composition from Connecticut College after transferring from my studies in Bilingual & Elementary Education at Southern Connecticut State University. I have been a music educator since 2013, a children's entertainer / educator since 2001 (so long ago! I know. I started young), and have been a songwriter since about 3 years old when I baffled my parents much like your child may be baffling you now. 

My personal composition career is linked with my career as a playwright and musical theatre producer. My original musical, Isabel & the Runaway Train has been the recipient of FOUR awards through the City of Austin (Community Initiatives Grant, 2018 & 2019, Capacity Building Grant 2019, and the Artist Access Program 2021). You can listen to the Isabel album online here. But keep in mind, the content does discuss social emotional experiences, mental health, trauma and #metoo. Maybe listen without the kiddos.

My "Best Fit" Families: 

I provide music lessons for students ages 4 - 16 (songwriting focused students can go up to age 22). I provide a free trial lesson to make sure I am the best fit for a student before either moving forward or referring elsewhere. Some reasons that families choose to work with me are: 

• Song-Writing Families:
  • These families have someone who enjoys making up songs and wants to learn to do that more effectively. We learn the music theory required to read and write our own music, using both chord charts and traditional notation. I provide this service for students of any age. 
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Families:
  • These families have one or more SEL goals in mind for their child which they think music will emphasize; i.e. Building confidence, managing perfectionism, or reducing anxiety. They want to cultivate their child's musicality as part of their overall wellness journey. 
• Theatre-Kid Families: 
  • These families usually have a student who loves being on stage and wants to add some voice and / or abilities to their theatre prep experience. These families are usually investing in some sort of group theatre program but think their student could benefit from individual coaching as they pursue these group goals. Note: I only include theatre help for 8 - 12 year old students. 

FAQs: 

Do you travel to your student's homes? 

Yes! I love helping busy families fit music into their schedules by traveling to their house at a time that is convenient for them. 

Do you teach out of your own home?

Sometimes. :) If you prefer not to pay the travel fee, you are welcome to come to me. I live in Northwest Austin, just south of the arboretum. I have a husband, a bird, and lots of instruments.

For online lessons, what platforms do you use? 

Whatever your family prefers (but secretly my favorite is Zoom right now). I am comfortable with  Zoom, Facetime, Whatsapp, Google Hangouts (although the sound quality isn't my favorite), and have used plenty of other platforms on a one-time basis. So just share whichever platform is easiest for you, and I'll make it work. 

How often should my student take lessons? 

For most students, I recommend weekly lessons. For songwriting students, bi-weekly lessons work well but I strongly recommend investing in at least an hour each week.

What are your rates?* 

I offer a FREE TRIAL lesson, which includes 30 minutes of teaching and 15 minutes of goal discussion with the student and parent (if applicable). Then my rates are...

• 60 minute lesson = $75
• 45 minute lesson = $60 

A travel fee will apply if I am traveling to you. Here's how that would work...

• $.75 / minute on the road (one way)
• How it's calculated: I use the estimated arrival function on Google maps. The goal being to minimize your travel fee by scheduling your lesson at a time with less traffic. Austin rush hour, right? 
• My address: I am in Northwest Austin just South of the Arboretum, just about where Mopac meets 183. Send me your address and your preferred time option and I can send you a sample quote. 

What is your availability? 

I am available to take on new students. Yay! I teach Monday - Friday between 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 and between 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. with makeup lessons available every other Sunday. My schedule changes at the start of each school semester / summer break. I prefer to hear YOUR availability before sharing open time slots, because I usually know which of my current families is flexible / planning a change. Fill out the new student form to start a conversation and I'll reach out within 2 days and see what we can do! Or feel free to text / call me at 512-876-0871.