Welcome to Katie’s Piano Studio!
Keep reading to learn more about piano lessons, movement classes, and online library of resources for musicians! If you need additional information, please contact me or book a free info session.
Lesson Curriculum
Learn to play the music you love! Engage in a tailor-made, authentic learning process to guarantee both fun and success! Highly flexible curriculum includes:
Locations
Since 2020 this piano studio has been hybrid, meeting for lessons both online and in-person. Lessons in the Seattle location are exclusively offered to students currently enrolled in weekly or bi-weekly lessons. New students can attend in Mukilteo and online at the frequency of their choice.
Seattle
Lessons are offered on Thursdays in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. Learn on a beautiful baby grand piano in this cozy home studio.
Mukilteo
Lessons are offered on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday in Mukilteo. The library studio offers a Steinway M and a Labrador retriever named Jedi.
Online
Remote lessons are offered through Zoom Tuesday-Friday. Learn piano conveniently from any location with two Logitech webcams and a premium audio setup.
Piano Lesson Enrollment
The Piano Studio of Katie O’Rourke is open to learners of all ages and levels. If you’d like to join us, please begin by booking a free info session. Once we meet, you will determine your optimal lesson length and frequency and choose a time slot.
Movement Class Enrollment
Movement classes are a great way to level up your playing with research-supported approaches to improving posture, technique, and performance. Enrollment always includes both live Zoom classes and access to a library of audio recordings, virtual workshops, and PDF guides. The Classes & Coaching option is available for anyone looking to add monthly one-on-one support!
What happens in an Awareness Through Movement® class?
In these classes, we utilize the brain’s natural capacity for improving motor skills by exploring novel motions in a slow and highly attentive way. Each class explores all possible variations of a movement theme. If our theme is “turning while sitting” we will turn with the head only, eyes only, shoulder only, hips only, and every possible combination of these parts. This process allows any forgotten elements of a movement to wake up and join the fun, leading to higher level of ease and integration and the formation of new habits.
Join us to move mindfully, build body awareness, and discover your fullest potential of pianistic movement! Access includes live Zoom classes as well as class recordings.
Add a monthly coaching session to the movement class subscription to get an even higher level of personalized feedback. Access includes live classes, recordings, and a coaching session.
Upcoming Live Classes
Movement classes are currently on hiatus for the summer. The next class will start on September 16. To receive more information, join the mailing list! To get started right away, check out recordings in the online library!
* Request a reduced rate for movement classes using this form.
Online Resource Library
Members of my studio enjoy exclusive access to a digital library filled with resources for improving musicianship. The library is constantly growing, and includes practice strategy guides as well as over twenty movement lessons centered upon posture, breath, and general body awareness.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Absolutely! Adult piano students will find themselves in good company, as they comprise over half of my current roster. I have a lot of experience working with both beginning and advanced adult pianists. From the challenge of squeezing practice into a busy schedule to learning to the unique challenge of picking up an instrument later in life, you’ll find yourself in good hands. Lesson pacing, curriculum, and goals are tailored to each learner, ensuring a fulfilling piano journey for all, whether you’re sixty or six.
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Online lessons offer a special blend of convenience, comfort, and independence. There are many benefits to online lessons, including the easy sharing of scores, links, videos, educational games, and assignment. Click here to learn more!
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Yes, a piano is a requirement for learning piano. I often help students with the task of purchasing a piano. Click here for a guide to purchasing a piano.
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All you need is a phone, tablet, or laptop with a decent microphone and camera. In addition to the basics, it’s essential to enable the "Original Sound for Musicians" feature and position the camera so the hands are visible. For a detailed guide click here!
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The Feldenkrais Method of Movement Education is founded upon our innate capacity to learn. Musicians find this approach useful as it enhances body awareness and generally helps us achieve greater competence at whatever we apply it to.
Out in the real world, the Feldenkrais Method is applied in a vast and varied way. A person might seek help from a Feldenkrais Practitioner after suffering an injury, for developmental delays in early childhood, to improve their golf swing, or enhance their yoga practice.
The founding principles are basic, evidence-supported tenants of learning such as self-awareness, variability during learning, slowing down, and remaining attentive to ourselves as we move. I bring these values to all that I do.
What students are saying…
Hi, I’m Katie!
I believe that playing music is one of life’s greatest offerings, and helping others enjoy music to the fullest potential has become my passion.
My own musical journey led me to the Feldenkrais Method of Movement Education®, where I acquired a unique toolkit to address the common and not so common challenges of playing piano. My adjacent interests include neuroscience, performance psychology, and musicians’ wellness.
I frequently deliver presentations to local musicians’ groups on topics like breathing, posture, and stress reduction. Additionally, I offer special classes on movement and technique at universities, music schools, and private studios. Click here to view my C.V.
When not making music, I love being outdoors and cooking for my family!
The language we use to describe our experience has a major impact on our well-being. The efficacy of reappraising "performance anxiety" as "performance excitement" is supported by research.