Hello, friends! I’m Aaron, the owner of Curious Cat Music Studio: an online-only music lesson space designed to explore sound together from wherever you are.
Before beginning Curious Cat, I was a clear overachiever in my field of music studies. I’d filled my CV: undergraduate honors program, a full teaching studio, study abroad at Oxford, master’s degree at Yale, nonprofit admin work for MPR YourClassical… and I was exhausted, to the point where my health gave out.
Then one day, I decided to adopt a rescue cat whom I named Pudding. As I got to know my soft and sweet new friend, I found myself singing again: new words to Queen songs, refashioned as love songs for her, and silly nonsense tunes improvised in her honor.
The more I watched Pudding through our days together, the more I realized that I could – and, for the sake of recovering my health, had to – build a life from what she was teaching me. With Pudding, I saw how supportive presence from someone you trust can help you find the courage to investigate something new.
Soon after getting Pudding, I started Curious Cat Music Studio, and began teaching piano and voice online after years away. Just as I let Pudding lead in my shared life with her, I let students lead in music lessons. I know from experience (five years’ worth, so far!) that I learn from my students as much as they learn from me.
Though my students lead their learning journey, my expertise helps students get where they want to go. Past instances of this have included teaching International Phonetic Alphabet so a student can sing in Elvish languages, and guiding through Digital Audio Workstation software so a student can sample Grieg’s March of the Trolls for an EDM original. I provide the tools for my brilliant, creative students to follow their own curiosity!
Connecting with one’s own curiosity can be easier said than done. For anyone who is overwhelmed with anxiety, exhausted by life, or disconnected from the joy of music, I hope you, too, can learn from Pudding, by finding relationships that make it safe for you to explore. If you want a friendly guide through music, Curious Cat Music Studio would love to have you.
Want to learn more about what Curious Cat Music Studio offers?
