Music Lessons
Music education has been at the heart of the Trumansburg Conservatory since its founding. Whether you're picking up an instrument for the first time, returning to music after many years, or looking to develop your skills further, our instructors provide personalized guidance in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Lessons are available for students of all ages and experience levels, with instruction tailored to each individual's goals, interests, and learning style. Through one-on-one instruction, students build musical skills, confidence, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
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$30 - half hour
$45 - 45 minutes
$60 - one hour
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• If a lesson must be rescheduled, we require 24 hours advance notice.
• Please contact your teacher directly regarding any changes to your lesson schedule.
• Every effort will be made to reschedule lessons canceled with at least 24 hours notice.
• Lessons missed without advance notice will be charged in full.
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TCFA follows the Trumansburg Central School District decisions on all matters pertaining to inclement weather. If school is closed due to inclement weather, TCFA will be closed. If you are in doubt about the weather-related status of TCFA, please contact your teacher directly.
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Scholarship assistance and family discounts are subject to availability. Financial aid in the form of scholarship assistance may be available to students with demonstrated financial need. Please speak with your teacher to inquire about this support.
Instructors & Instruments
Bill Gregg
Piano, Guitar, Autoharp, 5 string Banjo, Tenor Banjo, Country Fiddle, Dulcimer, Ukulele
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Bill Gregg began formal piano lessons when he was five years old. At twelve he began performing jazz and pop standards for various events, starting with the New York State Fireman's Association convention. During his high school years he was keyboard player for a rock band, The Travelers.
After military service, he began studying string instruments, and had the good fortune to learn from several legendary folk musicians, including Lily May Ledford, Slim Bryant, Mike Seeger, and Alan Jabbour.
He has won numerous awards in instrumental contests for folk instruments, and has performed for more than forty years at folk and bluegrass festivals. He is in demand as an instrumental workshop leader at traditional and roots music festivals. Bill has also composed, performed, and recorded experimental electro-acoustic music several albums, and has composed sets of studies for guitar, piano, and violin for his students. Bill has conducted a number of grant supported public classes for guitar, and a well-received series of dulcimer workshops for children.
In 2022 Bill won 2nd place in the National Autoharp Championship in Shippensburg, PA. Also in 2022, he was a featured performer at the North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame in Osceola, NY.
Over the past twenty years, four of his young fiddle students have had the honor of being selected as featured youth performers at the Fiddlers' Hall of Fame. Many of his former pupils have become professional performers or music teachers. But, his main goal is bring the joy of making music into the lives of everyone, young and old.
He is a member of the Music Teachers National Association and the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Gretchen Van Valen
Voice
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Gretchen Van Valen is a classically trained singer, has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education (vocal/choral concentration) from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Ithaca College. Gretchen was a member of the TCFA faculty from 1989 to 1995 and continued to teach private voice lessons and performing since then while working full time at Ithaca College as an administrator and raising a family. Gretchen’s vocal music expertise areas include opera, Italian and German art song, and musical theater. Her teaching style focuses on breathing, posture, and overall healthy singing techniques. She has been on the TCFA Board of Directors since 2016, retired from Ithaca College as Director of Alumni and Family Engagement in 2022 and is now Managing Director of Opera Ithaca.
Gretchen will be accepting a limited number of students in the 2023-2024 school year.
Jonathan Fenwick
Violin, Piano
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Jonathan Fenwick is an active performing violinist and music educator. He spent three years playing with The Orchestra Now at Bard Conservatory, where he received an M.M. in Curatorial, Critical, and Performance Studies. He also holds an additional M.M. from the Eastman School of Music and a B.M. from Oberlin Conservatory in Violin Performance.
Jonathan is experienced as a performer of orchestral, chamber, and solo violin music, and has pursued an interest in the music of living and underrepresented composers. He began as a Suzuki student and incorporates the Suzuki Method into his violin teaching. He enjoys teaching violin students of all levels and provides lessons that suit the needs of each individual student.
He began piano at an early age and studied with Michael Salmirs, Patricia Canning, and Molly MacMillan. He is enthusiastic about fostering a joyful and nurturing environment for piano lessons. Jonathan’s piano lessons for beginners take a fun approach to addressing music reading skills and rhythm, and he is also excited to hone the skills of more developed students or those returning to piano. He is passionate and knowledgeable about a wide range of musical genres, from classical and jazz to film scores and pop.
Music Program News
Jonathan Fenwick Joins TCFA
The Conservatory’s is thrilled to announce that Jonathan Fenwick has joined TCFA for private music instruction. Jonathan will teach violin and piano on the Conservatory’s main stage.
Jonathan Fenwick is an active performing violinist and music educator. He spent three years playing with The Orchestra Now at Bard Conservatory, where he received an M.M. in Curatorial, Critical, and Performance Studies. He also holds an additional M.M. from the Eastman School of Music and a B.M. from Oberlin Conservatory in Violin Performance.
Jonathan incorporates the Suzuki Method into his violin teaching and enjoys teaching violin students of all levels. He provides lessons that suit the needs of each individual student.
Jonathan’s piano lessons for beginners take a fun approach to addressing music reading skills and rhythm, and he is also excited to hone the skills of more developed students or those returning to piano. He is passionate and knowledgeable about a wide range of musical genres, from classical and jazz to film scores and pop.
TCFA Creates Music Night for Community
The Conservatory has opened the Main Hall on Tuesday nights as a gathering space for local musicians. The inspiration came with the return of TCFA’s “Basement Club” once the Conservatory reopened its doors last June, and managing director Dona Roman invited them to “come up from the basement”.
The Basement Club was created by former TCFA President George Cook and Lou DiPietro of the band Louiston with a focus on supporting local musicians in a friendly space to share new works. The group is mostly local musician/songwriters, and is open to all. The Basement Club meets every first Tuesday of the month at TCFA from 7:00 - 9:00pm.
Concurrent with the addition of the Basement Club, the Little Apple Jazz Association in Ithaca is hosting Jazz Jam sessions at the Trumansburg Conservatory every fourth Tuesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00pm. All are invited to bring an instrument, voice, or enjoy listening and dancing.Plans are underway for additional community music gatherings for the second and third Tuesdays of the month. Please let us know if you are interested in participating!
M A K E A N I M P A CT
Help make our programs accessible to all.
Donations to our scholarship fund support students who may not otherwise be able to participate.