Fedja studied classical piano and guitar in his youth. He spent 20 years performing professionally before earning his Bachelor’s degree in musicology and ethnomusicology from Portland State University. Lessons with Fedja focus on building fundamentals, music theory, and learning to read. He is patient, kind, and uses positive reinforcement to support his students on a path toward achieving their goals. What prompted me to become a music teacher was the realization that music is a shared experience, not just between performer and audience but between performers. As a teacher and as a performer I always search for those special moments where connections are made between those performing and those listening. My own first music teacher told me “Learn to play an instrument and you will never be alone.” That statement stands true to this very day and I studied music with the intention to teach because I never want to see another person feel lonely, lost or unable to express what they are feeling. Music, aside from having an immense role in developing our minds and bodies, also helps us sort out our emotions, make sense of the world around us or connects us to those like-minded. The bond between music teachers and students lasts long after the lessons are over and I believe that music teachers create a world with better people in it.
