Chuck Michaelson

Chuck Michaelson recently moved to Portland from Gainesville, Florida, where he was a part of the music teaching and performing community for more than 25 years. Originally from Chicago, he completed a BA in Music History and a Masters of Music (MM) at the University of Florida.

Chuck has performed with groups in many styles (rock, blues, jazz, Renaissance) and also writes and records his own music. Before devoting himself to music full time, he worked for 8 years as an announcer on WUFT-FM Gainesville hosting various shows on public radio, including “Nothing but the Blues”, “Montage” (acoustic jazz), and “Musica Antiqua” (Renaissance and Medieval).

Chuck is currently offering lessons for piano, keyboard, guitar, and music software such as Reason, Pro Tools and Ableton Live. Styles covered include rock, pop, blues, jazz, and classical. Instruction in music theory, composition, and improvisation is also available.

Chuck describes his teaching philosophy -

In my 25 years of teaching I’ve found that everyone learns in different ways and at different rates of progress, so “one size fits all” doesn’t apply in my studio. Getting to know my students in the first few lessons is an essential part of how I determine the best teaching approach for them. From the very first lesson I try to create a relaxed setting so students feel no apprehension, especially when trying something new. This allows them to feel free to take chances, understanding that playing music is something to be enjoyed, not a life or death situation! The biggest measure of my effectiveness as a teacher is when my students embrace new challenges and the opportunity to improve.

Chuck Michaelson teaches Piano and Guitar