Music Lessons

boy sitting in front of a piano.

Research shows that children who are actively involved in music do better in reading and math, are better able to focus and control their bodies, play better with others, and have higher self-esteem. Structured music lessons significantly enhance children's cognitive abilities including language based reasoning. With a range of instruments offered, students have the option to choose their musical path according to their interests.

girl sitting in front of sheet music stand playing guitar.

Explore the Language of Music

Private lessons are available for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced musicians, including both students and adults. Choose from 30-minute lessons in piano and violin at the Hillcrest campus, and piano, guitar, ukulele, and violin at the Midway campus. Each weekly lesson is $45, with the total semester cost depending on your chosen day and lesson length.

Interested? Please complete the form below—whether you’re signing up for an offered instrument or requesting a different one, and we’ll do our best to match you with a teacher!

Interest Form

Meet The Teachers

Hillcrest

Caleb Mallett (piano, violin)

Caleb Mallett has studied music all his life. While earning a degree in performance from the University of North Texas, he worked with groups spanning the genres of Classical, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, Pop and Mariachi. During summer breaks, he attended the St. Petersburg International Music Academy, Summit Music Festival with Aaron Rosand, and worked as a freelance musician in New York.

Most recently, he earned his Master’s in Chamber Music in addition to serving as a member of the Wichita Grand Opera, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and the Wichita State University Bloomfield Quartet. Caleb now teaches in Dallas at the RBR School of Music, performs regularly with the 601 Ramblers, and coordinates music for private events.

Kathleen Parsons (piano, violin)

Kathleen Parsons has more than 25 years of music teaching experience including work with both the Dallas and Richardson Independent School Districts. Kathleen graduated from SMU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, and she continues her study of music through seminars and workshops offered by the Piano Pedagogy department at SMU. She is an accomplished musician having played with the Dallas Civic Symphony, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Tulsa Philharmonic. She is currently the Director of Handbell Ministries at First United Methodist Church and is often an accompanist for Parish events including chapels and Christmas pageants.

 

Midway

James Tarbutton (guitar, piano, ukulele)

James Tarbutton is originally from Tyler, Texas and began studying piano at five and guitar at 12. He received his bachelor’s degree from UT-Tyler and also holds a Master of Music from SMU where he studied under the direction of Robert Guthrie. James is an accomplished classical guitarist who has participated in several master classes with performers such as Pepe Romero, David Russell and Sharon Isbin. He has taught at community colleges and high schools and is currently the musical director at Iglesia Christana Génesis in Rowlett.

Josh Mills (guitar, piano)

Initially self-taught, Josh Mills has been playing guitar since he was 13.  During his time in the university system, numerous scholarships and grants were awarded to him.  Josh has performed in masterclasses conducted by internationally renowned artists like Jason Vieaux, Berta Rojas, Ricardo Cobo, Gabriel Bianco, Bill Kanengiser, and David Russell.  He graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Music Degree (2013).  Similarly, he earned a Master of Music Degree (2016) and a Performers Diploma (2019) from Southern Methodist University.  All of these degrees were in Classical Guitar Performance, and he has been teaching music since 2009.

Kathleen Parsons (piano, violin)

Kathleen Parsons has more than 25 years of music teaching experience including work with both the Dallas and Richardson independent school districts. Kathleen graduated from SMU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, and she continues her study of music through seminars and workshops offered by the Piano Pedagogy department at SMU. She is an accomplished musician having played with the Dallas Civic Symphony, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Tulsa Philharmonic. She is currently the Director of Handbell Ministries at First United Methodist Church and is often an accompanist for Parish events including chapels and Christmas pageants.

Private Music Policy

View our policy

Please review the Private Music policy below for detailed information. Music lessons are enrolled and billed in the same way as Explorations, by the semester. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Private Music Policy 2024-2025

Welcome to Parish Extend private music instruction. Performance skill and comprehensive music knowledge are the goals of our lessons. In order to provide you with the highest standard of instruction, we ask that you meet the terms of the following private studio policy. We offer private lessons in guitar, piano, and violin at the Hillcrest campus. We offer guitar, piano, ukulele and violin at the Midway campus.

Lessons

Students will join our extended care program at no charge before their designated lesson time. They will have time for homework (if applicable), enjoy their snack (brought from home) and enjoy some supervised free-time. Students will be escorted to their lesson by Parish Extend staff.

Midway – Please plan on picking up your child at the designated end time. If care is needed after their lesson time ends please register for extended care.  Hillcrest – Pick up your child from the Snyder building. If care is needed after their lesson, please sign up for extended care.

Tuition/Fees

Private instruction fees are $45 per 30 minute lesson. Semester prices depend on the day of the week selected as well as the instructor. Lessons are billed for the semester but may be paid over several months through a payment plan.

Tuition does not include music, study materials and/or supplies. Appropriate materials are chosen by instructor to fit the needs of each individual student. The student or parent is  responsible for purchasing materials.

Attendance and Punctuality

Absences should be communicated to extend@parish.org. Missed lessons are not rescheduled. In the event of lessons cancelled due to teacher illness or emergencies, the lesson fee will be credited back to your account.

If You Choose To Leave Us

The private music registration is a financial commitment for the entire semester. Instructors schedule their time, other students and commitments around the lesson time. If you do decide to withdraw from the lesson, there is no refund.

Student/Parent/Teacher/Team Responsibilities

The goal of Parish Extend is to provide a well-balanced musical education to all students. Studying music can be enjoyable, rewarding and can become a lifelong skill, but it takes commitment from the parents as well as the teacher and student. This commitment is necessary for success.

  • Teacher’s Responsibilities
    • Develop the student’s enthusiasm, respect and genuine love for music.
    • Provide high quality, well prepared lessons and a positive learning environment.
    • Discover the uniqueness of each student and respect differences of musical taste and personality.
    • Help students learn how to practice, encourage and motivate students to practice.
    • Demonstrate a love of music.
    • Respect students’ opinions and value their creativity.
    • Create a studio atmosphere where students are free to feel comfortable and confident, able to recognize both the seriousness and fun of study.
    • Encourage communication between student/parent and teacher, answer any questions, help to solve problems.
  • Student’s Responsibilities
    • Arrive at each lesson with the week’s assignment completed.
    • Bring assignment notebooks, theory binders and music books to each lesson.
    • Practice for the length of time necessary to meet goals as determined by the student and teacher.
    • Follow directions in class and at home.
    • Ask questions.
    • Keep a positive attitude.
  • Parent’s Responsibilities
    • Provide a tuned instrument in a well-lit area as free from distractions as possible.
    • Pay for lessons according to your payment plan.
    • Encourage good practice habits. Provide daily praise and encouragement. A set time each day works well. Younger students should have daily supervised practice if possible, completing the assigned homework.

Contact Music at Parish Extend

Have questions about Parish Extend? Reach out to our team – we’d love to hear from you.