Chris & Janet McCourt

Chris and/or Janet have been teaching both my sons either piano or guitar for the last four years. I have always found them to be very kind and courteous. They are reasonable when it comes to make up classes. They are always on time, and i am always amazed at how quickly the kids pick up the fundamentals from them. They both love going to class, and generally dont mind doing their homework. Would (and have!) recommend them to anyone.

My two daughters have been studying guitar for two years now and they have both learned so much and have remained enthusiastic, and a great deal of this is because of their teacher. Chris is patient and kind, with a good sense of humour and a real knack for quickly identifying problems and providing sound advice to my daughters. We have been so impressed that my wife recently enrolled as well. She is as happy as my daughters. So young or not-so-young, I highly recommend the McCourts if you are interested in studying music.

Our family have been with McCourt Music for just over three years (daughter has piano lessons with Janet, and son and dad have guitar with Chris). Chris and Janet are great teachers. Aside from their vast technical and musical expertise and experience, they are caring and empathetic people who consider our family’s individual wants and needs and adapt their teaching approach accordingly. True professionals, great sense of humour, highly recommended.

I started taking guitar lessons from Chris last year, and I can't believe how far I've progressed in a relatively short time. Chris has a wonderful ability to break down concepts and simplify them so they are easy to understand. He tailors his teaching to match the needs of the student, so you can benefit from his teaching regardless of the style(s) of music that interest you or your musical goals. He's a patient teacher who understands that the value of the lesson is what you, the student, get from it. He provides honest feedback on your progress, encouragement on the things you do well, and reinforcement of the concepts you need to practice. I look forward to my weekly sessions with Chris, and when my lesson is over I'm excited to go home and practice what I've learned.As an adult learning an instrument for the first time, I thought I would just learn to strum a few chords and play a few simple songs, but Chris has exposed me to techniques like finger picking and improvisation that I would have otherwise assumed were too advanced for me. This opened my eyes to new ways to enjoy and appreciate the guitar. I used to look at songs and say that's too hard for me to learn"; now I look at them and say "this will be fun to figure out"."

I've had both teachers as an adult. I found Janet's knowledge and love for classical music infectious; I didn't think I'd find such a love for it. She can work with whatever you are working on, which I did for awhile, or guide you through pieces that seem to target areas where you need the training. There's a lot more than just the printed music, and learning about that and practicing it requires a good teacher to guide you.On guitar, I could read the notes, but only through Chris' guidance did I learn the importance of correct technique, which he emphasizes quite a lot in his classical lessons. I learned good tone and attention to detail.

I have a limited musical background and I started my music lessons as a strategy to keep an ageing mind fit. Chris has been able to guide me to guitar-playing heights that I never thought would be a possibility. He displays patience and teaches the student first and the instrument second. Unlike previous guitar classes that I have attended, I look forward to my week’s class with Chris and actually feel as if I am progressing. On the odd time where my schedule conflicts with my lesson, Chris provides a make-up time when the opportunity presents itself (another student is absent).I would highly recommend Chris to aspiring guitarists of any age.

My musical relationship with Chris & Janet McCourt spans more than ten years, starting with my son, who studied guitar with Chris and then my daughter who took piano lessons with Janet.So impressed was I with Chris & Janet's professionalism, dedication and easy, friendly style that I, seven years ago, personally began taking guitar lessons with Chris.What I learned could fill volumes. Chris not only introduced me to new music genres, but also got me to see the guitar as a peaceful escape from our all-too-hectic working life.All to say, if you're considering music lessons, I highly recommend Chris and Janet McCourt.

Chris has been teaching me classical guitar for over two years now and my experiences with him has been stellar.I have found his teaching style to be flexible, insightful and interesting. Flexible to my learning style allowing me to progress far more then I thought would have been capable of. But more importantly, he has instilled in me a love for classical guitar that will always be with.He is always professional, on time for lessons and prepared to teach. He has always given me open and honest feedback to my playing while also helping me feel like I could actually play this wonderful instrument.He has always been flexible to make up lessons. I have had my share of missed lessons due to illness and never once have I had difficulty or issues on the lessons.I have recommended Chris to all of my colleagues who are either interested in guitar lessons themselves or have children who are interested. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that their experience would be enjoyable, beneficial and instill a life long appreciation of music.If you are thinking about taking guitar lessons, I can think of no better a teacher then Chris to lead you through your journey.

It has been such a pleasure to have Janet McCourt as my piano teacher for the past 8 years. She is a professional who takes a very customized and individualized approach to teaching her students. Her passion for music and piano is infectious! Janet has a wonderful way of making you see your own progress. She uses a variety of effective techniques to help you improve. For the longest time, I was too nervous to play even in front of my own family. Because of her teaching methods, patience and enthusiasm, I eventually gained the confidence to play a challenging piece at my niece's wedding - something I never thought I would be able to do!My daughter, Kristin, also took voice lessons with Janet for three years. For someone who had a fear of performing in public, after working with Janet - she was able to overcome her shyness and sang at her both of her siblings weddings in front of over 100 people. Kristin found Janet to be very knowledgeable and talented. She appreciated that Janet would show her how" and accompany her on the piano.Janet is very professional and flexible. When my daughter or I could not make a lesson due to other constraints

Our daughter who was a complete beginner, has been taking Piano lessons from Janet McCourt for more than a year now. In this time, our daughter has progressed rapidly.Janet is always a professional and patient teacher, and our daughter always looks forward to going to her lessons every week.Janet is very accommodating in scheduling missed lessons.We are extremely happy to have Janet as our daughter's Piano teacher. I would full heartedly recommend her as a teacher.Thanks Janet!