Private Lessons & Coaches in Cupertino, CA

Hey my name's Derek Schmidt and I'm a musician, sound designer, and music educator living in SF. I have a Masters in Music Composition and decades of performing experience.I've played piano for over three decades, for performance, production, and composition. I come at piano from an composer/songwriter perspective, so I can ground the lessons in music theory to help it all make sense, no matter what instrument you decide to play. I best teach beginning and intermediate students who want to explore different musical styles.

"“I’ve been wanting to continue my learning of ukulele and guitar. Derek is such a knowledgeable and patient teacher. I love how he breaks down the understanding of music theory and composition. I’ve had other guitar teachers that have taught me how to copy music tabs but Derek is really great in explaining the why of music!” – T.

I currently tutor Mathematics, Finance, Accounting and Python at San Francisco State University's Tutoring & Academic Support Center, where I focus on undergraduate tutoring. I have more than 3 years of experience tutoring at the college level. This experience is something I am offering to the broader community here.