Margot Cohen
Instrument(s): Drums, Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Voice, Ukulele
City: Washington, DC
Education:
About Margot Cohen
Margot Cohen is an all-ages voice, piano, guitar, ukulele and percussion instructor based in College Park, Maryland. Music has always been the center of Margot's life and she believes music has the ability to bring people together and enhance lives in ways that nothing else can. She strives to inspire her students to love and appreciate music in their own unique ways.
Due to an insatiable interest in music from a young age, Margot began taking formal piano lessons at the age of 5. Margot pursued music throughout her childhood, and her thirst for knowledge continued to grow. However, it wasn't until she earned the lead role in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at age 13 that she knew that she was destined for voice, and thus began over a decade of classical training.
Margot holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from the University of Pittsburgh, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She is currently pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree in Choral Music Education at the University of Maryland School of Music and is currently a member of the University of Maryland Chamber Singers, an internationally-recognized choir. During her undergraduate studies, Margot studied voice with bass-baritone Richard Teaster and worked with many other renowned music educators and conductors such as Dr. Susan Rice, Dr. Edward Maclary, and Dr. Kenneth Elpus. It was also during that time that she performed regularly with several ensembles including the internationally-recognized Heinz Chapel Choir, the award-winning contemporary a capella group The Songburghs, as well as a local church choir. She cites her experience with these ensembles as the catalyst to become a music educator.
As a multi-instrumentalist instructor, Margot teaches piano, percussion, and beginner guitar / ukulele in addition to her primary instrument, voice. Her piano experience comes from lifelong lessons beginning at age 5. Following her brother's lead, she picked up the guitar at the age of 13 and later used that knowledge to teach herself on the ukulele upon graduating high school. Her undergraduate work brought forth classes focused on drums and percussion where she not only learned how to play these instruments but learned how to teach them to others as well. Margot also works as a music and ensemble director, citing the genres of choral, classical, classic rock and musical theater as particular favorites.
Margot's teaching philosophies stem from her multi-faceted musical education. She believes any instrument can be learned by rote and through modeling. Excited and impassioned by eager learners, she helps to foster long-lasting good habits in her students that extend into their daily lives.
By challenging the boundaries of what her students believe is possible, Margot endeavors to meet the needs of each individual learner based on their respective strengths. She is eager to share her love of music with her students in the hopes they will fall in love with it as well, and is very excited to be part of the Lessons In Your Home family!
