Dr. Will Pearson’sMusic Studio

Private lessons · Norfolk, Virginia + online

Dr. Will Pearson’s
Music Studio

A studio for the complete musician.

01

Play

Organ

Technique, repertoire, improvisation, and practical church musicianship.

02

Create

Composition

Ideas, craft, notation, orchestration, electroacoustic work, and music for media.

03

Understand

Theory & musicianship

Coursework, AP and placement preparation, analysis, harmony, and ear training.

01 / Play

Organ

In person · Norfolk

A remarkable instrument to explore—and a practical new direction for a pianist.

The organ brings together keyboards, pedals, color, space, and the challenge of shaping an entire musical world by yourself. Prior piano experience is useful, but it is not required.

Who it’s for

  • Pianists who want to add organ to their musical toolkit
  • Interested beginners of any age
  • Church musicians seeking greater confidence
  • Students considering further study

What we can work on

  • Keyboard and pedal technique
  • Coordination, repertoire, and registration
  • Hymn playing and accompaniment
  • Improvisation, service planning, and practical church musicianship

Where it can lead

Organ study can prepare you for regular or substitute church work, as well as weddings, funerals, and special services. It can also be a distinctive, rewarding musical practice in its own right.

About the instruments
02 / Create

Composition

In person or online

Bring a finished score, a rough sketch, or simply the wish to start writing.

Lessons are available for complete beginners through experienced composers. My own work spans acoustic and electroacoustic concert music, improvisation, and film scoring; students are not expected to adopt a single style or method.

Who it’s for

  • Musicians who want to write a first piece
  • High-school or college students building a portfolio
  • Composers seeking feedback, structure, or momentum
  • Experienced students developing a particular project or aspect of craft

What we can work on

  • Developing ideas into complete pieces
  • Form, harmony, rhythm, and counterpoint
  • Instrumentation, orchestration, and notation
  • Electroacoustic music, improvisation, and scoring for film or media
  • Revision, rehearsal preparation, scores, and parts

What it can support

Work toward a first completed piece, a portfolio or school application, an upcoming performance, or a regular composing practice. Theory, analysis, keyboard work, and ear training can enter when they help—but the piece remains central.

03 / Understand

Theory &
musicianship

In person or online

Work through the assignment in front of you—and understand the larger musical idea behind it.

As Coordinator of Music Theory and Aural Skills at Old Dominion University, I teach and oversee work across the undergraduate core. Sessions connect notation, listening, analysis, singing, and keyboard work according to the student’s needs.

Who it’s for

  • High-school students taking AP Music Theory or preparing for college study
  • College students in theory or aural-skills courses
  • Musicians preparing for placement or entrance exams
  • Performers and composers who want a stronger foundation
  • Adult musicians returning to theory or studying it for the first time

What we can work on

  • Harmony, counterpoint, form, and analysis
  • Ear training, dictation, and sight singing
  • Coursework and AP Music Theory preparation
  • Placement and entrance-exam preparation
  • Keyboard harmony, score reading, and general musicianship

How sessions can work

Book a 60-minute session for a particular topic, assignment, or exam. Weekly organ and composition students may also add a 30-minute theory session each month. Sessions can solve an immediate problem or build skills over time.

Flexible formats

Focus on one area—
or work across several.

Weekly hour30 minutes organ
+ 30 minutes composition

The standard 60-minute tuition applies.

Monthly supplementWeekly organ
+ 30 minutes of theory

Add one theory session each month for $35.

Within a lessonComposition
+ musicianship

Use analysis or ear training when it directly supports the piece.

Tuition

Clear, predictable
school-year tuition.

Weekly tuition covers 30 lessons from September through May and is divided into nine equal monthly payments. Students beginning later are prorated.

FormatUseTuition
Weekly · 30 minutesOrgan or composition$150 / month
Weekly · 60 minutesOne subject or a 30/30 split$267 / month
Theory · 60 minutesBooked individually as needed$70 / session
Monthly theory add-onFor weekly students · 30 minutes+$35 / month

Optional summer lessons are arranged individually. Music, books, and software are purchased separately when needed.

Your teacher

Dr. Will
Pearson

Composer · Organist · Teacher

Dr. Will Pearson outdoors in the mountains
Dr. Will Pearson
  • Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Theory and Aural Skills at Old Dominion University
  • Organist at Larchmont United Methodist Church

I have taught music since 2012 across composition, theory, aural skills, organ, piano, improvisation, and interdisciplinary arts. My DMA and MM in Composition/Music Theory are from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and my BMus in Music Composition is from SUNY Purchase.

I studied composition with Suzanne Farrin, Du Yun, Huang Ruo, and Erin Gee, and organ performance and historical keyboards at the Eastman School of Music with David Higgs and William Porter. My work includes acoustic and electroacoustic concert music and film scores for Aeon Magazine.

I began playing organ in seventh grade and have participated in church music since age ten, first as a boy chorister and organ scholar at the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany.

Start here

Tell me what you’d like to study.

Prospective weekly organ and composition students may begin with a free 30-minute introductory meeting. Theory tutoring can be booked directly as a paid session.

willpearsonmusic@gmail.com
What would you like to explore? Choose one or combine several.

This builder prepares an email in your usual mail app; it does not submit or store your information. For students under 18, a parent or guardian should make the inquiry.

The practical details

Studio policies

Scheduling and formats +

Weekly students enroll for 30 lessons from September through May. Organ lessons are primarily in person in Norfolk; composition and theory may be in person or online. Afternoons and evenings are the primary lesson times, with some weekend availability.

Cancellations and makeups +

Please give at least 24 hours’ notice. Up to two makeup lessons are available per semester; if a timely makeup cannot be scheduled, a credit is issued. Emergencies are handled case by case. Teacher cancellations are always rescheduled or credited.

Tuition and withdrawal +

Monthly tuition reserves a regular weekly time. Please give 30 days’ written notice before ending lessons. À-la-carte theory tutoring is paid by appointment.

Practice, technology, and materials +

Organ practice access is arranged individually. Online students need a reliable connection and a device suitable for sharing scores and audio. Students purchase music, software, or method books recommended for their course of study.