Stephen Agnew (“Mr. Steve”), the founder of Lifelong Music School, has well over a decade of experience teaching music to students of all ages from infants to adults, in group classes as well as private instrumental instruction. At Whitehouse Prep and online, he teaches private lessons and music classes for students of all ages during the school day, afternoons, and weekends.

Stephen began taking piano lessons in kindergarten, adding guitar lessons in middle school, and continuing lessons in both instruments through college. Upon graduating, he performed as a guitarist in a series of bands. He has experience in recording, synthesizer programming, MIDI and digital audio production, arranging, and composing. He frequently creates personalized arrangements of pop and rock songs for his older students to perform in recitals.

Stephen graduated with honors in music from Hamilton College in 2001, with a double major in
economics. He went on to earn his Master’s in Teaching from Montclair State University in 2006. He worked as a long-term substitute teacher in various elementary and middle schools, while also working as an SAT math tutor, and then spent a few years as a preschool teacher before shifting to teaching music around 2010. In 2012, Stephen began teaching music classes at Whitehouse Preparatory School, implementing his own early childhood music curriculum. In 2013, he also began to offer private guitar and piano lessons at Whitehouse Prep for students of all ages.

Stephen teaches guitar, piano, bass guitar, ukulele, banjo, rock band classes, early childhood music classes, music technology, music theory, recording and sound design, composition, and ear training. He is comfortable instructing students of all ages, from very young children to senior citizens, and has experience in a wide range of musical styles, including classical, rock, folk, blues, jazz, and popular music. He is very comfortable teaching students with special needs and has several current students who fall at various points on the autism spectrum. He has successfully prepared countless students to perform in annual recitals, graded music competitions and evaluations, high school jazz band auditions, and college entrance exams.

For more information, email LifelongMusicSchool@gmail.com or schedule a phone or video call.