A Bit About Us
The College of Cello, founded and run solely by Juilliard-trained cellist Keith Williams, is designed completely with the adult student in mind. From the curriculum to the coaching, every aspect has been finely tuned to provide adults with the best possible environment for studying the cello and achieving their goals. Our mission is clear: give adults the support they need to really play the cello, to the highest level they desire.
Our Students
Our students are professionals from all fields, beginners, hobbyists, amateurs, retirees, college students, moms, dads, grandparents, and even professional musicians branching out to a second instrument. Our students have started from scratch, picked the cello back up after 40 years, played in their local community events, discovered the joy of playing with others, given their own concerts, and even won auditions.
Stories from our students:
Novice
Richard is a flat-out beginner. He had actually tried cello lessons a few years earlier, but quickly quit when it just wasn’t making sense. In less than a year at College of Cello though, he’s mastered the basic elements of both hands, and is producing a beautiful cello sound. What’s the difference?
Intermediate
When Tracy started 5 years ago, he had tension everywhere, couldn’t hit a single shift, and couldn’t draw a draw a straight bow. Now? He just finished his first Bach suite, is working on his first concerto, has conquered many famously gnarly etudes, and he happily plays beautiful hymns for his church’s worship service on on Sundays. What’s Tracy say?
Advanced
Or maybe you’re like Alex – cello isn’t your main job but you want to play and perform at the highest level anyway…
What We Offer
Why adults learn more with us
Better Materials
Get more done with less timecreated for adults
Adults have less time, better focus, stronger self-motivation, and are more determined. Keith took this into account and wrote etudes for them. Don’t slow your progress with materials for children.
Classes
Exponentially accelerate your growthLearn the fundamentals
Your ability to play the cello is directly limited by your proficiency in the basic skills of music. We raise your growth ceiling by drilling the basics in our classes until you know them cold.
Certificates
Pursue excellence at any levelachieve something real
We offer certificates programs for achieving high standards for beginner, intermediate, or advanced cellists. Start at the bottom and work your way up or satisfy yourself by achieving any one!
Our Students Say
I am an adult student, who hadn’t played for 20 years. I took lessons with Keith for a summer 4 years ago, and in a short period of time Keith had me playing better than I ever had. I have recently started taking lessons with Keith online. I was at first skeptical about how productive online lessons would be, but I have been very pleased with it.Keith is very observant and an excellent listener. He can quickly diagnose what a student is doing incorrectly, and give very specific advice on how to fix it. His passion for music and the cello is infectious, and I would recommend him wholeheartedly!
Keith is an excellent teacher. Very knowledgeable about the cello and music theory. He finds ways to explain concepts so they make sense and he is patient, supportive and inspiring. I have thoroughly enjoyed cello lessons after not playing for over 40 years. He obviously loves what he does and brings that to every lesson.
Keith Williams is one of the most giving and generous instructors I have ever worked with. He is a master of his craft and a gifted teacher. He is passionate about what he does and it shows in every lesson. He possesses the clarity needed to explain challenging concepts and the patience to slowly and repeatedly walk through the careful steps needed to build a solid technical foundation. He has held me to a high standard while fostering a nurturing and relaxed environment conducive to growth and creativity. I truly thank God for the progress I’ve been making in my studies with him.
Keith’s musical coachings with my vocal repertoire have also been highly beneficial, as his musical sensitivity applies to many styles and genres within the classical realm. I highly recommend Keith as an instructor– not only for cello, but also for music theory and general coaching.
Keith is a terrific teacher and an inspiring musician. I had the privilege of working with him while preparing orchestral excerpts for an audition. I was successful in winning the principal position, largely due to his attention to detail and nuanced ear.
He understands how to identify areas that can be improved and help the musician, regardless of level, attain that goal. In my experience, he balanced practical excerpt preparation with musical discussion of active listening. Keith plays with such unique, natural expression while always remaining honest to the score. I particularly found meaningful his generosity of time and willingness to help me. I highly recommend him to any cellist hoping to grow at their craft!
I have been taking lessons with Keith for over 7 months now, and I am very glad that I have made so much progress.
As an adult student, I started my cello study 2 years ago, and developed the bad habit of tensing up whenever I play. That really bothers me because my sound turns out to be very uneven and crunchy.
During our lessons, Keith is so patient and helpful that he starts with the very basics of holding the bow and positioning my hands and arms. He is also very good at demonstrating things and making abstract ideas easy for people to understand. He pursues the best quality in both his own playing and his teaching, and I have learned a lot from him.
If you hope to start or further your cello study, Keith is definitely one of the best teachers you could find!