Music theory lessons in The Netherlands

Hernan is not just a good teacher but an exceptional one. I have had only one lesson with him so far, but I got so much from it, that I am looking forward to the next one. He went above and beyond from the beginning. He is very modest and professional in his teaching style, which makes it easy to absorb what he teaches. I would say I am an advanced composition and intermediate orchestration student with decades studying and composing by myself. I had been thinking about taking some advanced online courses available on the internet, but almost all such courses are really work-on-your-own courses. They might have Facebook groups available at best, where you can post questions. But they cannot compare to having a real teacher with the hands-on knowledge guiding you one on one. That one session was packed with so many great insights which I could have never gotten out of any video course or book. Only an insider of orchestration craft and the music composition industry could have such insights. I am looking forward to what I can learn in future lessons. UPDATE AFTER 15 LESSONS: I stopped after 15 lessons because honestly it will take me a long time to process and apply everything Hernan has given me. I will be applying it to my large portfolio of compositions, and I know my compositions are going to be much more mature and well-crafted after I apply what I have learnt to them. I have a completely tranformed attitude and understanding of music composition and orchestration craft. I thought it was simply a matter of learning additional material to get me to the advanced level of the masters. But I have learnt it is a whole world of nuances, subtleties and experience that the masters had a grasp of that allowed them to create at that level. Hernan has given me a good initiation into that world. I have also acquired tools and skills that will allow me to continue the journey on my own. Thank you Hernan.

Not just a singing teacher, but by the way also the best vocal coach you can get hold of at this moment and in this area of the Netherlands (so take your chance...;-)). For about 3 years I had a serious problem with my vocal chords (incomplete closure) and a dislocated larynx. I started to be in contact with Stefano by chance asking him to show me some (singing) exercises additionally to my treatment at the ENT-department of Martini Ziekenhuis Groningen as well as an ongoing therapy at a professional trained speech therapist. To cut a long story short: Within a couple of lessons and dedicated exercises he succeeded in re-positioning my larynx and got rid of my incomplete vocal cords closure, meanwhile the medical specialists had decided that the only cure could possibly be an operation... As a ‘side-effect’ I am now able to sing and control my voice like I have never been able before and could never have imagined that this was possible to achieve by just some simple but individually chosen exercises and practice. Grazie!

I have been taking private lessons from Joao for more than 6 months and I am completely thrilled with it! Although I am a beginner in piano, I can see that Joao is very knowledgeable in his field. What I like most is that he utilizes technology very effectively to help me understand tricky theoretical concepts. He also prepares tailored exercises for me, which makes me feel very valued. He really puts his time in preparing homeworks and supplementary documents even before and after the class to be sure that I understand what he is teaching. Joao is also quite responsive. He is very flexible in terms of the course content and willing to adapt to my changing needs over time. Still, as a teacher, he keeps in mind what foundations I need to build and he does not lose track of what I want as an ultimate goal, so he comes with a structured curriculum that I realize over time. I can only recommend Joao if you are looking for a dedicated piano teacher who loves what he does.