For those turning off Avenue A onto Fourth Street in Turners Falls, the air often carries the faint, melodic chime of piano keys. The sound leads to a storefront studio where instructor Streeter Elliott is building more than just a business — he’s composing a new space for local musicians to dream on a major scale.
Elliott, a resident of South Deerfield, opened Elliott Piano at 131B Avenue A at the beginning of February. Sitting at the bench of his Yamaha M-500, he explained that this space was one of the few like it in the area.
“When I was looking for piano lessons to continue after graduating college, the only other piano studio that really came up was Glover Piano in South Deerfield,” he recalled. “It just seemed like there was a need for another piano teacher in the area.”
The new space, which was previously a therapist’s office, is still sparsely furnished and decorated. The piano takes center stage, while a small couch, a vintage stereo and a vibrant music-themed circular rug make the room feel cozy. The goal, Elliott said, is “to create a space where kids can feel safe to play and explore what music means to them.”
“I want the space to be very welcoming and centering. I want kids to know when they walk in here, they can just shed the cares of whatever else is going on in their lives,” he expressed, emulating his own past teachers who had been “mentors” and “positive adult role models.”
Before attending the University of Maine to study music, the 29-year-old multi-instrumentalist grew up in Bernardston and started learning music at an early age. His journey began with chorus, band and musicals in grade school. Later, he went on to take private music lessons at places such as Artspace Greenfield and Matt Kim’s Academy of Rock in Greenfield. He also joined a local hip-hop group, which grew a network that fostered his “deep connection and appreciation for the music scene in general.”
While his foundation was comprehensive, Elliott stressed that there is unique value in having schools dedicated entirely to the piano. He’d found these spaces to be few and far between, observing only “a handful of options between Brattleboro and Northampton” with such a specific focus.
The piano, Elliott said, is a “great teaching tool” and gateway into broader musical exploration, which warrants individualized attention. Specializing also accommodates gaps that cannot be filled in other settings where time and resources have to be spread across several subjects.
“I have so much love and appreciation for our public school music teachers, private school music teachers … but I also really feel for them because I feel like around every corner is a budget cut or something that’s probably going to affect them first,” he said. “Music has always been considered non-essential.”
Prior to having his first session at his Turners Falls studio, Elliott built up a small base of clientele over the course of a month and had been traveling as far as Hinsdale, New Hampshire, to give lessons. As of early March, he has five clients who attend sessions at Elliott Piano, some of whom he had previously visited for home lessons.
Elliott is actively looking to expand and encourages interested people of all ages to schedule a free introductory phone call at elliottpiano.com.
Lessons are by-appointment only and can be booked on the website’s homepage. Rates are $40 for a 30-minute session, $60 for a 45-minute session and $80 for a 60-minute session. He is also offering a limited-time discount of 50% off new students’ first lessons as a “lower commitment opportunity” for prospective pupils to test the waters.
