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Katie Fritts
Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Flute, French Horn, Piano, Trumpet, Ukulele, Voice
Teaches in-person at The Magic Flute
“Our daughter, Charlotte, has been studying at The Magic Flute under Katie’s guidance for about a year now and the transformation we’ve seen in her has been remarkable. Charlotte approaches each lesson with genuine enthusiasm, a testament to Katie’s ability to foster both excitement and progress in her students. The nurturing environment at The Magic Flute, combined with Katie’s passionate and encouraging teaching style, has exceeded our expectations. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found such a wonderful music school and teacher for Charlotte, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the experience.” – Joanna
“Katie has now been my daughter's Flute Teacher for the past two years. She is also teaching piano to my younger daughter. All I hear when I walk by their lessons is happiness and joy. I also hear beautiful flute and piano playing. My daughters have developed a love for the flute and piano and Kaitlyn has helped foster that for sure. She is so upbeat and knowledgeable, all at the same time. Extremely patient as well. And really no pressure at all. Katie brings joy into learning." — Allison
Growing up, every musical opportunity that was available to me, I took. I have first-hand knowledge and experience auditioning for, and succeeding in, Santa Rosa’s multiple levels of youth orchestra, county and state honor bands, and various smaller groups. At age 15, I auditioned on trumpet, sent in my original compositions, and I was accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston (though attending did not become my reality).
I started mentoring younger musicians, as a real job, as a teenager. It is a great privilege to be an influence in a young musician’s education, and it is especially important to teach young people to cherish their music, no matter the instrument or the level of skill. I believe that music is one of the closest things we have to real magic in our lives.
I play multiple instruments but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be piano, because my grandmother taught me to play. Her piano is now mine and I use it in my lessons today. I love teaching beginners through middle school because they get so excited about music! I try to get them to relate their instrument to different musical genres and styles, exploring the places ideal for their instrument and how to find a good expression for songs that do not necessarily seem to fit their instrument.
Before we begin playing, as we get acquainted during our first lesson, my students learn that "sound is everything". The simplest song played in a beautiful rendition is worth more than the most difficult song played with mediocrity. I vary lessons by age level and each students’ goals, always answering theory questions as appropriately as I can (and sometimes in depth depending on the students; there are plenty of 4th graders, and younger, who are capable and willing to understand the formula to a major scale). My approach is to support school music obligations first, then secondly, fulfill the students’ desire to learn how to handle their instrument. I often make custom arrangements of songs…. pop songs, electronic music, movie themes, and video game themes to keep my students engaged and aware of all the possibilities. My students are often the ones, in their music classes, with access to more notes as chromatic exercises are a key part of our studies.
My husband is a San Rafael native, and growing up, he took lessons at The Magic Flute! He also participated in Marin’s Youth Crescendo Orchestra. As a Petaluma native, I am a former Petaluma City Schools District student, with the privilege of having studied music under the extraordinary Mr. Preston Bailey (who earned his teaching credential in the Dixie School District (now known as Miller Creek). We have a son who greatly enjoys playing The Legend of Zelda songs on his Ocarina and a daughter who very much loves her school’s “Play Marimba!” program, in which she participates in various singing opportunities throughout the school year.