Grace Mehm, Private Oboe and Piano Instructor

Grace Mehm holds a Master's Degree in Oboe Performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory of music at California State University, Long Beach. At the Cole Conservatory she had the privilege of studying oboe and English horn with Carolyn Hove. Her Bachelor's Degree, also in Oboe Performance, is from the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut. While there she studied with oboist Humbert Lucarelli.

Grace has extensive experience teaching private and group lessons, including lessons in Piano, English Horn, reed making, and Music Theory. Her students have gone on to win scholarships and place in honor orchestras. Grace loves working with students of all ages and experience levels. Her students enjoy coming to their lessons and learning something new each week. Currently, her students hold the top spots in nTyme's (North Torrance Youth Musicians Ensemble) Chamber Orchestra.

Locally, Grace has performed with the Dana Point Symphony, Symphony Irvine, as well as other groups around Southern California. Previously, she was a long time member of the Cheshire Symphony.
Oboe Lessons
Available for all levels, ages 7 and up.

Oboe Lessons

Levels Taught: All levels
Ages: 7 & up
Price: Starting at $30 for 30 minutes
Locations: In home, and online
Other options: English horn, reed making

I start my oboe students off using the Rubank Oboe Method. It provides them with a solid foundation of scales and rhythmic patterns, while also incorporating folk songs and duets for lyrical study. As the student progresses, other method books will be recommended based on the student's interests and level. Solo repertoire is also assigned based on student's level of playing. Students are also encouraged to bring their school music to lessons for review and also to seek out music that interests them.
Piano Lessons
Available for beginners of all ages

Piano Lessons

Levels Taught: Beginner
Ages: 5 & up
Price: Starting at $30 for 30 minutes
Locations: In home, and online

For my piano students I use the Piano Adventures series of lesson books. At each level they incorporate scales, etudes, music reading music theory, and rhythmic exercises to ensure the student has a solid musical foundation that they can apply to any other instrument they might take up in the future. I also try to incorporate games and activities into the lesson for my younger students to keep them engaged in learning. I also encourage students to bring any music that interests them into their lessons.
Music Theory Lessons
Available for beginners of all ages

Music Theory

Levels Taught: Beginner
Ages: 12 & up
Price: Starting at $30 for 30 minutes
Locations: In home, and online

For my music theory students I use Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Complete book. Lesson time is used to complete Ear Training activities and discuss new topics. Activity worksheets are assigned for homework and progress is tracked using Unit Tests. I'm also available to prepare students for the MTAC Certificate of Merit winds theory exam.

Lesson Locations
In-home lessons will incur a $10 per lesson travel fee. I currently travel to the Torrance, Hawthorne, Redondo Beach, San Pedro, Southbay area on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. The rest of the week I travel within a 10 mile radius of zipcode 90680. Lesson scheduling and payment will be handled through Takelessons.com. My availability is updated on a regular basis. Please contact me for more information about in-home lessons. 

​Online lessons require a high-speed internet connection and a webcam enabled laptop/tablet. I prefer to offer online lessons through TakeLessons Classroom, offered through TakeLessons.com. Their lesson platform is easily accessed through the student's TakeLessons account, allows students to record their lessons for review between lessons, and it doesn't have the lag that Skype does. I also offer online lessons through Wyzant.com and Lessonface.com. Both platforms are very similar to TakeLessons Classroom. Please contact me for more information about online lessons.

Studio Rules and Guidelines

By signing up for lessons you agree to the following guidelines. Guidelines are subject to change. 
​If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me prior to signing up for lessons. 
  • Lessons will start promptly at the agreed upon time. If a student arrives late, it will be at my discretion whether or not to accommodate for lost lesson time.
  • 24 hour notice must be given to cancel or reschedule a lesson. If proper notice is not given, the lesson must still be paid and can only be rescheduled at my discretion decided on a case by case basis. 
  • For lessons scheduled through TakeLessons: Lessons must be paid in full a minimum of 24hrs prior to the scheduled start time. After that time, any unpaid lessons will be cancelled and any recurring spot in my schedule will be forfeited. 
  • For lessons scheduled through another platform: Please refer to that platform's support pages for more information about lesson payments. Please contact me with any questions.
  • I reserve the right to end a lesson early due to a student’s lack of preparedness or behavior. The lesson will still be paid in full.
  • Parents are strongly encouraged to sit in on lessons and are welcome to take notes and video to help with practicing at home.