Joseph Jansma

Joseph Jansma teaches private cello, music theory, and music composition lessons in Ann Arbor, MI and was a former Suzuki cello, piano, and composition instructor at the Toledo Symphony School of Music in Toledo, OH from 2015-2017. He has been teaching private piano lessons since 2007, private cello and music composition lessons since 2008, and private theory lessons since 2009. He joined the Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute in 2015.

Joseph has studied the piano for 22 years and the cello for 19 years. His notable teachers include Prof. Tanya Remenikova, Dr. James Fiste, Dr. Clyde Beavers, and Dr. Pablo Mahave-Veglia. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music where he focused on cello performance, music theory, and music composition.

In addition to cello and piano, Joseph has studied music theory with ​Dr. David Damschroder, Dr. Michael Cherlin, Dr. Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, and Dr. Sumanth Gopinath; he has studied composition with Prof. James Dillon, Dr. David Gillingham, Dr. José-Luis Maúrtua, and Dr. James Niblock.

Joseph’s drive to teach stems from the desire to uphold the longstanding tradition of excellence instilled in him by his teachers. In piano, cello, and music theory instruction, he wants to give his students the musical background necessary to truly understand classical repertoire and the technique to perform it successfully. When teaching composition, Joseph strives to give his students the technique to compose any music they wish. He works with students of all ages and abilities in order to share a love of music with them.