About Janae
JANAE J. ALMEN
Ms. Janae Almen currently instructs music theory, music composition, computer music, music technology, songwriting, voice, and piano for students of all levels and ages and guitar/bass for beginning to intermediate students.
Janae is a multimedia artist, multi-instrumentalist, soprano, and experienced music educator with ten years experience. She is an accomplished composer and singer-songwriter with over 1,000 original pieces in her library. She fell in love with playing instruments and singing her own songs as a toddler and began studying piano at the age of six. Janae believes creativity is crucial to intellectual development and emotional well-being. As a teacher, she believes her duty is to guide students to find their own creative voice.
Janae has a BA in music education with a minor in piano pedagogy from Judson University, where she studied piano under Dr. Sojung Hong and Prof. Nancy Lemons, voice with Prof. Alyssa Bennett, and composition with Dr. Chris Lemons. Janae also studied guitar and double bass formally.
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She went on to earn her MM in computer music composition from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studied under Dr. Geoffrey Wright and Dr. McGregor Boyle. Her large work, Points of Reference, featured self-created interactive video, algorithmic composition, electronics, and processed voice. Janae continues
to attend workshops for music and arts.
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Janae also enjoys painting, drawing, photography, poetry, yoga,
and paddle-boarding. As a student, her favorite courses were Art
History, World Music, and Music Theory. She is a life-long learner
and continues to study music, art, and tea practices from
around the world.
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Janae is founded Hampton Roads Songwriters and Composers
(now called the "Creativity Collective.") She has recently instructed
Music Theory and Ear Training/Sight-Singing at Aurora University in
Aurora, IL. She is also a professional writer, editor, and social media
manager. Additionally, she is part of the team at Ygg Studios, a
conscious marketing company.
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You can learn more about her as a composer, sound artist, and
writer at her website/blog janaejean.com.
Contact us to book a lesson with Janae.
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Expert Areas:
Piano, Voice, Songwriting, Composition, Electronic Music, Music Theory
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Service Area: Geneva, IL and Online
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Education: MM Computer Music ;
BA Music Education​
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Screen Shot from a Logic Pro Project,
"Money Over Me"