Our family had the pleasure of Judy Rodwell's tutelage from approximately 1987 through 1999. She taught our three daughters from the time they were six; one daughter continued through high school and became very poised and proficient. She also had the patience to teach me.

I am confident that her teaching was technically superb. Each of the children has remained engaged in music. Even more importantly, from my point of view, was her ability to create a lifelong love of music and the confidence that comes from achievement through discipline, with a gentle, caring and frequently humorous touch. She became a friend and mentor to her pupils and their families. Though one is rarely sure of the choices made in life, I am sure that this was a good one.

Robert Beach, Jr.

Judy is an amazing teacher. Through childhood piano lessons, she instilled a lifelong love of music in me. Even today, more than 10+ years since my last lesson with Judy, I still find myself thinking back to our meetings and thinking about the lessons she taught me.

The strong foundation in music that Judy gave me has allowed me to pursue my dream of making music. Just 3 years after my last lesson with Judy, I began working on my Bachleors Degree in Music Education. Immediately following my graduation, I began work on my Masters of Music Degree from the University of Miami. After receiving my Masters of Music in May 2008, I went into the recording studio and recorded my first full length album of original piano music. All the accomplishments in my life have their roots in the piano lessons I took as a child with Judy Rodwell.

Judy is a very patient teacher who never gave up on me when I was having difficulty learning a new piece of music. She always knew the right balance of giving me some help, yet still letting me figure it out on my own. I was never just spoon-fed any of the answers, and that is where the real discovery and learning of music takes places.

Today, because of Judy, I am enjoying teaching music and audio classes at several colleges in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, running a small recording studio, and teaching piano to students of all ages. Not a day in my life goes by, where I do not think back to my lessons with Judy and how wonderful a teacher she is.

Samuel Faraci, M.M.

Sam's personal / composer page

Sam's piano instruction site

My name is Ronald Mallett and I'm professor of physics at the University of Connecticut. I am also a lover of music. All of my life I have loved music of the piano. At a very difficult time in my life a dear friend of mine introduced me to her piano teacher Judy Rodwell. One of the most significant and gratifying decisions I've made in my life was to have Judy as my piano teacher. A memoir of mine has been published called "Time Traveler" in which I relate the importance of Judy for me as a teacher and friend. I will quote directly from pages 141- 142 of that book:

During my years of living alone I took up the piano. Listening to classical music had always been a source of comfort for me. At my first piano lesson, there was something about the form and flow of musical notes on a score that reminded me of mathematical equations. My piano teacher, Judy Rodwell, predicted that because of the mathematical basis for the laws of musical harmony, my background would serve me well in learning to play. I soon developed a passion for the keyboard, and would spend many hours each week practicing. I eventually experienced the satisfaction of mastering Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor. This somber piece spoke to me of longing and loss. Somehow, it gave my feelings an avenue of expression. Playing the piano became cathartic. Coming home from work, I would sit at the keyboard and play nonstop, sometimes forgetting to eat or even turn on the lights. Slowly, thanks in large measure to music, the hole in my soul began to close back up. In small doses I started enjoying life again; seeing old friends, making new ones.

Incidentally, "Time Traveler" is to be made into a feature film by the gifted filmmaker Spike Lee. I have a grand piano in my living room and every time I see the piano or touch the keys I think with gratitude of my dear teacher Judy Rodwell.

Ronald L. Mallett, Ph.D

My husband and I are not musicians. Our journey into the musical world began when our four year old son’s preschool teacher suggested we get him involved in music lessons. My husband and I shared a common concern that he was too young. However, the tremendous respect we had for his teacher motivated us to agree to allow him to observe her daughter’s piano lesson, and then let our son decide if he wanted to pursue playing a musical instrument. That piano teacher was Judy Rodwell, and after watching her teach for one half hour, he wanted to play the piano.

Furthermore, because of our son’s young age, I observed his lessons and brought our three year old daughter, expecting she would play quietly for the 30 minute lesson. Much to our surprise, within a week or two of our son’s first lesson, our daughter climbed up on the piano bench with her brother and quietly watched him play during his lesson. She began to “practice” at home. With Judy’s encouragement, we expanded the piano lesson to 45 minutes, and Judy tenderly began to teach our three year old! She played in her first recital that spring.

That was 13 years ago….and the rest is history. We have three children and our home is filled with music! All three children continue to play the piano, and flute, marimba, timpani and drum set have been added through the years. They are involved in festivals, competitions and various bands, deriving a great deal of pleasure from their musical involvement. Incidentally, our three year old is now a sophomore in high school, and she is learning Sonata No. 48, a nineteen page piece by J. Haydn. We’ve come a long way!

Needless to say, we have become strong believers in early music instruction. With Judy’s training, our children learned to play for the joy of musical performance before their lives became complicated with homework and other activities. Although Judy moved when our children were still young, and they have continued with a teacher recommended by Judy, we give her the credit for laying a strong foundation, by teaching in a way that motivated our young children to enjoy playing the piano. She has a unique talent for helping a child progress relatively quickly from beginning pieces, to more complex work, while still emphasizing precision. This was a winning combination for our young children because a strong sense of competency was a key motivator in creating a desire to continue to practice and excel. Judy’s innate sense of understanding the individual child and her training as a professional were highly successful in creating a love of music in our young children. For that, we are very grateful.

Mary Sullivan

As a child I learned to "play the piano." Now I'm over 50 and, after six months as a student of Judy Rodwell, I have learned to "make music." I performed for over 20 people and received a standing ovation. This was possible because Judy has been supportive, patient, and knowledgeable.

Sandy Thomas

After our son had been asking to take piano lessons for two years, we asked friends we trusted who their children took piano lessons from. Two people highly recommended Judy Rodwell, so we called and set up a visit with her. Since our son was just starting school, she had us sit in on lessons with 2 students who were of similar age and we were very impressed with how she engaged the child in his or her lesson and the progress they had already made as a young student.

Those early lessons, and the ones that followed for the next five years until Judy moved to North Carolina, were the foundation for our son's musical career.

Judy's approach to teaching was always encouraging and after working on the basics every week, she always had him play something he wanted to learn that was fun. We liked her dual approach of using the Suzuki method and the more traditional Palmer method books so that our son learned to read music from the beginning, not just memorizing the song as he heard his teacher play them. As a piano player myself, I knew how important it was for him to learn to read music.

Judy had him play through all the rhythm and chord books, and Hanon finger exercises, and as he progressed in those, his level of skill in note memorization and ear training increased. Those early "music theory lessons" stuck with him after Judy left and he went on to another piano teacher and added mallet percussion and organ lessons to his weekly routine. By the time he was a sophomore in high school, it was evident he was going to follow music as a career. We continued to see the solid foundation that Judy built, expanded, and then used to Mark's fullest ability when he played piano accompaniment for the high school chorus or band, his church choir, and later as the church Organ Scholar in his senior year of high school.

When Mark took AP Music Theory his junior year of high school, those theory lessons that Judy taught him about chords, keys, and rhythm came back to him. He not only had an easy time with the course, but passed it with the highest grades.

Mark went on to Seton Hill University to major in Sacred Music and Music Education. He again was able to build upon the foundation started by Judy in his piano, organ, and music theory classes. He will be graduating in May 2009 with Bachelor of Music degree and hopes to pass on that knowledge to others as he becomes a teacher and a church organist/choir director.

We will leave you with this thought. At one point, Mark wanted to quit piano lessons like most kids do around 12 or 13. Judy looked at him and said, "God has given you a gift, and you need to continue to take lessons so that you can bless others with that gift. For you to give it up and not use it, would be such a waste." We can't think of a better tribute to the Lord when we sit and listen to Mark play the organ in the church where he has had an organist/choir director job for the last three years, and the music just soars straight up to heaven.

Your child is in good hands. Judy has our contact information if you wish to get in touch with us.

Terry and Betsy Clark