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Welcome to Minnix Music

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I am so happy you stopped by to check
out my music lesson site. I am looking
forward to teaching you how to make music!
 

Background check: Last verified 11/25/2014

Willy teaches: Children 7 and up and Adults,

private and group lessons available,

home-school group lessons

Teaching since: July 1994

 

What the Kids Are Saying About Minnix Music Lessons!

 

   

 

Top 10 Reasons To Take Music Lessons

10. Music Education helps train your brain in many ways - Music lessons develop the portion of the brain that controls language, helps children increase their IQ level, and improves test scores. These are just a few proofs that a musical education helps develop your brain!

9. Music Education provides a life-long skill that can be useful in many different settings, work, education, religious and several other uses throughout ones lifetime.

8. Music Education provides a powerful tool against depression throughout ones life by teaching one how to refocus negative emotions.

7. Music Education helps with basic memory recall. Not only does music education help develop and train your brain, it also can increase your memory. Studies have shown that music education even helps Alzheimer's patients by slowing some of the progression of the memory eating disease.

6. Music Education helps young children learn discipline, and teaches them the benefits and rewards of working hard to accomplish something, by providing step by step goals for them to accomplish each week, and by demonstrating to them in a very tangible way progress as they achieve those goals.

5. Music Education instills creativity, which trains students to think outside of the box when tackling difficult problems in life. This creative element allows music students to go on to be excellent team leaders, who know how to think critically about overcoming problems.

4. Music Education builds teamwork - In order for a band to sound good, each member must be a team player, or else the band does not sound right. Music education teaches kids how to work together, and the sound itself trains the kids in positive and encouraging ways as the band gets more and more tight knit.

3. Music education allows all people a chance to express themselves in positive ways. I always tell my students that learning to play an instrument is like giving a voice to your soul. Music Education teaches you how to express what you feel inside in a beneficial way to everyone. 

2. Music education teaches kids how to overcome anxiety. When they realize how much the audience loves to hear them perform, it instills confidence in them, and helps them develop good methods of dealing with stress, which in turn can help keep them away from harmful ways of dealing with stress.

1. Everyone knows the top reason - Playing an instrument instantly makes you cool! When you're having fun playing music with your friends, and other people get to enjoy it, there is nothing on earth cooler than that!

For more health and mental benefits to music education check out what VH1 says about it here: Why Music?

And also here at the National Association for Music Education: 20 Important Benefits of Music Education.

 

Why Take Lessons With Willy?

About Willy Minnix

Overview

Willy has been teaching music for twenty years, carrying on the tradition he learned when his father taught him piano as a youth. He is a multi-instrumentalist with a degree in music from Earlham College in historic Richmond, IN (the birthplace of recorded jazz, and home of 30s era Gennett Records).

Willy is also a published author. He written three books, part of an on going series about open D tuning for the mandolin, entitled "Dead Man's Tuning Vol. 1" and Dead Man's Tuning: Christmas Edition." They are available for sale at www.willyminnix.com, and amazon, or can be ordered from your local Barnes and Noble, Borders or BAM.

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As a father of four young children, Willy teaches in a family friendly environment. Willy offers group lessons, called the Stringed Instrument Workshop, for all ages. At the SIW events, he has taught elementary students as well as adults all the way up to 86 years old! Willy is a background checked teacher and would love to pass on his knowledge of music to you and your family!

Photos and Videos

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 Willy and Elijah playing at the Fourth Street Fair in historic Richmond, IN!
 
Willy and Some Students Performing Live
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Where Can I Get An Instrument?
 
This is a great deal, and you might want to check it out before it expires! A guitar and a mandolin for the price of one. You could start your very own stringed instrument workshop!
 
Guitar Mandolin.png  You can find it at Musician's Friend or at Guitar Center!
 
You might also be interested in checking out our Winston-Salem Homeschooler Music page as well!
 
 
 

Experience

Music Teacher Sep 2010 - May 2011
Richmond Academy

Taught music to elementary, jr. high and high school students. Taught private piano, guitar and mandolin lessons.

Sound Technician Jan 2008 - Sep 2010
Tarry Town Music Hall

Willy was a sound technician and stage hand for Tarry Town Music Hall where he was able to work with many well known music artists such as Procol Harum, Keb' Mo', the Indigo Girls, Yonder Mountain Stringed Band and Dweezel Zappa.

Music Teacher Aug 2009 - May 2010
Hudson Valley Christian Academy

Taught Music to Elementary school children. Also taught Piano, Guitar and Banjo lessons privately.

Music Instructor Aug 2006 - May 2007
Frisco School Of Music

Taught Piano and Guitar.

Substitute Teacher for Band Aug 1997 - May 2004
Centerville Jr./Sr. High

Taught Music and Substitute taught elementary, Jr. and Sr. High students.

As a sound technician Willy gained valuable experience working at the world famous Tarry Town Music Hall near Sleepy Hollow, NY, where he worked with top notch touring bands like Blues Traveler, the Indigo Girls, Robert Cray, Keb' Mo', They Might Be Giants, Dweezle Zappa, They Might Be Giants, Paul Shaffer, the Marshall Tucker Band, and the late, great Levon Helm. He also worked with A-list actors such as Stanley Tucci, James Cahn, Kevin Bacon and Keanu Reeves.

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Back Stage With the Blind Boys of Alabama

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Working With blues legend Keb' Mo'.


While living in Austin, TX, Willy was a member of the American Federation of Musicians alongside greats like Los Lonely Boys, George Straight, Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson.

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Willy and Paul Shaffer from the Late Show with David Letterman and the Blues Brothers

Education

Master's Christian Ministry Sep 2008 - Present
Crown College
 
Continuing Education Ministry Aug 2011 - Aug 2013
Christian Leaders Institute
 
Church Planting May 2008 - Jul 2008
Church Planter's Boot Camp Ft. Worth, TX
 
Church Planting May 2005 - May 2005
Church Planter's Boot Camp Orlando, FL
 
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Sep 1993 - May 1997
Earlham College
 
General Studies Aug 1989 - May 1993
Centerville Sr. High

Certifications

Pastor License Sep 2012
Missionary Church USA

Licensed Minister with the Missionary Church USA.

Pastor License Sep 2002
Christian and Missionary Alliance

Licensed Minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance

Affiliations

Broadcast Music Inc. Nov 2014
BMI

One of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed. In FY 2013, BMI collected more than $944 million in licensing fees and distributed $814 million in royalties.

American Federation of Musicians May 2004
AFM

A labor union representing professional musicians in the United States and Canada. Founding in 1896 as the successor to the "National League of Musicians," the AFM is the largest organization in the world representing the interests of professional musicians.

 

5 Reviews on Willy M.

Sandy Atwell Marcum
★★★★★

Sandy M.

February 4, 2015

Richmond Academy, Richmond, IN

You should know that Jacobi, my grandson, whom you started teaching drums. Is now playing for school Chapel Praise & Worship as well as his church youth group.

 


★★★★★
Renée T. January 16, 2015

Piano and SIW - In Studio

We miss having you as Jayden's music instructor. You knew how to embrace his creativity and talent! I enjoyed learning to play the mandolin is string instrument workshop this summer. We had a fun time and also learned how to play our instruments.

 

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★★★★★
 
Trevor R. November 25, 2014
Fiddle · In studio
I wasn't really taking mandolin, but fiddle in the Stringed Instrument Workshop, but I loved it. Willy is a great teacher. I especially enjoyed the SIW, with my kids. It was a lot of fun to learn musical techniques with lots of people of different skill levels. I'm not the best musician, but Willy makes you feel like you can participate even if you don't understand all of the theory.

The Stringed Instrument Workshop last year was really fun because almost everyone in the group won some different musical freebies from different music stores nearby. We had a cookout and a concert, and both of my children were able to perform in front of the class. Willy set up a stage, lights and a sound system for us all to feel like we were stars! It was such a fun time, and we even had hotdogs and marshmallows!

I loved the Stringed Instrument Workshop so much, I had him teach my kids private lessons too, and they love it.
 
 
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★★★★★
 
Gideon J. November 31, 2014
Piano · In studio
I loved taking lessons with Willy. I am only 7, and I am just learning, but am starting to play the Charlie Brown theme song. I can also play a little bit of Shorten Bread. There's another song too. It's a song that I learned that I really liked, can't remember the words, but it's a good song. I love piano lessons.
 
 
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★★★★★
 
Etta T. December 5, 2014
Mandolin · In studio
Mr. Willy helped me learn the song "Mean" by Taylor Swift!! I was so happy to play! I took the Stringed Instrument Workshop and I loved it! It was so much fun, and I was able to learn with my friends. It was easy to learn, and we learned how to play "Amazing Grace," together. We played it for my church and everyone loved it!!! :)

I will continue playing mandolin, and want to also learn violin, piano and guitar. I can even play "Mean" on the 12 string guitar now in open tunings!!
 
 
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★★★★★
 
Liam D. December 12, 2014
Acoustic Guitar · In studio
Willy changed my life!! I used to not be able to play guitar, but now I can! I have so much confidence in myself now, and I love playing guitar. I will play guitar until I die!!! Thanks so much Willy for helping me believe in myself!