Olivia De La Fuente
pianist, violinist, and music instructor
My first memory of music was at a concert hall when I was about three years old. It was the holidays, and a chamber group was giving a public performance of classical Christmas pieces. I remember being enraptured by the sounds and movements of the players. This and other similar instances in my childhood helped to shape my passion for music. A couple of years later, my parents enrolled my siblings and I in music lessons - first piano, then strings. I definitely struggled with practice (as most children do) and attempted to quit several times, but at about the age of twelve I fell in love with all things music. Junior high and high school were full of music ministry opportunities, music camps, competitions, and orchestra performances. In early college, I got my first taste of teaching, and immediately knew that I wanted it to be a part of the rest of my life.
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I took on my first regular students my senior year of college. In 2017, after graduating with a Bachelor’s in Sacred Music, I moved home to Ohio, got a desk job, and taught on the side for two years. By January of 2020, I was ready to transition to full-time teaching. In the middle of the pandemic, God opened the door for me to move to Northern Virginia. Working alongside a Christian school, I had all the students my schedule could hold, but I quickly realized the need for high-quality instrumental instruction in my area. A new dream began to take shape in my heart, one of a private music studio with the goal of bridging the gap between general school music education and individual music excellence.
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In September, 2021, Livv N Learn Music Studio was established and ran its first school-year with just ten students. The studio held it’s first recitals, began an online presence, and hosted a summer PIANATHON program. In 2023, the student base continued to expand, growing both in a humble garage studio and via aiding local schools. Soon a new musician friend came on the scene, Martin De La Fuente, and suddenly there was something more wonderful in life than music. We married in late 2024, moved to downtown DC, and relaunched the studio with more virtual options in hopes to connect the Virginia and DC student bases. Working together now, our purpose is to offer affordable, adaptable music tutoring with a God-honoring focus.
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Resume
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Current as of April, 2025
FAQs
What do you teach?
I offer instruction in piano, violin, viola, and cello. My specific area of expertise lies in classical and sacred styles, and I teach primarily those categories. I works with students on a variety of levels from elementary through high school ages and adults.
Can we do lessons at my house?
Except for on Saturdays when I teach at a music store in Virginia, I currently do not travel for lessons, and only teach out of my own in-home studio. I do offer hybrid and virtual lessons. Virtual students must have achieved a certain age and level of music experience to be able to function during a lesson without a teacher present.
Where are you located?
My studio is conveniently located along Mt. Pleasant Street in Columbia Heights, Washington D.C. The nearby schools of Bancroft Elementary, Columbia Heights Educational Campus, and Next Steps Public Charter School, are only about three blocks walking, as is the metro station.
How young can my child start lessons?
Before beginning in-person instruction, generally a child should be reading and counting fluently, and have developed enough fine motor skills to be writing. For students below 2nd grade, Miss Plessinger offers a trial period for lessons (usually 4-6 weeks), or the child can be enrolled in the next course of Tiny Tunes Piano Club. (More information on classes can be found on the Programs page.)
For virtual lessons, a beginning student needs to be at least 8 years old and be independent enough to regulate himself during the teaching session. Younger children may be considered if they have prior music experience.