Olivia De La Fuente

A Music-Filled Childhood

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 opportunities, music camps, competitions, church ministries, 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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Education and Career

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 music classes my schedule could hold, but I quickly realized the particular need for high-quality instrumental instruction in my area. A new dream took shape in my heart, one of a private music education with the goal of supporting school music education with individual music instruction.

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A Studio Is Born

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 recital, began an online presence, and hosted a summer PIANATHON program. In 2023, it worked alongside Dale City Music (Dale City, VA), a relationship that has continued since then. The student base c expand, growing both in a humble garage studio, the music store, and in local schools. 2024 brought a new musician friend on the scene, Martin De La Fuente, and suddenly there was something more wonderful in life than just music. Olivia & Martin were married in late 2024, moved to DC, and continued the studio there, connecting the Virginia and DC student bases throughout 2025. Sadly, Dale City Music decided to close its doors permanently in July of 2026. Miss Olivia has continued serving in the same area through renting spaces from nearby churches. Her hope is to continue offering affordable, adaptable music tutoring to the students of Virginia & DC, and to support the next generation of musicians for a lifetime to come.