Jarvis Piano - Learn Songs, Chords & Play by Ear
Top Pro
$120
Estimated price
Responds in about 2 hours
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About
Most piano lessons only teach you how to read music—and nothing else.
My lessons are for students who want to sit down and just play: arrange songs, jam with friends, read a chord chart, play by ear, or make something up on the spot.
With practical, at-the-piano music theory, you’ll be able to:
1. Make your own covers of your favorite songs in different styles and moods.
2. Hear a song on the radio and figure it out at the piano on the spot.
3. Confidently jam with other musicians in all kinds of musical settings.
4. Play the music you want to learn: pick up new genres—jazz, rock, classical, pop, with much more ease
5. Read music better, too: ironically, you’ll read sheet music more fluently because you understand what’s going on—you understand the language of music.
ABOUT ME:
Pianist Harrison Batten Jarvis experienced his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of sixteen and was subsequently named to CBC Music’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30”. He has soloed with orchestras at Lincoln Center in New York City, at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and with the Etobicoke Philharmonic in Toronto. He holds degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Music (A.R.C.T.) and Bard College Conservatory (B.Mus in piano performance and B.A. in written arts).
Harrison's teachers have been named to the Order of Canada (Andre Laplante), been a finalist for the National Book Award (Jenny Xie), won a Pulitzer prize (Elizabeth Frank), and had a composition played in honour of the 2020 Presidential inauguration (Joan Tower). Their pedagogical lineages trace back to John Ashbery, Franz Liszt and Beethoven.
Send me a message and I’d be happy to set up a free trial lesson.
Overview
Current Top Pro
Hired 8 times
Serves New York, NY
Background checked
1 employee
5 years in business
Business hours
This pro hasn't listed their business hours.
Payment methods
This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Credit card, Google Pay, PayPal, Samsung Pay, Stripe, and Zelle.
Services offered
Musical style
Classical
Pop
Jazz
Work location
I work remotely (phone or internet)
Projects and media
Projects and media
Reviews
Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, professionalism, and value.
Exceptional 5.0
20 reviews
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Read reviews that mention:
David C.
3 weeks ago
Hired on Thumbtack
My lessons with Harrison have been fantastic. He’s very thorough and adapts really well to my learning style and how I understand music. Learning songs through chords instead of sheet music has felt way more intuitive. It helps me focus on what I’m hearing instead of just what I’m looking at.
It’s been a long time since I last tried piano, but this has honestly been the best experience I’ve had. I’m excited to reach the point where I can just sit down and play music instead of fumbling through beginner pieces.
Details: 45 - 64 years old • Yes, the student can read music • 0 - 2 yrs of formal training • What the teacher recommends • Yes, the student has a piano • 45 minutes • My home, venue, etc. • Remotely (phone or internet)
Piano Lessons
Thomas W.
3 days ago
Hired on Thumbtack
I’ve really enjoyed the lessons so far, and there’s a reason I chose Harrison as my teacher. I looked at a lot of other methods and teachers, but many of them felt like the same traditional approaches that never really resonated with me. Harrison’s approach was completely different and immediately stood out.
He simplifies things in a way I didn’t even know was possible on the piano. I studied piano for several years as a kid, but the traditional, laborious way of learning is honestly why I never got back into it. Harrison has a completely different perspective from any piano teacher I’ve had before.
After just one introductory lesson, I already felt like I had grown as a musician. He quickly identified where I should start, and even that small amount of guidance made a big difference.
One of the biggest things for me was learning to play by ear. We learned ‘Amazing Grace’ by ear right away, which I had never experienced in piano lessons before. For someone with musical experience who wants to become a better musician and songwriter, ear training is essential. That really resonated with me.
I do want to learn to read sheet music, but ultimately I’m here to develop as a musician. Training my ear and using the piano as a tool to write music is more important to me than just playing notes, and Harrison’s approach aligns perfectly with that.
Details: 26 - 44 years old • Yes, the student can read music • 0 - 2 yrs of formal training • What the teacher recommends • Yes, the student has a keyboard • I'm flexible • At the pro’s location • Remotely (phone or internet)
Piano Lessons
Walter A.
Nov 10, 2025
Hired on Thumbtack
When looking to improve my playing, and further my abilities as a pianist I came upon Harrison. He welcomed me with open arms and great character and fully put himself in my place to understand where I’m at and what I’m trying to get at. He helped me with exercises that blew my mind with so little that he taught me and how much it can be applied in practice and in real time playing live performance, he walked with me each step until we both knew I understood it and was very patient and thorough, answered my questions in and out of the lesson, always encouraged me when I was ready to give up. I would 100% recommend him as a piano instructor, I promise you that you won’t regret it and will see guaranteed results with discipline and practice and with Harrison guiding you, you’ll get very far in piano playing!
Details: 18 - 25 years old • No, the student cannot read music • No formal training; some self-taught experience • Jazz • Yes, the student has a keyboard • 45 minutes • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc. • Remotely (phone or internet)
Piano Lessons
Logan C.
Nov 9, 2025
Hired on Thumbtack
I’ve really been enjoying my piano lessons with Harrison. He explains things in a way that just makes sense and feels natural. He takes his time, never rushes through anything, but it also never feels slow or repetitive. If there’s ever something I don’t understand, I can just ask and he’ll break it down clearly.
What got me interested in his lessons in the first place was the approach. Learning through chords, by ear, and really understanding how music works. It’s so much better than just memorizing one song after another. I wanted to understand why things sound the way they do, and that’s exactly what we’ve been working on. As I’ve gone along, I’ve started to see how it all fits together. I can pick up new songs so much faster now. Sometimes I can just look at a piece and start playing it right away because I understand the chords underneath it. It’s fun and actually feels logical. The pacing of the lessons is spot on. It’s slow enough to really grasp what’s going on, but never too slow. Each week feels productive, especially with the assignments that keep me consistent. Overall, I’ve learned faster than I expected, and I actually look forward to every lesson. It’s clear, it’s motivating, and it’s fun.
Details: 14 - 17 years old • Yes, the student can read music • No formal training; some self-taught experience • What the teacher recommends • Yes, the student has a piano • At the pro’s location • Remotely (phone or internet)
Piano Lessons
Lilliana M.
4 weeks ago
My lessons with Harrison have been really fun. He’s very down-to-earth, and his teaching style is gentle but still meaningful. It honestly feels more like getting help from a friend than just taking a class, which I really appreciate.
Learning through chords has made everything feel so much simpler and less confusing. It helps me work my way up without feeling overwhelmed. It’s also been incredibly helpful for the song I’m writing. I like learning by ear, and using chords gives me a much clearer sense of how I want things to sound.
Compared to past piano classes, I’ve improved much faster. No shade to anyone who taught me before, but I’ve learned way more, way quicker. What I know now already helps a lot with starting to release my own music. Overall, it’s been a really great process.
Credentials
Background Check
Harrison Jarvis