MEET THE FOUNDER
Rita Coore-Widener
Rita Coore-Widener was born in Ethiopia but grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. She is a distinguished past student of Mona Preparatory School and Campion College in Jamaica. She was a self-taught pianist from age 12-14.
At 14 years of age she began formal studies at the piano with David Johns and Mary Johns. Within 4 years, Rita passed the Grade 8 Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) piano exam with honors. She also studied chamber music with Steven Woodham for a year and half before moving to the USA for college.
Rita earned her Bachelors degree in Music Education from Texas Christian University, where she was a double recipient of the “Nordan Young Artist Award” scholarship. She is All-Level certified to teach music in Texas and is the founder of Widener Music Studio. Rita is an accomplished and passionate music teacher who believes in a holistic approach to education. She integrates mindfulness and emotional intelligence training into her lessons, recognizing each student as a unique individual with their own interests and abilities. With a focus on helping students become the best versions of themselves, Rita encourages growth without judgment or comparison. In 2020, Rita was awarded a patent for her design of the Mirrored Practice Folder, a practical, portable product, designed to help students practice more mindfully.
With over 30 years of experience teaching private piano lessons, Rita has a long history of success. Some of her accomplishments include helping students earn acceptance into the prestigious piano program at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston, TX, helping students achieve advanced levels of the ABRSM piano exams, and having students selected to perform at various graduations, fundraisers, and concerts, including a piano concerto soloist for the Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra.
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In addition to her musical expertise, Rita is a certified Insight for Life Mindset Trainer, based on the Stanford University program Creativity in Business, and she specializes in helping musicians develop mindfulness. She is also a certified Health and Life Coach through the accredited Health Coach Institute.
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