Read why professional performers,
teachers, parents and students
recommend Julie Donato
"Julie is a wonderful musician, possessed of sweet and colorful flute sound, always warm and expressive. I have worked with several of her students so can attest to her teaching methods, which produce results similar to her own."
--International Flute soloist Gary Schocker, also the world's most published composer of music for the flute
Julie Donato is truly a gem. It's very rare to come across a teacher who provides her private students with performance opportunities and who cares so much about their success. She helped me tackle each new challenge in creative and insightful ways, and I know I'll be using her techniques for a lifetime. Julie sets each of her students up for a future of success, and I personally have yet to have a more effective and wonderful teacher. She helped me after I had already graduated college with a music performance degree, and helped me prepare for graduate school auditions. I am happy to say that I was accepted into my dream program for Orchestral Preparation, and Julie was just as elated as I was with the great news.
Emily Annesley, graduate student
For many years, I have had the pleasure of working with flutist Julie Donato, both as a performer and educator.
Julie is a consummate professional performer, the rare musician who combines both sparkling technical fluency with deep understanding of phrasing and musical expression. Julie’s performances are memorable because of the synergy she creates between a colorful, liquid-silver tone quality, note and rhythmic accuracy, impeccable technique, and energetic, yet elegant expression.
I have never hesitated to send my school students to Julie for flute lessons. She has not only the pedagogical knowledge to teach the gamut of students from rank beginner to college student, she has an affable, easy going personality which sets her students at ease. While the nature of the discourse with her students is friendly and upbeat, Julie motivates her students with challenging yet attainable goals. Her passion for teaching music through the flute is reflected in the joy her students have in performing, and the confidence, poise and mastery they consistently display.
I recommend Julie as a professional flute performer and flute teacher for students at ANY level, without reservation.
Steven Kieley, Retired Dutchess County Music Educator
Julie is such a great piano teacher! I am 71 years old and started taking Zoom lessons with her last year during the pandemic.
I had been dusting off my childhood piano since I inherited it in 2007. I stopped playing in elementary school. My teacher was so stern and would only let me play classical music. So that was that for 60 years.
One day, while staring at my living room, I had a wonderful thought. I knew that Julie taught piano lessons on Zoom, and decided that I'd give it a try.
I love it!
Julie is so encouraging and upbeat. She makes me feel like anything I play is just wonderful. She even had me play in a Zoom recital! It was so much fun!
One day, while watching cartoons with my grandson, I heard background music that really made me smile. I videotaped it and sent it to Julie. She identified it as Mozart's Rondo Alla Turk, and sent me the sheet music. How wonderful was that! I'm now playing Mozart!
Julie has it all set up so that we can talk to each other face to face, while at she can see my fingers on the keyboard. It really works out great!
I can't recommend Julie Donato's Zoom piano lessons highly enough!
Phyllis Hart, Online piano student
"Finding Julie when Matt was just beginning to learn, and struggling, was akin to discovering a treasure! She has a heart of gold and her gentle encouragement, guidance, and challenge aided Matt's efforts to catch up and then excel beyond classmates. He has had exceptional results both times he participated in NYSSMA auditions. Julie was and continues to be just what he needs!
We also turned to Julie to help Joe, Matt's older brother, get reacquainted with the flute after a year-long hiatus. She's been a fantastic influence on him as well, convincing him to audition for NYSSMA with stellar results! It's a no-brainer that they will continue with her for the foreseeable future!"
--Ann Kummer, Parent of two flute students
"Julie Donato was my daughter's flute teacher for six years and piano teacher for two. Julie has taken my daughter from playing elementary level music to consistently scoring in the high 90's on level 6 NYSSMA pieces culminating this year with a perfect score of 100 and acceptance into Wind Ensemble in the highly competitive music program at Arlington High School.
Julie, however, is not just a wonderful teacher in the sense of music instruction. She also listens to and supports my daughter through the stresses of music competitions, school, and life. On top of all that, Julie provides the opportunity for students to play in front of an audience at twice yearly recitals to build confidence and share what they have learned and accomplished.
I couldn't more highly recommend a music teacher than Julie Donato!"
--Katherine Kittle, parent of a flute and piano student
"When my daughter was looking for a private flute teacher, our school district music teachers recommended Julie Donato. Julie is an honest, caring and dedicated music educator.
Julie encouraged the love of music and flute performance. Music assignments under Julie’s direction included NYSSMA pieces, school assignments and solo pieces, All-County and All-State pieces, classical and newly published pieces, concerto pieces and college audition pieces. Performance opportunities under Julie’s direction included various venues with flutists, accompanists, flute choirs, and orchestras. Julie also introduced various flutes including the impressive bass, alto, piccolo and wood flutes. My daughter’s flute skills and confidence levels improved greatly while under Julie’s direction.
My daughter was accepted into the New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory and attended New York University under the tutelage of Mr. Gary Schocker due to the influence and direction of Mrs. Julie Donato. I am forever grateful for the opportunities Julie provided my daughter and can comfortably recommend Julie Donato for your flute and piano student’s instruction."
--Theresa Hughes, parent of a flute student
"Julie truly loves her job and it shows! My daughter has been taking piano and flute lessons from Julie for over eight years now and I couldn't be happier. My daughter enjoys going to her lessons because Julie knows when to challenge her students and when they simply just need to relax and have fun playing music!. The amount of patience and kindness Julie has is amazing!"
--Ellen Stack, parent of a flute and piano student
"When my son first entered middle school in the Arlington Central School District, he had only been learning flute from somebody else for a few months. So he auditioned for the school music program but did not get in. The school music teacher referred him to Julie to improve his flute skills. He was not in the school music program, but she kept him interested in performing and playing music. When his skills got to a certain level, Julie suggested that he joined the Aerophone community band, which gave him valuable experience in performing in a group. By the time my son entered high school, he auditioned and got accepted into the high school music program and also the marching band! He was surprised that he caught up with his classmates who had been playing flute since third grade. We are very glad that Julie helped him reach this goal of being in the school music program.
In 10th grade, my son auditioned to play piano in the school's Jazz band. He had learned piano since he was 5, from another classically trained teacher. But Jazz piano is really at a different level. Luckily Julie also teaches piano and she was able to help him with the improvisation and scales in Jazz piano. She gave him the building blocks to support his second goal of playing in the school's jazz band as a pianist.
Over the years, Julie's lessons have motivated my son not only to keep on learning flute but also to branch out and learn different instruments; and most importantly, to enjoy playing music for fun. Twice a year, she has recitals held at an auditorium of a senior living center, which is a fantastic idea. Julie understands her students' needs and skills well, connects with her students, and finds ways for her students to grow and reach their full potential. Furthermore, she nurtures her students' passion for music. Many of her students are so inspired by her teaching that they will find their own (often challenging) pieces of music to play under her guidance. We are very fortunate to get to know Julie and are forever grateful that she helped my son achieve his high school dreams."
Ann Chen Wu, parent of a flute and piano student