Kent Toalson
Piano, Organ & Keyboard Lessons
Personalized Piano Lessons in Nashville, TN
Kent Toalson is a Nashville pianist, organist, keyboardist, producer, and audio engineer who teaches students of all ages and experience levels. His lessons draw on years of professional performance and recording experience while adapting to each student’s interests, goals, and musical development.
About Kent Toalson
Kent has built his career in Nashville as a session organist and keyboardist, audio engineer, producer, and composer. His work has taken him to venues throughout Nashville and into recording, film, and commercial projects.
As a performer, Kent has worked with a wide range of artists and groups, including The Music City Toppers, Amanda Broadway Band, Mount Worcester, Yola, Floralorix, Jessy Wilson, Alicia Michilli, Sarah Potenza, Luthi, Suzy Jones, David Williford Quintet, and Alanna Royale. That range of experience has exposed him to different styles, approaches, and roles for piano, organ, and keyboards in a band.
Kent is a Belmont University alumnus with a double major in audio engineering and philosophy. His musical studies have included work with John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood of Medeski Martin & Wood, as well as Regi Wooten. He has also worked in commercial and film music and served as a primary composer and engineer on the soundtrack for Spoons: A Santa Barbara Story.
What Kent Teaches
Kent works with piano and keyboard students across different ages and experience levels. Lessons can develop technique, musical vocabulary, improvisation, harmony, rhythm, and practical playing skills while staying connected to the music each student wants to play.
Piano Lessons
Build a stronger foundation at the piano while working on technique, rhythm, harmony, chord voicings, reading, improvisation, and repertoire. Kent works with students across experience levels and can draw from styles including jazz, R&B, rock, country, and classical music.
Explore Piano Lessons →
Organ & Keyboard Lessons
Develop the skills to use keyboards creatively in live, recording, and ensemble settings. Kent’s professional background as an organist, keyboardist, producer, and audio engineer gives students practical insight into how keyboard instruments function across different styles and musical situations.
Explore Keyboard & Organ Lessons →
A Creative, Student-Focused Approach
Kent sees teaching as a collaborative process shaped by each student’s curiosity and creativity. Rather than treating lessons as a one-way transfer of information, he values what students bring to the process and the different ways they engage with music.
His goal is to help students continue developing their potential while giving them practical musical skills they can use at the piano, on keyboards, and in real playing situations.
As Kent puts it, “Every one of my students has something to teach me with their curiosity and creativity.”
Hear Kent Play
Kent’s teaching is informed by extensive experience performing and recording as a pianist, organist, and keyboardist with artists and ensembles across Nashville.
Take Lessons with
Kent Toalson
Whether you’re just getting started at the piano, building your technique, expanding your understanding of harmony and improvisation, or developing your skills as a keyboard player, Kent will shape lessons around your experience, interests, and goals. Green Hills Guitar Studio offers personalized music lessons in Nashville and online..