Tobi Crawford

Piano and voice lessons from a university professor with over 30 years of experience.

• 🎓 University professor
• 🎤 UNT master’s degree in Jazz Voice
• 🎹 Professional pianist
• 🎼 Teaches jazz, classical, pop, theory, ear training, improvisationo
• 🎯 Can coach audition preparation and advanced musicians

Tobi Crawford is a highly sought-after vocalist, pianist, arranger and educator from Vancouver, BC. Tobi attended the School For Music Vocations in Creston, Iowa, while under the direction of Phil Mattson, the Grammy award-winning arranger and pianist. She then moved back to Vancouver, BC where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in jazz voice and piano performance at Capilano University followed by a Bachelor’s Degree of Education in Secondary Music from Simon Fraser University. Tobi taught at the high school level in Canada for 10 years, teaching choirs, bands and music theory before moving to Shanghai, China where she was the Fine Arts Department head and Director of Music at Sino-Canada High School for 5 years. Tobi recently graduated with a Masters degree in Jazz Voice Performance from the esteemed University of North Texas where she served as a teaching fellow. Among the many teaching duties she undertook, she was the assistant director of the Downbeat award-winning vocal ensemble the UNT Jazz Singers. 

Tobi most recently was the Director of Music at the School for Music Vocations, teaching Freshman and Sophomore Jazz Piano, Arranging, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Conducting, as well as directing the multiple Downbeat award-winning ensemble "First Take."

I offer the following:

• Personalized piano and voice lessons for all ages and experience levels.
• Learn from an experienced university instructor with a supportive teaching style.
• Develop technique, creativity, and confidence through customized lessons.
• Jazz, classical, pop, ear training, theory, and performance coaching available

My ultimate goal as a music educator is to foster lifelong musicianship rather than define success solely by academic or professional advancement. While not all of my former students have continued to four-year degree programs, I am encouraged that they remain actively engaged in music and continue to use the skills they developed, including reading charts and playing piano, guitar, bass, and other instruments studied during their training. For those who do pursue further education, I take pride in seeing them enter new programs with a strong foundation and the confidence to succeed in diverse musical settings. I also seek to model lifelong learning by performing regularly for my students on both primary and secondary instruments and by openly acknowledging the vulnerability and nervousness that accompany public performance. Through this modeling, I aim to demonstrate that musicianship is a continuous process of growth, risk-taking, and self-challenge, and that persistence and curiosity are essential qualities for sustained artistic development.