Ever Better Studios, LLC

fostering a lifelong love of music through accessible music education

Ever Better Studios, music studio, music lessons, clarinet music, saxophone music, piano music

About Ever Better Studios

Founded by Dr. Ethan Hicks, Ever Better Studios, LLC is an online music studio offering 1:1 lessons on a wide variety of instruments, primarily clarinet, saxophone, and piano. Ever Better Studios welcomes students of all ages and levels, and serves as a resource for both private and public school music teachers. All lessons are heavily personalized to help students build and maintain a lifelong love of music.

In addition to online music lessons, Dr. Hicks is available for performance and education engagements, both for in-person groups located in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan and virtually throughout the rest of the United States.

Dr. Ethan Hicks, Founder

Ethan Hicks is a performer and educator devoted to the clarinet for nearly twenty years. Growing up in the Metro Detroit area, they came to view music as a necessity to life, instead of an additive. Most of their earliest memories revolve around singing, whistling, and humming throughout their home, building ear training skills before ever holding an instrument. Maintaining and nurturing that sense of wonder toward the arts is what Ethan views as a central pillar for both learning and teaching.

Focusing on an unapologetic passion for learning, Ethan encourages students of all levels to enjoy exploring music rather than looking to solely control their technique. One of their core teaching philosophies is that musicians should be given the space to discover new techniques, styles, and experiences without fear of failure. They abide by the belief that students grow exponentially when developing enjoyment for the learning process, as well as tools for self-reflection, instead of being pushed to master techniques just for a passing grade.

As an educator, Ethan’s journey to earning their Doctorate of Clarinet degree went hand-in-hand with over a decade of teaching 50+ middle school, high school, and college students, all from ages 8 to 85. Their experiences as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community have also fostered a drive to make sure musical spaces are as inclusive and safe for students as possible.

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Testimonials

Parent of Online High School Student

“Dr. Hicks has been so much fun to work with this last semester. Our daughter has sounded more confident than ever in her playing, and we have loved watching her progress with each lesson.”
Online High School Student

“Ethan is great to work with! I really enjoy that we get to learn music that I like in addition to what they pick out for me.”
High School Student

“Learning from Ethan in lessons is just as fun as learning from them in marching band. I’ve really improved in my ensembles from taking lessons with them.”
Middle School Student

“Dr. Hicks showed me that playing clarinet doesn’t have to be scary. I’ve gotten better in band from lessons and I’ll miss taking lessons next year.”
Colleague

“Ethan has been a big help with learning to record and edit my music/videos. Their knowledge in Audacity and DaVinci Resolve gave me the tools I needed to dive deeper into making content.”
Online College Student

“Learning from Ethan is a breeze! My comfort with new video editing software has expanded greatly since reaching out for a few short lessons.”
Parent of High School Student

“My daughter’s ability with her clarinet has grown by leaps and bounds after working with Dr. Hicks. Always available for extra tutelage when special events are coming, and always positive and encouraging. Ethan has been a wonderful clarinet instructor with beautiful playing of their own, and my child is lucky to have them.”
High School Student

“Dr. Hicks is a wonderful teacher who lets us choose what we want to work on and is always kind and encouraging. They give great advice and have helped me grow into a better clarinet player. We’re lucky to have them!”