Natalie Doughty

Natalie Doughty serves as Director and Primary Piano Instructor at the JMU Music Academy within James Madison University's School of Music. She holds a Bachelor of Music (2015) and Master of Music (2017) in piano performance from JMU. In addition to her academic role, she is an entrepreneur leading inRenaissance Music & Arts, offering private piano lessons (inRenPiano), Musikgarten classes, and arts-integrative workshops. Her pedagogical innovations include online courses focused on piano composition, improvisation, and business strategies for musicians. She taught undergraduate piano pedagogy at Eastern Mennonite University in Spring 2024 and hosts the podcast Natalie inRenaissance, exploring themes like creative well-being and educational strategies. Natalie has co-presented at national conferences including the Music Teachers National Association and National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, emphasizing entrepreneurial approaches to music education.

Her research interests center on bridging artistic practice with business acumen, particularly through her Keys to Side Hustle Success program and Piano Courses for Adults initiative. She advocates for a 'soft life' approach in creative disciplines, emphasizing mental health and balanced biorhythms for sustained creativity. As former President of the Harrisonburg Music Teachers Association, she actively promotes community-based musical engagement and arts advocacy.