About the founder
Meet Natalie
Hi there, I'm Natalie!
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I began playing the piano when I was very young, sang in choir for over ten years, and also spent several years playing the violin.
Growing up, I was a busy kid who loved exploring new interests and activities. I especially loved reading, had a big imagination, and was constantly inventing stories to act out in costume with props and a full orchestral soundtrack playing in the background.
Amid all of those experiences, music became the place where I discovered my own voice. It gave me a space to imagine, create, express myself, and better understand who I was. Through music, I developed confidence, resilience, creativity, and ways of thinking that extended far beyond the practice room.
Looking back, I realize I wasn't simply learning instruments—I was learning about myself. Music became a place where I could develop my own channels for creativity, expression, and personal growth.
Those experiences continue to shape my mindset, my teaching, and the philosophy behind inRenaissance.
I loved dynamics, storytelling, imagination, character, and finding ways to make music come alive. Every piece became its own little world filled with stories only I knew.
That sense of creativity carried me through performances, festivals, and competitions and transformed the piano into one of my favorite places to be.
One of my favorite performances in high school was a Chopin Waltz that I imagined as the story of the night my sister tried to sneak downstairs to steal cookies from the top of the refrigerator... only to fall off the refrigerator, break the door, and wake up the entire house. (True story!)
That imaginative approach became a source of strength throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies. Those years were far more challenging than most people could ever know, but I learned that my motivation didn't come from chasing perfection.
It came from wanting to become a more expressive musician and a more thoughtful learner.
Community Arts & Music Access
Natalie has an active history of promoting and nurturing artistic relationships, community events, and access to music education.
From 2017–2019, she presented four benefit concerts in partnership with Christian churches throughout the East Coast, using music as a way to support community connection and charitable efforts.
In 2021, Natalie initiated the music equity project Music in Every Home, a campaign created to sponsor music lessons and instruments for local students by 2025 in partnership with the Harrisonburg Music Teachers Association/Piano Teachers Forum.
In 2019, Natalie received an Arts for Education grant from the Arts Council of the Valley for her collaborative arts-integration project, Expressions of Home.
Through each of these projects, Natalie continues to explore ways music can foster creativity, connection, and meaningful community engagement.
Featured Work & Recognition
Guitar Heroes: The Music in Every Home Project (2022)
A collaboration between Oasis Art and Craft, Yamaha, and the Harrisonburg Music Teachers Association under the direction of Natalie Doughty, supporting music access and opportunities for local students.
Students' Art Highlights Habitat for Humanity (2019)
A collaborative arts project between Rockingham County Public Schools and inRenaissance Studio highlighting Habitat for Humanity housing projects and encouraging community awareness through student creativity.
JMU School of Music offers Program with Piano and Guitar Lessons for Adults (2017)
Featuring the JMU Music Academy and its mission to provide recreational music learning opportunities for adults in the Shenandoah Valley.
JMU Piano Student One Of 16 Selected To Attend Dublin International Piano Festival (DNR) (2015)
Highlighting Natalie's journey as a piano student selected to attend a world-class international piano festival in Dublin, Ireland.