630-936-4822
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25 Years
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630-936-4822
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Elmhurst . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
Coming back to goal setting, each student will want something a little different out of it from the next. So I find it helpful to ask and figure out; if there's a specific song they wish to learn, what some of their favorite artists are so we may get a grasp what style they are into, or just want to learn about music in general so that one day they may be able to create their own original work. Read More
Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Music Keyboard
I was fortunate enough to receive partial scholarship to attend the DePaul University School of Music and concentrate my work there in Jazz Studies. During my time at the university, I had the opportunity to broaden my perspective on the trombone by studying with several of the trombone faculty. I spent most of my time working with Tim Coffman, but was able to work with composer and arranger, Thomas Matta, and Charles Vernon, the bass trombonist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar
My teaching experience began in the Chicago public and private schools in the 1970's. Wanting to have the ability to work with a student on a one on one basis, I went into business for myself as a private teacher. From 1976 to 2010 I taught music in a music store that I co-owned in the Chicago area. During that same period I worked with several universities with theMethods of Private Instruction in the area of Music Education. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard
Like most music teachers, my passions started with performing myself, and then using those experiences to educate my students. I have be a part of several operas, musicals, choirs, pop and Jazz ensembles, and each experience taught me tactics that I would not have learned anywhere else. I then paired my performing knowledge with my knowledge of education and with that I have successfully taught choirs, bands, vocal a capella ensembles, classrooms, musicals, pit orchestras and many many voice and piano students from ages 5-63! Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard
To me, the most important thing about teaching is listening to a student's goals and interests. I do my best to keep my ears open as we work to make sure I am structuring a program that helps them feel fulfilled and challenged every step of the way. For younger students, the goal is to keep them engaged in music until the point when they have such mastery that they can see the results of their work tangibly. Read More
Instruments: Piano
The more a student feels like he/she has accomplished, the more patience and dedication the student acquires. After a student has established that piano is fun/rewarding, I like to slowly incorporate the study of music theory. With music theory a student can begin to codify and understand where these sounds come from. This greater understanding and insight empowers the student to play more musically, or creatively--whether in performing notes written, or improvisationally/compositionally. Read More
Instruments: Voice Bass Guitar Double Bass
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I didn't it chose me. Isn't that so cheesy to say. I started as a bass player, I always sang as well but I chose bass. I took lessons and had success in orchestras and bands as a bass player. But my desire for music was never enough so that lead to guitar and piano which lead me to harmonica and accordion and bagpipes and banjo. I kept picking up instruments and the one constant was that I was singing. Singing just made sense to me and I could be fully responsible for my instrument. So I became a singer and a teacher.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
The simple most difficult thing to master when it comes to voice, especially in commercial styles is that what you hear is not what you get. What I mean by that is that the sound of resonance in your head is not the same as the sound coming out of your mouth. The task at hand then becomes mastering the feeling, singing by feel and muscle memory, knowing the right placements and vowels. That, I believe, is the hardest part of mastering voice. If not the hardest it sure doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Bachelors of Music Degree from Belmont University. I majored in Vocal Preformance with an emphasis in history and pedagogy. So what that means is I have a degree in pop styles of singing. Commercial music would be pop, rock, country, folk, jazz, r&b, rap/hip-hop, modern musical theater and anything you hear on the radio. The history part means I am a music nerd and find it interesting to know useless fun facts about singers. The Pedagogy part means that I studied to learn how the voice works on a physical level and the theoretical side of how to control it.
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I have performed in many styles. I am an accomplished musical theater actor, I was a jazz singer for 4 years at a restaurant, I have been in country bands, pop bands and everything in between. But my absolute favorite style to perform is Rock n' Roll. I love the theatrics and the high energy of it all. I was drawn into it, be the flashy lights but then was caught by the acceptance. The community surrounding the genre is so inclusive and welcoming and you feel that on stage while performing. Plus you get to wear leather pants and that is pretty cool.
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
In short yes. I always joke I grew up under my grandpa's piano. My great grandfather was a piano tuner around the Detroit area. He was the only person the famed Victor Borge would trust to tune his piano. My entire family sings, usually in 5 part harmony. I was very lucky to grow up with music, it helped me to develop a very good ear. I learned to play guitar by watching my uncle, and piano by watching my grandfather. My mom would play a game with us when we were little where we would pick a song like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and she, my sister, and I would sing the song a half step apart from each other to train our ears.
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I think I always wanted to be a musician. In what context has changed a bit. I wanted to be on broadway for a very long time, I also wanted to be a rockstar, and I wanted to be a teacher. The choice between musical theater and pop/rock came at college. I had been taking classical voice for years and loved it but I knew I wasn't going to be an opera singer. I applied to two highly recognized schools, one for theater and one for commercial music, and said which ever I get into I will go to. Well I got into both, and was offered scholarships to both, and not a single defining sign seemed to show itself. I took a chance and moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University after a lot of thought. And rock n roll recognition happened and I have had many incredible experiences from being in Nashville, but it seemed my favorite part was teaching private voice. So the time came and my wife and I moved to Troy, MI and the clear choice for me is to do the one consistent thing in my career, and that is teach.
25 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Piano lessons in Elmhurst to students of all ages and abilities.
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