Piano Lessons in Livingston, NJ

Instruments: Piano Trumpet

Here are the things that I want to impart to my piano students in their first 10 weeks of lessons: That I love music and I love teaching them That music lessons are creative and exploratory That creating music is fun and easy That music can tell stories That music is more than pushing down keys That music is art and involves dynamics, speed, feeling, etc. That singing and moving to music is just a part of how we do things in music education That playing the piano the right way (ie. with the right technique) is really important The importance of understanding, feeling and moving to meter (duple/triple) The concept of home, tonic/dominant tonalities and being able to hear and create bass lines That music is made up of chords, patterns, and melodies That they can transpose music into different keys I use Alfred Piano Method, it also dives into intervallic reading, as described above. Read More

Instruments: Piano Synthesizer Keyboard

For beginning students who are children I typically start with a book. We can pair that with playing different musical games and improvisation. For beginning adults I like to pick some simple songs that resonate and work towards learning them. I believe strongly in the diversity of the student. I realize that not everyone likes books. In addition to the building blocks I typically like to get right into learning by ear and improvisation with most students. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice

I first ask each student to play for me so I can properly gauge the student's ability. From there, I assign practice pieces and songs that work on the techniques that require the most work. I have used this method for years and all of my students have found this to be the easiest and fastest way to improve. The practice pieces I write are written in the genre that the student wishes to practice. Read More

Instruments: Piano

Over 30 years of private and public/private teaching experience. I love to teach. In my lessons, I get to know each student personally, learn their strengths and weaknesses and proceed from there. Each student is unique and learns at a different pace. It is important for a teacher to know this and to work on technique, pieces, and recital planning to best showcase each individual. My methods have always been successful, and taking a student from point A to point B, C, D and beyond is so rewarding in my work. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar

My approach to teaching varies in accordance with a students playing level and needs. With beginners and young students, experience has taught me that it is best to get someone playing actual music as soon as possible, usually in the first lesson. It is just as well to have a student begin by learning a simple riff from a song that they like, as to make them learn some hokey melody from a one size fits all how-to book.Going forward, I continue to work with a new player on music that they would like to play, while simultaneously covering music theory, and technical information, as they relate to the choice of repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Piano

For young beginners, I prefer to use Alfred, piano adventure and Bastien method book. I also use piano tree to teach young kids as well. Once my students finish the fundamental study I will begin to introduce classical pieces and all other genres as well. Also I will provide two recitals every year to give students an opportunity to perform in front of their family and friends. For adults beginners, I prefer to use Alfred for adult all in one. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I use a combination of established teaching methods, such as Alfred, Bastien, Hanon and Hal Leonard, as well as my own methods, which I've developed over the years. I also effectively utilize technology, such as Finale notation software to create special arrangements of songs for my students, YouTube videos for audio/visual support, and iPads. I have cultivated a warm demeanor and good sense of humor, which has helped my students remain engaged and in anticipation of the next lesson. Read More