Piano Lessons in Renton, WA

Dawn S

Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
When I was eight, my second-grade class went to a Milwaukee Symphony youth concert. I thought the conductor - Kenneth Schirmerhorn - was a magician. The orchestra played a piano concerto by Bartok, and I went home and told my mother I wanted to be a professional musician.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
My favorite is classical, which is actually a very broad category, as there are so many styles of classical. I love playing Bach (Baroque) and Romantic (Brahms).

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I always played piano but I never had lessons till I was 18 and went to college! My mother showed me where Middle C was on the keyboard and on the staff, and from there I taught myself, winning awards as a high school student and accompanying school choirs and playing in the jazz band. I began trumpet lessons at age 10, but in college, I decided to switch to voice, as I mentioned above. I have started to learn guitar - I have been able to play a few chords for many years, but I would like to do more. I also have played the organ for church services for over twenty years but am not a concert organist.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Yes, my parents both play the piano and organ and love to sing. My father also played trumpet in his youth and my mother played French Horn and euphonium. My brothers play the organ and string and electric bass, and my two sons play violin and guitar. My husband is a good choral singer.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I might be a holistic medical doctor. I actually became certified as a medical assistant while I was also an undergraduate music student. I decided not to go to medical school because I knew I would not be able to dedicate enough time to music if I did that. Now, I am no longer interested in medical school, but I think I would also have liked to be a park ranger. I also enjoy writing - creative and non-fiction.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I chose performance degrees (Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts, Graduate Artist Diploma) because I was chiefly interested in diving deeply into performance.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
For voice, I would love to perform the role of Solveig in Grieg's Peer Gynt. On piano, there are so many things I love - the Bach concertos are a favorite, as well as the Mendelssohn G minor concerto.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I use James Lykes books for adults and Microcosmos and sometimes Fabian for adults and children.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
On piano, I begin with improvising, then play through a section, then narrow down to concentrate on details. I have to remind myself to take breaks. I find that frequent shorter sessions (30 minutes to an hour) are much more effective than marathon sessions. In voice, I restrict the length of a practice session to 45 minutes. I begin with stretching, exercises to help me find my vocal balance, and then focus on a specific section of a piece and concentrate on different aspects of that section - ease, evenness, text, acting, etc.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
In voice, the biggest challenge is reducing tension and finding resonance without forcing. The voice is so sensitive to daily activities and stress that it is important to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle and exercise, stretch, and relax in order to keep the voice functioning well. In piano, the most difficult thing for me is making the piano "sing," creating a legato line in which every pitch is exactly the right dynamic level.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Several of my college music students have gone on to graduate school in music and have won special awards and fellowships. One of them sings with the Detroit Opera chorus. Another has become a professional ethnomusicologist, studying the music of Japan. Another is a graduate student in music theory. And one is a professional composer and bass player who works as a music copiest. Many of my students have gone on to other professions but still sing in choirs and musicals.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Performing in the Inge Pitler competition in Germany both on piano and voice was a wonderful experience. I have played and sung many recitals that were great experiences. But my biggest accomplishment is my opera, Verlorene Heimat (Lost Homeland), which has been performed by professional opera companies. It tells the true story of refugees during World War II. I wrote the libretto (the "book") and the music.

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