Piano Lessons in San Clemente, CA

Instruments: Piano Voice

For children beginners, I usually start with either Faber & Faber Piano Adventure or Hal Leonard's Essential Elements.  When the students have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will start introducing solo repertoire to get them ready for their first recital performance.  For adult students, I guide my instruction accordingly after finding out what the student is interested in to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar

I had started teaching music to my fellow peers in high school as a school project, and since then have been teaching privately to all ages and skill levels, as well as afterschool arts programs and guitar shops around San Diego. I encourage my students to have a good idea of what they want to accomplish, and through our lessons we'll focus in depth on not only reaching these goals, but doing so in a fun and creative way. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums

Piano : All piano students will begin by learning about scales and scale theory. This includes scales learned withing the Classical idiom as well as the Contemporary music idiom which includes all styles of music. Students regardless of their preferred style of music will be encouraged to learn some elementary classical music in order to facilitate and reinforce good technique, reading and interpretation. Drums: All drum students will begin by learning about stick control and proper posture. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola Mandolin Keyboard

I also have great expertise working with retired active senior citizens. I headed up the gerontology arts division for Orange Coast College/Coastline College and taught music/acting at active senior sites for over 14 years. Many of my current students are retired seniors. I have written several text books on jazz theory, jazz piano, jazz vocal and musicology subjects that are used by schools and universities. As a professor of University of West London: London College of Music (US rep), I am able to offer internationally accredited music performance grades (1-8) for piano (classical, jazz pop), digital keyboard (pop, music industry), voice (musical theatre, opera/classical, pop, rock, jazz). Read More

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

Teaching for over twenty years has allowed me to hone and refine my craft - and to work with a lot of really great and fun people!   Early in my career I gravitated toward a 'socratic' approach  to teaching, which is instructing just enough -  then asking questions.  In this manner I try to engage and involve the student's mind/imagination as much as possible.  At a basic level,  when we 'teach' we actually learn -  as students do when they begin to 'instruct' the teacher. Read More

Instruments: Piano

Suzuki Piano:  also called the mother-tongue method.  The method is modeled after the way the way children learn their native language, with an emphasis on exposure to the music being learned via listening to a recording.  Note reading is not neglected, though earliest pieces are learned "by ear."  The Suzuki philosophy is "Every Child Can" (learn to play). Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

Aside from Faber and Alfred, I also have Bastien method books that I have taught from during my decade of piano teaching experience. Of course, these aren't the only method books I have come to uncover. As for voice, I have a set of vocal warm up scales from major and minor scales and patterns that my own former voice teacher has provided me. I am very familiar with all the warm up techniques as well as breathing and how warming up techniques need to closely connect with the breathing. Read More