Music Lessons in Engleside, VA

Instruments: Piano

My teaching methods vary depending on the student's needs and musical knowledge. Normally starting with general repertoire before expanding into different genres in order to obtain a feel for each person's skill or level of understanding. If they are younger, I tend to lean towards the more conventional approach with the Bastien Piano Basics or Piano Adventures for them to grow in the fundamentals. I have found that the more interest they display for piano, the more excited they become about exploring different styles of music. Read More

Instruments: Flute Piccolo Music

Making music should be fun! Part of that joy is being able to see your own progress. That's why I work with students' individual needs to set realistic goals for each lesson while keeping an eye on long-term goals. I create a warm environment for students to experiment and ask questions so they can better understand their instrument, musical ideas, and their own thought processes. I'm also conscientious to avoid getting too lost in the weeds of technique or theory that we forget to listen. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trombone Bass Guitar

Music has been a large part of my since I was a child, to include teaching. I started on trombone, moved to guitar, and found my real passion in electric bass. While I have led many careers in my life (construction, marketing, program management) music has always been a consistent side project. I have been fortunate enough to play and record with some well-known artists, and tour the US and UK. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a student develop a passion for music! Therefore, it is important to approach each student individually, adjusting my teaching methods to them personally. This ensures that the student progresses at their own pace.  Most importantly, I encourage their progress by setting proper goals and acknowledging their accomplishments which makes students eager to learn more.  Making progress is the goal for both me and my students, and we work together to make that possible. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years now, and have spent 6 years in guitar lessons myself. Three of those years were devoted to studying classical guitar. I have been teaching for over 12 years, and now instruction has becomethe main focal point of my playing. When I was 30 I decided to go back intoguitar lessons and study classical guitar. This was very challanging but made me a much better player all around. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginner students who have never held an instrument or don't know anything about music we'll go over basic guitar fundamentals we'll talk about different types of guitars, how to hold the guitar in classical and folk style positions, how to press your fingers on the strings (because there is a way), body parts of the guitar, basic music concepts such as beat and rhythm, how to read music both standard and tabs, basic guitar exercises, and a few fun songs once the fundamentals have been practiced enough. Read More

Instruments: Voice Flute

For young children (ages 4-10), I focus primarily on building a foundation in rhythm, pitch matching, and vocal warm ups (wolf howls, lip trills, tongue trills, etc.). I also encourage young children to bring in songs they enjoy singing, and use those songs to help build their understanding of musical structure. For slightly more experienced children (those who already can read music) I teach using the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) guidelines. Read More