Music Lessons in Indianola, WA

Instruments: Piano Voice

My teaching style is very much tailored to what each of my individual student’s needs. This is the glory of private lessons! We can take our time. I like to give my students a mix of my required repertoire and songs that they have passions for. This keeps me restocking and updating my library, and helps the kids to have more fun in their lessons. Sometimes doing something fun that we love can take away from the stress that learning the language of music can be. Read More

Instruments: Cello

I began teaching cello while in high school, serving as a Teaching Assistant to my own teacher and mentor, Olga Ruvinov. I assisted her younger students (ages 6-14) in employing effective practice methods to overcome difficult technical concepts encountered in their main lessons. Having the opportunity to teach under the guidance of an experienced pedagogue was instrumental to my development as a musician and inspired a love of teaching from a very young age. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

The first few students I ever had were actually swimmers! My first teaching experience came as a swim instructor for people of all ages at a local club. Because of my work there I was able to convert a small number of those kids into saxophone students as well and the teaching itch began! For the most part these students were family friends, and very much beginners so my strategies revolved around basic practice routines, some tone development work and helping with parts for school band or the like. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

For young learners, I teach using Nancy and Randal Faber's Piano Adventures. For adults, I use the all-in-one Faber adult book. However, as early as possible, I like to get outside of the book and get a student learning a song they love. When it comes to learning piano (especially in the beginning), fun is a critical ingredient for success. In my lessons, I work with students through a lesson book, on repertoire they are interested outside the lesson book, on technique, music theory, and anything a student is interested in or curious about. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music

I have taught in the classroom, small group settings as well as one on one in both piano and drumset. My favorite thing about music instruction is connecting with the students on a musical and personal level.  I started studying piano at the age of 5, making it my career as a teacher after college and into adult life. Choosing to focus more on drumset and percussion studies at the age of 11, I then studied Percussion Studies in College, playing in many bands and in multiple styles. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute

For beginners, whilst working with a Standard of Excellence book, it's important to take the time to work on things on a smaller level throughout. Although working through the books and going onto the next level is the goal, I find it imperative ensure that the techniques are being fully utilized along the way. For example, we don't want to just read the notes and play along, we want to make sure that articulations, tone, breathing techniques and fingering is also being focused on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

Learning in this fashion has taught me something really important to teaching private lessons. Adaptability. All of my students took lessons because they wanted to improve their ability to play music. I desperately wanted my students to enjoy learning their instruments and music they learned; knowing how easy it is to feel burnt out from too many scales and disappointed by slow progress. So I started asking my students, even the 6 year old, why they wanted to play an instrument and what they wanted to achieve. Read More