Music Lessons in Little Portugal, CA

Instruments: Piano

I like to use supplementary materials if a method book isn't covering musical territory that the student wants to explore. Although I insist a student learn to read music, I encourage learning by ear and have helped students find a melody on the piano by ear rather than reading notes. Patience is my watchword but I will always encourage and document practice times. I tell the student, you can't achieve your music goals without practice, preferably every day. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

My teaching style may be very detailed, but I believe that a certain level of firmness, honesty, as well as kindness is needed to provide a successful violin learning experience. I want each student to be able to have fun while also feeling that they are improving as well. Each student progresses at their own pace and I will tailor my teaching according to each students unique learning abilities. I believe that what is most important for a student isn't winning competitions but is finding their own love and inspiration for the music they are creating. Read More

Instruments: Piano Cello Keyboard

For beginner students I like to start them with basic principles such as how to properly hold the bow and how to properly sit with the cello. I like to use methods such as Suzuki to work on musicality, and Essential elements to work on basics. For intermediate I like to work with the Popper etudes and the Bach Cello Suites, I also add some of the more advanced Suzuki books. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginner students who are children (or for students who are looking for a more traditional curriculum involving reading standard notation), I typically begin with Hal Leonard's Guitar Method books to develop a foundation and familiarity with reading notes and handling the instrument with correct posture and technique. For students who simply want to play the music they enjoy and prefer using tab over standard notation, I like to jump right in by learning first-position chords, which is usually followed by common finger-picking patterns/strumming patterns, and playing songs of the student's preference. Read More

Instruments: Flute Piccolo

I started playing the flute in 2010, and the piccolo a little bit after that. In 2013 I started performing through international competitions, and received my diploma in musical performance through ABRSM in 2016, certifying me to teach. I recently graduated from Princeton University and performed while there in orchestra and pit orchestra groups. I grew up in Singapore and really enjoyed performing at venues like the National Gallery while there, and also was honored to perform at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in NYC in 2016. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I like to emphasize learning technique through pieces, rather than practicing only technique on its own, as that can get boring very quickly! For beginning students, I like to start with the Piano Adventures series, which has pieces which are easy, teach basic techniques, but also are musically interesting. Once they have the fundamentals, we can begin working on solo repertoire that interests the student. For older students who are interested in 20th century music, I like to teach Bartok's Mikrokosmos. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I have been teaching private voice for three years, and feel like I truly thrive when I'm sharing my knowlege of music and performance. At Colorado State University I taught a to wide range of students and styles from freshmen voice majors, choral conducting graduate students, theater majors, voice minors, and even a couple aspiring folk/country singers! I also taught a Fundamentals of Music Theory course to over 100 non-music majors, covering reading music, piano basics, intro to harmony, the physics of music and the psychology of music. Read More