Music Lessons in Mc Clellandtown, PA

Instruments: Piano Voice Music

For all beginning students who are children, but also adult beginners, I like to focus on vocal warm-ups and exercises to ensure that they develop the fundamentals of healthy singing. After getting to know the student's voice a bit, I believe that coaching solo vocal repertoire is essential to building vocal technique and confidence in performing ability for many different situations. When assigning vocal repertoire, I first like to find out what sort of music the student is interested in and also what their goals are in taking voice lessons and assign repertoire accordingly, but I also like to begin with songs from Schirmer's 24 Italian Songs and Arias book to strengthen basic breath support and a vocal line that is connected to good breath support. Read More

Instruments: Violin Cello Viola

My favorite quote is: "All students have gifts, they just open their presents have different times."  I work with students where they are and at their pace.  I start beginners with Essential Elements 2000 for Strings.  As students progress I use Samuel Applebaum method books, traditional etudes like Wolfhardt and Sevick, Suzuki books and solo pieces as appropriate.  I teach Traditional Classical string instruction.  I will work to find pieces that students find interesting and keep my instruction engaging and fun for all of my students of all ages. Read More

Instruments: Piano

While in my formative years, I enjoyed weekly piano lessons with a woman that I've come to appreciate as my second mother. She has always encouraged my talent and made sure I was using proper form as often as possible, even when I adopted the hobby of transcribing popular music to the piano and playing from rote. She has truly helped me appreciate the nuance and freedom of piano, and I joined Musika to pass that along to even more students. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Mandolin Conga Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My number one rule for teaching is patience and setting small goals each week. Every student should want to pick up the instrument days after the lesson. Seeing someone learn a song and playing it through correctly is a mini miracle. Progress through repetition and different exercises has been a high yield of success in my personal experiences. Praise for when a student fulfills a goal goes a far way in future lessons. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Music

Arias is both an avid performer and educator of the trumpet and piano. She is currently a member of the Brass Band of Appalachia based out of Bristol, VA and an active freelance musician in the Pittsburgh area. She recently performed at the William Adam International Trumpet Festival; the International Trumpet Guild Conference; and was featured as a soloist with the Appalachian State University Concert Band. A native of West Union, Ohio, Arias grew up on a farm in the Ohio Valley where she spent her days either playing the trumpet for her adoring audience (her animals) or out adventuring on the farm with her horses, goats, dogs, and cats. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience covers a number of musical environments. I worked for local non-profit music educational program, Creative Life Support, where I taught songwriting, recording, and performance to underprivileged and homeless youth in Pittsburgh. I have my own private students which I travel to their homes to study, and work for a teaching studio in Mars, PA. Music has always been a special and amazing part of my life, and sharing my love, curiosity, and excitement on the subject is a passion of mine. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I encourage progress. I love to see students become stronger and more confident musicians. I like to get students as much into "the real world" as possible, so I push for getting students performing as much as they are learning. I separate practice from performance, with an understanding that how a student sheds will be the core of what is possible in a performance setting.  Read More