Music Lessons in Merion, PA

Instruments: Guitar

For any student that I teach, I always start by finding out the student's primary motivation and interests and then I develop the teaching style appropriate to their needs. Often times, beginning adult learners are simply interested in learning some songs so beginning with chord progressions to build up confidence and have them playing something recognizable within a few short lessons. For beginner students that are interested in theory, I typically start with the Major, Minor and Pentatonic Scales and then go into Chord Progressions in various Keys. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

I have learned that every student cannot be taught the same way, so I tailor my instruction to the individual student. I encourage my students to set personal goals of achievement at their own pace. I want my students to know that our lessons are reciprocal.In my experiences I have come to love that in music, there is always more to learn. There is essentially more music than we would ever listen to in our lifetime. Read More

Instruments: Piano Harp

Piano:  I have played piano since I was 7 .  I have been teaching piano privately for the past 5-10 years in my home or in a studio.   I encourage students to learn to read music well and also learn about the composer and the musical intentions behind each piece. Harp:  I have played harp since I was 18 and perform regularly.  I have taught privately for the past 5-10 years and I can teach various techniques and repetiore that I have learned over the years.  I also believe and want to pass on love and respect for the instrument. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Bass Guitar

It is equally important to learn music from method books and through sonic exploration; I have personally learned a lot from books and while "noodling."When teaching trumpet (all skill levels), I use books including Arban's Complete Conservatory Method, Clarke's Technical Studies, and Schlossber's Daily Drills and Technical Studies.For guitar and bass guitar (beginner through intermediate), I start with Hal Leonard's Play Bass Today series. I teach beginner piano with the Bastien series and Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course.I also have a library of alternate method books and additional materials including excerpts, solos, duets, and play-alongs. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Djembe

For all students, I start off with the basic fundamentals. Proper setup, posture, stick position, and technique. I then will hand write some examples and assess the student. From there I usually will use Alfred's Beginning Drum Set Method. Once the student has a grasp on that, I will focus on rudimental drumming and snare rhythms to accompany the drum fill portion of the Alfred's book. From there we move into more advanced books that include jazz drumming and complex rock beats as well as learning popular songs of the student's choice. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Orchestral Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I see teaching as a gateway to help students express their creativity, while incorporating a disciplined approach to help them achieve more from challenged in life in general. i don't simply field song requests, I also explain to my students the inner workings of why certain musical concepts work, why the artist may have chosen that and how you as the student can incorporate these creative ideas into your own compositions. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been teaching music since graduating with a Bachelor's degree in music education in 1991. While I have had an active performing career, I have always had more of an interest in teaching. I have taught privately in my own music studio, taught elementary music and choir, high school music theory and guitar, published my own series of method books and given seminars to teachers on developing their own guitar programs as well as infusing technology into their lessons. Read More