Music Lessons in Parkside Manor, PA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Organ Double Bass Keyboard

I am an experience Jazz pianist, keyboardist, organist and IMPROV teacher with over 20 years of teaching and performance experience. I have written books, endorsed for a major keyboard company, and performed around the world. My CDs have also had airplay on NPR, WRTI, WBGO and countless radio stations across the United States. In addition to my career as a Jazz performer, I have also worked with musicians from a wide variety of styles and traditions including funk, blues, gospel and pops. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Accordion

I was a middle school band director and general music teacher in a public school for ten years. I instructed beginning students as well as advanced 8th graders in all brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Directing and leading concert band, marching band, drum line, and jazz band required me to remain in communication with parents and the community, keep organization and discipline in the classroom, and engage the students with well-prepared lessons and quality band literature. Read More

Instruments: Piano Bass Guitar Keyboard

I believe in developing five core areas in musicianship: Theory/Understanding, Technique, Creativity, Reading, and Versatility. Initial lessons will identify the students strong points and weak points, and a personal strategy will be employed to help strengthen and balance the student overall. Many beginning classical musicians are able to read fairly well but have little to no comprehension of how and why the music works; while many contemporary musicians may have "chops" but lack in their ability to read and/or have proper technique. Read More

Instruments: Piano Bass Guitar Double Bass

I believe in tailoring music lessons to the individual students needs. This usually involves speaking with the student in the first lesson/lessons to find out what specifically they want to learn or improve. Once I've figured this out, I begin to find repertoire or create exercises that challenge this student in the respective area of focus. With younger students, I prefer to make an executive decision to begin with method books and then ease into more relevant material when the student is comfortable with their instrument. Read More

Instruments: Double Bass

During my teaching experience I had the chance to work with people from different ages, with different goals and levels of development. This helped me compile a system that I have been using for the past 13 years. Having worked with a very diverse group of teaches myself, I combine the classical traditions of the Bulgarian and Western European double bass methods of Todor Toshev, Simandl and Bottesini with contemporary ones such as Rabbath, Levinson, Thomas Martin and others. Read More

Instruments: Voice

In the first lesson, I listen very carefully to what the student wants to achieve and how they feel about the way they sing. Then, I begin my strategy of how to devise a skills building foundation based on their needs. After a few exercises, I can understand how quickly they can adapt and try new techniques. If one approach doesn't work, I try another way of explaining it. I also provide notes to reinforce what is discussed in the lesson so the student can retain new concepts. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Orchestral Percussion Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For Beginner students I would start with the Frederick Noad Classical Guitar book. This book is a great book to hold interest in the Students. This Book teaches Basics, but gets right down and dirty in to learning music. The Music in the book starts with simple Melody for the student, with some advanced part underneith to give the allusion to a young beginning student they are achieving greatly. This tactic helps harness the musical drive in a student. Read More