Music Lessons in Plainfield, NJ

Instruments: Voice

Singing is not the same as playing an instrument because you are the instrument. When I have a new student, they come in and we spend some time talking, singing, and breathing to see where they are at so that I can determine a lesson plan that is created specifically for them. As most people probably know singing requires good breathing, posture, tone and pitch and it's not a one size fits all. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet

Here are the things that I want to impart to my piano students in their first 10 weeks of lessons: That I love music and I love teaching them That music lessons are creative and exploratory That creating music is fun and easy That music can tell stories That music is more than pushing down keys That music is art and involves dynamics, speed, feeling, etc. That singing and moving to music is just a part of how we do things in music education That playing the piano the right way (ie. with the right technique) is really important The importance of understanding, feeling and moving to meter (duple/triple) The concept of home, tonic/dominant tonalities and being able to hear and create bass lines That music is made up of chords, patterns, and melodies That they can transpose music into different keys I use Alfred Piano Method, it also dives into intervallic reading, as described above. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Bass Guitar Latin Percussion Keyboard

I was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, I have a degree in Jazz performance from the City College of New York (B.Mus.), and recently graduated from a M.Mus. at William Paterson University on a full academic scholarship. My undying love for the music has taken me from Colombia to Canada, and to New York City, and granted me the opportunity to share the stage with world-class musicians like Al Foster, Will Vinson, Pat LaBarbera, Steve Wilson, Marco Panascia, and Jonathan Kreisberg among many others. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I have been teaching for 5 years in both private lesson situations and and group lesson situations. I enjoy teaching beginner piano and flute and teaching all levels on the clarinet and saxophones. I have taught in both the classical and jazz idioms. I have taught as young as seven and as old as seventh and I enjoy seeing what curious students bring to the lesson. I teach both by ear and reading music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Orchestral Percussion Conga Music Djembe

For beginner students, I typically start with the book Syncopation by Ted Reed. From this book, students learn basic rhythmic concepts and how to read them, and they develop the coordination to play them on snare drum and drum set. Then, I teach my students the 26 basic rudiments that all drummers must know. After that, I teach my students different types of ethnic musical traditions from all over the world. Read More