Piano Lessons in Bristol, CT

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I am accomplished in sight-reading, ear training, improvisation, performing, transposing, designing, tuning, engineering, mixing, mastering, and trouble shooting in varied settings. I am a veteran. Most of my teaching experience is not music related, however I have given bass and piano lessons before. There are many similarities between music and anti-terrorism practices. Both require practice. Both require repetition. Both require vigilance and attention to detail. As such I feel I am qualified to assist students in establishing good practice habits. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Piccolo

I love seeing a student gain an understanding of a concept that had been challenging. In order to accomplish this "aha" moment, I try to learn how the student learns best (visual aids, explanations, listening examples) and use that to help the student. I use popular songs that the student knows to explain concepts that can be challenging. I use stickers for younger students to help mark progress and practice journals for older students to help see how much was accomplished. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Drums Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music Keyboard

My favorite piano method book for children is the Bastien Piano Basics Series. Alternately, I sometimes use the Faber & Faber Piano Adventures. For very young children (3-6) "My First Piano Adventure," a Faber publication, is my book of choice. For adults, I usually use Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course, though sometimes I skip method books and play pieces picked by the student. When teaching drums/percussion, my method books of choice are Standard of Excellence and Winning Rhythms. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums

When a beginning student pushes a key down on the piano, sound comes out this is unfortunately not true with guitar. In the beginning it can be quite challenging for students to use their left hand to guide the right finger to the right string to the right position on the string while simultaneously using their right hand to guide the pick to the right string and plucking it and this is all for one note! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My goal as a teacher is to instill a passion for music and encourage each student to become their personal best. I find that it is important to get to know each student's goals so that we can work towards them as a team. I am constantly pushing my students forward, but I make sure to take the time and remind them where they came from. It is easy to get caught up in how far one still has to go to reach their dreams, but I find that if students remember how much progress they have already made, it really helps to motivate them! Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Recorder Mallet Percussion

For Piano Students: I usually use the Alfred Piano Course book series, unless a student has already established themselves in a different lesson book series, are familiar with it, and wish to stay with that series. There is an adult series of Alfred Piano Course lesson books as well, so I am able to gear lessons for adults towards their teaching series as well. I usually teach beginning to intermediate level piano students, so these books are extremely helpful to those students because they teach proper fundamentals of piano playing, as well as theory, ear training, and technique. Read More