312-789-4185
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24 Years
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312-789-4185
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Chicago . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My teaching style involves a more personal level. For example, finding out what the student enjoys listening to, what their motivations as well as what their priorities are. The student will, for the most part, control the direction of their skill. I will show, by example, how amazingly useful music theory is as well as how to understand a piece of music just by listening to it. By understanding aural skills, the will be able to identify components of each song or sequence of notes just by hearing it. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Ukulele Recorder Music Keyboard
The moment when a students finally understands a difficult concept, succeeds at a performance, masters a new technique, or has an amazing breakthrough is why I teach. I love to see the joy in the students faces and see how proud they are when they accomplish the tasks at hand. I like to reward and acknowledge successes because a student who feels successful has a higher chance of being successful. Read More
Instruments: Piano
I typically start beginners with the Teaching Little Fingers to play books. After going through the books at whatever rate the student needs to retain information, I will move on to solo repertoire pieces that align with the students' interests and tastes. I remember my piano teacher when I was a child bringing over several books for me to choose from, and it was the most exciting thing. I do the same with my students, so that the learning stays fun and students get to reap the rewards of their hard work throughout the process. Read More
Instruments: Piano
During a typical lesson I will hear the pieces my student was practicing the week before, make corrections or suggestions and have them play the piece again. Then I will assign them new pieces and have them play through them making sure they understand what to do and explaining any new concepts and giving suggestions on how to practice. As the students get more advanced I will also have them play scales andexercises and have them work out of a theory book. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Trumpet Trombone Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music Keyboard
I continued teaching private lessons, while also conducting a high school youth choir in Chicagoland after moving to IL. After a few years my family and I moved to the greater Cincinnati area where I currently teach as a high school choral and drama teacher while serving as the theatre manager as well. I strongly encourage my students to learn to communicate with their music; while building strong technique and working on artistic expression, I want each student to be able to use music as a language. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Clarinet Ukulele Recorder Fiddle
Communicating well as a music educator is vital for success; it is the way you communicate that reaches the students. Not every student that is in a classroom is the same; each one is unique and has their own special needs. To reach some students, it can sometimes mean trying a different kind of communication that you do not usually use. Being firmly rooted in my personal practice and purpose helps students find theirs as well. Read More
Instruments: Piano
I am a pianist, composer, and educator who strives to bring out the best in all my students. I have composed for film, internet, and theatrical productions and performed across the country in classical and jazz contexts. I hold a masters degree in jazz studies from the Jacobs School of Music, where I studied with Luke Gillespie, Steve Houhgton, and David Baker. In the summer of 2013 I performed with the Disneyland All-American College Band. Read More
Instruments: Piano Organ
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I generally audition a student and have them either sight read a composition or play something they have done in the past. Afterwards, we talk about basic musicianship and technique requirements. The student needs to know something about a composer and why that composer composed in a certain style, the period the composition was composed, and a brief analysis of what's happening in the music. If there is a specific theme that is worth mentioning, I will have the student give me their ideas and why a particular composer chose that theme.
When will I start to see results?
I recommend that a beginning student take at least three months to see how they like the piano and give them a chance to explore diverse styles. Not every beginning student will aspire to be a classically trained pianist. You may have someone who likes popular, rock and roll, jazz, and even the more contemporary. Three months is a fairly good indicator if a student likes what they are doing and plan to continue. Piano competitions are encouraged as part of their educational development and this is set up by age levels in communities.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I had two piano teachers in music that inspired me years ago when I started in music school. Before starting college, a lady at my home church in West Virginia prepared me for my audition at West Virginia University before finishing high school. I memorized and played the "Sonata Pathetique" by Beethoven which I did all three movements of the work. The entire music department at the university heard my audition and afterwards was told my artistry was wonderful and that came from Herman Godes who was my principal teacher.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
It was my mother who encouraged me to learn the piano which began at age 6. Besides playing the keyboard, I was a gifted singer as well and received voice instruction in a local boys choir and did that until age 14. All through junior high and high school, I was selected as an accompanist for the choirs and received the musicianship award upon graduation from high school. Then through my college years, I was fortunate to study with some of the finest teachers in the world who were world class artists.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Spend at least 30 minutes a day for small children focusing on technique, sight reading, simple solo pieces, and basic fundamental theory. For more intermediate and advanced, anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour. I remind students not to focus on too much at one time. Divide up the session into segments and spend most of the practice on styles and techniques.
Occasionally, I may introduce a recording of a piece and have the student listen and then give me feedback on what they heard and how it should be analyzed.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Piano lessons in Chicago to students of all ages and abilities.
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