Piano Lessons in Collegeville, PA

Instruments: Piano Organ Keyboard

My approach to teaching is, basically, that playing piano should be enjoyable and fun so I tailor the lessons to the type of music in which the student has interest. I do, however, have a basic structure that includes reading music, finger dexterity and songs at the student's playing level. If there is an interest in contemporary music I have an "easy to learn" approach to chords and accompaniments. I also give lessons in music composition. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Bass Guitar

I first began teaching music in 2006 as the trumpet instructor at Silver Creek Central School where I directed trumpet master classes for high school students.I later took on various private students teaching trumpet, guitar, electric bass, improvisation, and arrangement composition.While earning my Master of Music at the University of the Arts, I served as the trumpet department intern and was responsible for teaching private trumpet lessons, preparing transcriptions for class materials and live performances, and proctoring music theory exams.Also at UArts, I was a teaching assistant for the Freshman Jazz Improvisation class for which I conducted sectionals, administered exams, and offered critiques regarding inventiveness of improvisations. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola Keyboard

Music is deeply personal; one must get to know each student's own personality, interests, and connections to music. Early on (both in the teaching relationship and in each lesson) one must assess where the student is, as to technical and musical growth, and with the music at hand. Then one finds, models, explains and encourages the next steps the student can achieve. Clear guidance and dialogue about what will happen outside the studio (listening, practice, rehearsal, performance) helps turn the weekly cycle of lessons into an upward spiral of progress, achievement, and reward. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I first began teaching while still completing my Bachelors degree at William Paterson in 2011. Most of my students were beginning level piano students, but I had a few more advanced students as well as some people studying saxophone with me. My teaching philosophy is to combine teaching the technique of an instrument with learning songs as well as theory and improvisation/composition. Everyone learns technique, but learning music that I wanted to learn, learning how those songs were written (theory), and eventually elaborating on those songs (improvisation), and writing my own music (composition), was what really got me deeply engaged in the act of practicing and making music, and I have found over several years of teaching that it keeps my students engaged and enjoying the learning process. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I use different methods for each student based on age and experience. I don't believe that there is one method which is successful with every student. Through the years I have used teaching methods written by Aaron, Thompson,Schaum, Fletcher and others. My first priority is to get the students to read music proficiently. While achieving that goal they are also relating what they read with the keys. When that is accomplished, the student is free to choose what type of music they want to play. Read More