Piano Lessons in East Granby, CT

Instruments: Piano Saxophone

My teaching style is fairly laid-back, allowing each student to progress at their own pace. This allows me the freedom to tailor the instruction to the specific needs of the student and successfully find what creates their individual passion. I also believe that - especially in creative mediums like music and art - every negative critique I point out needs to be accompanied by at least two positive critiques. This positive reinforcement will help push students to progress rather than pushing them down, and all I want is to see the people I teach grow as both budding musicians and people. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Bass Guitar Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style is grounded in my own absolute love for music! This passion translates through in my teaching, which hopefully results in successful student learning. I also believe that the teacher needs to develop a rapport with the student, in order for successful learning. Furthermore, as previously stated, I've studied pedagogy at the undergraduate level. I realize what it takes to be a successful teacher, and believe in the importance of exposing young people, as well as folks of all ages, to music and the arts. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice

I cater the lessons towards what the student wants while emphasizing the importance of fundamentals and theory. I incorporate songwriting and improvisation into my lessons, as well as songs the student wants to learn. I believe all students should be encouraged to be creative, while still maintaining a strong emphasis on fundamentals, thus leading to the creation of their unique musical style. I generally tend to split the lessons up into warm up techniques, repertoire, sight reading, listening/dictation, discussing music the student likes/wants to learn, and improvisation and songwriting. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola

My goal is to make the student as independent of the teacher as possible. For this I help them form a foundation on which they can build for years to come. I teach reading music as well as playing by ear (a wonderful skill rarely taught on the piano). I teach my piano students music theory in the context of playing by ear, so they get an experiential idea of how music is made, including improvisation. Read More

Instruments: Piano Organ Music

I work with many free online resources - both for repertoire and for the teaching of music theory. I am also able to provide numerous options of method books for the student to pick from, for purchase. Finally, I am able to provide historical documents - particularly, keyboard treatises and methods - that famous composers used. In this way, I use my early music and music history interests practically in my teaching, grounding students soundly in well-established, historical, pedagogical traditions. Read More

Instruments: Piano

There are many method books available, one that I have used is "Piano Adventures" by Nancy and Randall Faber. There are many series of books now available with varied styles of music from beginning to intermediate levels such as those by Martha Mier, Robert Vandall and Christopher. Very young students and sometimes even those who are older have difficulty understanding musical notation and it is useful to teach them by rote while also improving reading skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

From my experiences teaching in classroom settings, I have come to realize the importance of setting short and longer term learning goals for my students and adjusting these goals together with them as we work towards reaching these objectives. Sometimes the goals are very specific, like mastering a particular concept, or practicing towards a specific audition, and some, more general, like developing certain techniques which then need to be further explored and practiced by the student. Read More