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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Elk Grove . 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
I began studying classical and jazz piano at the age of 5 in the Chicago area with Bob Ravenscroft(currently resides in Phoenix and very influencial in the Phoenix Jazz Scene) at Alan Swain Music Studios. I was fortunate to have played in the New Trier West Jazz ensemble in high School. Our band competed in the Montreaux Jazz Festival sweeping 9 of the 12 soloist awards. At 16 I began playing professionally in the Chicago Area in combos, trios and backing up vocalists. I was very forutnate to have studied with three amazing teachers, Herman Shapiro in Chicago(a professor at DePaul University and a student of Rudolph Ganz(The Director of the Chicago Musical College, Carl Mosbacher-a professor at New York University and the Mannes School of Music and Julian White in the Bay Area who was a student of Egon Petri. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar
When it comes to teaching, I find the most important thing is that we work towards the goal of what the student wants to learn - in the case of their preferred styles/genres of music, and the songs that they really enjoy. Every student has their own individual skill level and pace that can be developed and worked around. First, I would find out the level of skill and musical interests of the student, then I would create a lesson plan utilizing all of the tools at my disposal - both from my personal experience and from other educational sources, such as: Blues books, Rock books, Classical guitar/piano books, theory books, and tablature books, or music from popular bands. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice
My teaching experience begins when I apprenticed under my Choral teacher in high school and she would ask me to work one on one with certain singers that needed extra help. I started teaching private lessons part time at 17 and continued all through college. I have been consistently teaching students in my home for the past 5 years. I am a firm believer that in order to truly excel in anything you must have a classical foundation. Read More
Instruments: Piano Flute
I have over a decade’s combined experience teaching music to K-12 and adult students of all levels, including four years of TA’ing college-level music courses. I have worked as a private flute and piano teacher, an after-school program instructor, a summer music camp teacher, and as a substitute music theory instructor at a community music school. While at UC Davis, I was a TA for several music courses, including introductory music theory, introductory music history, and intermediate ear training. Read More
Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone
I began teaching during my sophomore year of high school with private trumpet lessons. Since then, I have taught college courses in music performance, history, composition, and music theory, and continue to teach private trumpet lessons from the beginner level up to my current college students. I have gone on to be a seminal figure in the trumpet community around the world. I have embarked on solo tours as well as with a 90 piece orchestra. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Flute Bass Guitar Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar
Teaching piano is my passion and I always strive to give personal attention to each and every student. I especially enjoy helping students develop their love of piano playing and their piano skills and watching them reap the benefits of their hard work and dedication I am active in participating and attending convention as hosted by the Music Teachers Association of California and other teacher's workshop in town and other workshops hosted by the Music publishers and well known composers. Read More
Instruments: Piano Organ
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
My practice is different every day. The window of time available changes, sometimes during the practice session. Rather than stubbornly sticking to my original plan for that session, I have found much more peace of mind in revising the goal for the day. Example: When you have planning on practicing for two hours and then the phone rings, changing your plans, when you reassess the time available and find something that can be accomplished within that amount of time, you will have reached a goal and will feel good about it.
There is no requirement to adhere to a rigid goal and feel down on yourself for not accomplishing it. Life happens!
FYI, it took me a long time, i.e. years, to learn that!
What is your dream piece to perform and why?
I would give my right arm, as they say, to be able to perform Twenty Portraits of the Infant Jesus by Olivier Messiaen. It's too hard! Several years ago, I found four movements that seemed to be more accessible than the others. I would practiced them for two months, say, then put them aside. Six months later, I would try again. The result was always the same. My fingers remembered nothing and I had to start over.
After four rounds of this, I decided to look at Messiaen's Preludes instead. I have happily performed three of the Preludes many times.
Pierre Laurent-Aimard performs the Vingt Regards (Twenty Portraits) on tour, from memory. I have ceded ownership of the piece to this wonderful pianist.
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Yes, music was something that was always around when I was a child. My father was a minister. He had sung in his college's male quartet. He had a lovely bass voice, and with further training might have had a professional singing career.
My mother had been a public school music supervisor before I was born, after which she taught kindergarten and supervised the elementary Sunday School department in our rather large church. She led a brief worship service for the children before smaller classes were taught, including a music component. My parents met in college choir.
In the Midwest, ministers' children at the time typically took lessons. My three older siblings all played instruments, with my sister playing both piano and organ. She played organ for our church before I did.
It must have been an unspoken part of the circumstances that the minister's children play for church. Even if that was the case, it was fabulous training. Playing congregational responses and hymns well requires good listening skills, the ability to adjust to changing acoustics depending on the size of the congregation, providing inspiration for the congregation to keep a steady tempo, and dreaming up something to bridge unexpected gaps in the service. That's quite a challenge for a 14-year-old!
Also, church services and choral rehearsals have many similarities in terms of the number of participants, size of the space, location of the piano or organ, listening and response skills needed.
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
When thinking about college choices, I began thinking about various possible majors. Since I felt very strongly that I would never be able to live without music, the decision was an easy one.
Settling on the piano took a little longer. I started out majoring in organ. However, my older sister is such a good organist, that was a big factor in my choosing something else. In addition, it turned out that I was more comfortable playing the piano, while my sister found a better fit with organ.
That said, I have had organist/choir director/choral singing jobs in different churches and denominations since age 14.
25 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 Elk Grove to students of all ages and abilities.
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