Piano Lessons in Layfield, PA

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Accordion

In 2007, I graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. I was a member of the Penn State Marching Blue Band and have participated in several Alumni Blue Band performances since graduating. I went on to earn my Masters of Music in Music Education from Northwestern University in 2012. I enjoyed teaching music in the public school for ten years. In addition to teaching, I have also been the piano accompanist for both middle and high school choirs. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I keep a "Piano Homework Assignment" Word document for each student on my laptop which I can then email to you after your lesson is over for reference during the week.  A usual assignment would consist of a "Warm Up" section where we focus on hand position or scales or technique, a "Lesson Book" or "Repertoire" section where we work on new pieces or songs, a "Theory" section for written assignments, a "Fun" list for pieces we are done with but want to keep playing just for fun and then a number of special sections depending on student interest.  Special sections might be things like - improvisation, composition, playing by ear, recital or competition prep, exam prep, sight reading, ear training, etc.  I'm comfortable in few method series but I prefer Faber Piano Adventures for typical beginning children and The Music Tree for very young beginners.  I try to make sure each student has a piece they love every week. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

I have been teaching drums and percussion since my junior year of high school, and have taken on some piano students in college. I've taken on students as young as elementary age as well as people from an older crowd. Regardless of the age, I've seen music change their lives for the better. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Conga Djembe

Playing the Drum Set requires strength in a few key areas. Hand to Hand Coordination, 4 limb interdependence , rhythm vocabulary and Timing. No matter what your skill level is we'll always need to maintain it. The saying is, "if you don't use it you lose it". No matter your skill level I believe it's important to understand what it takes to maintain the physical performance on your instrument. That's why I encourage students to memorize songs and exercises. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Keyboard Djembe Acoustic Guitar

As a singer who has already experienced some of the traumatic effects of misuse and overuse of singing, I believe that health comes first. Anyone can learn to sing but there are so many significant factors that most teachers forget to include in their training. I believe that any one can have or learn to have talent, but the singer who has the awarness and understanding of taking care of that talent will benefit more than they can imagine. Read More

Instruments: Piano

Since I strongly believe each person has his own learning style, I cater each lesson to him personally. I customize each lesson according to my student and the pace appropriate for him. Typically one of my pre-college student's lesson bags will include the following material: a lesson book, theory book, technique book, 1 or 2 supplementary repertoire books, notebook, flashcards, and handouts, which include sight-reading, lead sheets, progress charts, memos, etc. Not every item will be used each lesson, but certainly each month. Read More