Piano Lessons in Oakton, VA

Instruments: Piano Organ

Every student is different, and every student has a different level of ability, interests, etc. I find it's important to be mindful of what each student needs at any given moment in their musical journey. Part of this involves asking vital questions and assessing each student's innate musicality before proceeding with materials. Some kids are very precocious are best suited for materials intended for adult beginners. Sometimes students who are seniors feel very fulfilled by learning fundamental skills with simplified showtune melodies. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Saxophone Flute Clarinet French Horn Oboe Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been teaching in the NOVA area for a little over three years now. I started when I returned from out of state and have not looked back since. I have maintained a studio of about 10-15 students almost consistently after about a year of starting. My students have ranged widely in age, from elementary students to retired adults who have have wanted to learn an instrument. I am focused on both enjoying playing but also pushing students to their limits and making them much better. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Keyboard

My preferred piano method is Piano Adventures and I recommend using the Lesson, Theory, and Sight Reading books at each level. For guitar and voice I typically do not follow any specific method unless the student has a preference. For more advance piano students I typically will begin using Suzuki or move them to Burgmller Etudes and Schumann's Opus 68 - Album for the Young. I perform an assessment of new students in the areas of sight reading, music theory, rhythm, performance, and ear training. Read More

Instruments: Piano

My teaching career officially began back in 2007, when I was hired to work at a small, family-run music school in Laurel, Maryland. It was in this test lab that I began to formulate an approach to learning piano quite different from the more traditional ways the instrument was commonly taught. I found that, by giving students a more solid foundation, they were able to be more self-sufficient and independent, allowing them to progress further than they would have otherwise. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I started teaching private lessons when I was in college. During my masters program, I also taught chorus. I have taught private lessons for more than 15 years since I first started. I teach all different levels from beginners to advanced levels, and I have also taught student between the ages of 4 and 80. Classical music for me is the foundation which can help students with many techniques. Using techniques rooted in Classical music can enable the student to be able to sing, play or even compose other style of music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Bass Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I love to see my students overcome challenges in music. My music teacher used to say, "nothing is hard, or difficult, just challenging." If students learn how to practice effectively on their own, learning new music becomes easier over time. I teach my students how to approach a certain rhythm, phrase, or fingering and the techniques to do so correctly such as by slowing down and practicing with a metronome, our muscle memory will be able to play it up to speed once it's learned. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

Getting my students to understand how consistency is much more important than anything else when it comes to practice is the first thing I strive for. I've found that making music learning a fun experience is what will help the student learn. No matter the age, training classically and applying music that the student enjoys is very important to keep the interest level high while not compromising the integrity of music as an art. Read More