Musika Quick Stats
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Ridgewood . 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 Voice Keyboard
YOUR IMPROVEMENTS AND PASSION FOR MUSIC WOULD BE MY REWARDS! Setting realistic goals in the first place and helping the students achieve their goals would fuel the desire to progress, and bring more energy to challenge oneself. I would find out the inspirations together with the students and help the students to bring out the undiscovered parts of themselves as a musician! I am so excited in building up a life style of learning music to enhance students' musicianships and more interests in music arts and beauty! Read More
Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet
Advanced For high school students who want to hone their skills, and possibly study music at the collegiate level. During our lessons we will work on performing upper level saxophone literature, learning jazz standards, improvisation, advanced music theory (including jazz theory), and complex technical exercises in all 12 keys. Clarinet: Beginner Students who want to pick up clarinet will be taught the fundamentals of the instrument. This includes embouchure, fingerings, wind support, reading music, and basic scales and basic music theory. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Flute Clarinet Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
For beginning students, I prefer to start them on a book based in warming up and getting used to movement in hands if we are playing piano. Throughout my teaching, I incorporate music theory and ear training into my classes as it creates a fantastic bridge to understanding the instrument. As we get used to our new instrument, I will recommend some songs to get started on and allow my students to come to class with ideas and songs that they want to learn how to play or sing. Read More
Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet
My teaching style revolves around the students’ needs and desires in the music. I like to have a balance of exercises that are centered around developing technical facility and developing the ears of the students. Each student is assessed on what they wish to learn and their own capabilities. I like to give a push into a direction that challenges my students but still allows for them to benefit from and enjoy the music. Read More
Instruments: Piano Trumpet
The approach I take is individualized and utilizes multiple teaching methods. Every student brings unique qualities and different interests and it is my job to find a way to connect those qualities and interests to music. One thing I emphasize is continued learning. If we are working on fundamentals of piano technique I find a way to slowly introduce more concepts that will be developed later on in our lessons. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice
I always start my lessons off with vocal exercises in order to assess the status of the voice and what we need to work on, and also what progress has been made since our last session, if any. In order to keep my students interested, I like to work on repertoire that theyre interested in and that they select. I definitely suggest pieces that I think might help practice areas of their vocal technique that they would like to improve, but I also want to make sure its music that they like and want to sing. Read More
Instruments: Piano Keyboard
For beginners, I like to use the Music Theory books from the "Royal Conservatory" as well as the Piano Books from the Same publisher. It is very important for me to adapt the teaching style to the character and abilities of the students. It is also important to focus on the weaknesses of the students and try to improve those parts as well. I believe that challenging a student with works slightly beyond their technical abilities is also a good way to stimulate faster progress and better creative results. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard
If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
Piano was kind of forced upon me in undergrad and then I grew to love it. Now I feel naked when I'm not performing with the piano. It does everything!
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
As the son of immigrants I had 4 choices. Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer or family embarrassment. When I decided to major in music in college, you can guess which title I was pegged with by my family. I suppose it was gradual. It was something that was growing in me since middle school. When I found out you could actually STUDY it, I signed up. My memoirs will be entitled "Goodbye med school" .
If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I chose a degree in performance because I really wanted to master the art of delivering my story. The programs I attended also incorporated robust theory, research and piano so I wasn't missing anything
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
That varies based on where I am in my life. At the time I'm writing this, the world is in disarray from a pandemic. I find great solace in the Blues. It helps to bring me healing and express profound emotions that words cannot express.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
That depends on if I'm prepping for a performance. If its performance prep, I tend to skew towards performance repertoire. If its normal practice time, its skewed towards exercises. There are specific skills I want to acquire and I work on acquiring those skills. The ratio of time tends to be consistent and I expand the time slot allotted based on the amount of time I have. If its 15 min for ear training per hour I increase it to 30 min if I have 2 hours and so on. I dont go ever go beyond 8 hrs. I heard Charlie Parker practiced 12 hours a day at one point. Tried that once and it was physically and psychologically painful
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
The voice is a diva. If you dont show it love and care everyday, it will betray you. It's also not like any other acoustic or electric instrument. Your psychological and physical state play a major role in the sound you create
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I went to Whitney Houston Academy for my middle school years. Ms Karen Williams "encouraged" me to be in the choir. At first I thought it was not cool, then I grew to love it. There have been far too many to list, but Ms Williams was the first.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I started singing when me and my siblings were toddlers. My parents love gospel and hymns so we started singing in the church and took off from there. That was at 7 years old
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I loved teaching music and connecting with people in China with no knowledge of Mandarin, earning the respect of Branford Marsalis, meeting people from around the world in Batumi, Georgia for the GLOMUS music festival, and being on the grammy ballot in 2017. We didn't get nominated, but the consideration was still cool!
When will I start to see results?
My professional advice? Anyone who offers you an exact timeline is not sincere. Run in the opposite direction. There are far too many variables to consider when developing a musician in any instrument. Some people are savants and some people have psychological work or injuries to work through. Age, diet, exposure, genetics, etc. effect how fast or slow you move. If you're a beginner, you might see a lot of progress in the beginning. But I have worked with beginners who advance rapidly in the beginning and then plateau and vice versa. Its just too hard to predict with current technology.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Journal, journal journal! What you can measure you can improve. Imagine being able to go back to June 13 2020 when your voice and playing were sounding amazing and synthesizing exactly what you did to get there. It is also psychologically stimulating to see how far you've come. We all have those songs that take MONTHS to master. Imagine seeing the slow(and sometimes not so steady) progression. It also helps your teacher assess how effective your practice is :)
24 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 Ridgewood to students of all ages and abilities.
We'll then reach out to the teachers for you.
Schedule the risk-free trial lesson directly with the teacher.
Continue with that teacher or try someone else.