Piano Lessons in Vacaville, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Double Bass

My style is to get students to start performing and playing songs, so that they maybe come as passionate about music as I am! I try to keep each student at paces they are comfortable with and set goals for each student to get to the next level. I tailor my instruction to inspire students to create and make music.  Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Trombone Drums Ukulele Euphonium French Horn Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I like to emphasize fundamentals, especially if a student is just beginning. I believe a strong foundation makes it easier as they progress. For all instruments I always have my students prepare both technical exercises and solo material. I always emphasize historical context to bring the music to life. I also like to teach the music theory side of music, explaining chords, sequences and progressions. I can inform students how to improvise in jazz, as well as play at the level required for symphonic performance. 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 Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Musically, I have been involved in just about every activity you can think of! Although I spend the majority of my time on jazz piano, I have accompanied choirs, played baritone in marching bands, played guitar in rock bands, played bass in funk bands... I like to think that my wide array of experience allows me to cater to a variety of learning styles. In terms of education, I have been working in early childhood and music schools for more than 8 years, teaching children as young as 2 and as old as 20. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I always encourage my students to progress at their own pace and have fun while doing it. Not everyone improves and learns at different paces and I make sure to emphasize that with my students and when possible with their parents. I personally think that seeing a student reach a new goal is an important part of my job and it makes it all worth it in the end. I like to use positive reinforcement with my students to help them reach their goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Clarinet

The technique I use is based on the Alexander Method of teaching and promotes proper breath control and tone placement over volume production and belting. Most singers, young and old, come to me with the idea that to create volume, you must yell or sing from your throat. With that mindset, what oftentimes happens is the voice will give out after five years and will result in the need of surgery to remove things like vocal nodules. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

For children, I begin with Donald Waxman's Pageant for Piano series. The pieces are quite fun, and also good for technique. The illustrations also offer many opportunities for story-making and engagement. For adults, I begin with James Bastien's The Older Beginner Piano course, and for intermediate learners, supplement it with pieces from Bartok's Mikrokosmos, Czerny, Kabalevsky, Burgmuller's 24 Etudes, duets and various other literature as appropriate. Improvisational skills may also be taught. Read More