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24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
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Teachers in Network
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Vacaville . 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 Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
I began teaching music in 2009 as a tutor for the local junior college teaching music theory and musicianship. I expanded to voice and guitar lessons and have been teaching for the last 12 years. I teach in my home studio, in my students homes and online. I know that consistent practice is the way for students to reach their music goals and so I make sure that each student knows what to practice and how to practice. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Organ Synthesizer Keyboard
If you’ve tried and failed, or even if you’ve never touched a piano, Smiley can teach you. And, you’ll have fun doing it because with my easy approach to learning, you will start playing the songs you like from day one, not practicing endless scales all the time, and boring music language that would be difficult to understand the first day. With my easy learning how to play approach, you would lean your first song and be able to play it, over and over until you learn a new song to share. Read More
Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone
For beginners, I start with a mixture of the Suzuki method and the Essential Elements book. I find that combining ear training while simultaneously developing the ability to read music only accelerates the learning process. Teaching adults of any level are all about assessing interests and goals. I find out where the interest in creativity lies in every individual and work on developing that so the lessons remain fun and fulfilling. Read More
Instruments: Piano Accordion
My teaching style is very simple. Be creative and always involved humor. The student will know instantly if the instructor is eager to teach as the student to learn. For example, i would use a lot of metaphors and analogies to explain a musical concept. I would always tailor lessons to their level of skill. Nothing is more rewarding than to see one of my student's at a recital and i hear their parent's tell their friends,"that's my son", "he learned from the best". Read More
Instruments: Piano Flute Piccolo
It is important and rewarding for both me and the student to have a passion for their music and learning. Because of this, it is important to me that each student sets their own goals. I will encourage and help the students to set high but realistic goals that will bring them enthusiasm for the music. I try to bring inspiration and a lot of guidance to each student. And I love to have fun. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Music Keyboard
My teaching experience dates back to my college days, as I began teaching private lessons almost 20 years ago, and have been consistently teaching students in my home studio, several Piano Academies, and students' homes. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. I've also found that a combination of classical and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the piano and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice
I am a composer, vocalist, sometime percussionist and keyboard player. I received my Associates of Arts in Traditional Music, Composition from American River College in 2016. I am currently working on my Bachelors of Music in Music, Composition at California State University, Northridge. While at ARC, I studied composition, jazz theory, improve and piano with Joe Gilman. I studied classical piano with Heidi VanRegenmorter, classical voice with Catherine Fagiolo, and jazz vocal styles with Art LaPierre. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Recorder
If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I wasn't a musician, I would be pursuing one of my other creative outlets in a more direct and permanent way. Most likely this would be wildlife photography, multi-media art sculpture or programming.
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
The musical accomplishments I am most proud of are my music degree from Loyola University New Orleans, the 7 records I created with my bands, and the hundreds of live performances I have given with them.
Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Yes. Multiple students of mine have gone on to attain All-County and All-State status and seats in these prestigious positions. The difficulty and ages of these talented kids was from 10 years old all the way through 18 and from the simplest level 1 solo to the most difficult level 6.
Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
The specific methods I employ with my students depends on their requirements and needs as I deem them. I use a plethora of instructional books, ranging from simple mechanics and scales, tone development, music theory etc. It is advised that you purchase the books we will be using. Until then I can provide pdf's for most if not all materials.
If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Bachelor of Science in Popular and Commercial Music with a Concentration in Jazz and Classical Saxophone Performance. I originally started out as solely a music performance major, but decided that to better encompass my vast plethora of musicality applications, a more well rounded program including music business and all of the facets that surround that was the wiser decision.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
The hardest things to master about saxophone are a tie between embouchure and tone development, pitch and then mechanical skills like developing muscle memory, finger strength etc.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I chose to become a saxophone player kind of by accident. When I was 8 years old, an accident at summer camp resulted in my front tooth being knocked out. It was re-implanted, but two years later when we were choosing instruments in elementary school and I expressed desire to play the trumpet, my mother asked my orthodontist who said the pressure from trumpet would be bad for the implanted tooth, and suggested saxophone! It is one of the most controversial and beneficial truths of my entire life...
When will I start to see results?
If you take what I say and teach seriously, you will start to see results immediately. Part of my job as an instructor is to have the expertise to pinpoint a students strengths and weaknesses and construct a teaching model conducive to the most efficient and effective way of advancing your abilities as an instrumentalist and a musician in general.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
The first step to effective practice is to take out your metronome and your tuner; these tools are vital to your development and are required for all students during all lessons. Next, stop practicing the parts you can already play, slow down the ones you can't and get them up to speed.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
During my high school years I had at one point 14 different private music teachers all over New York state. Each one of them inspired me in different ways, which is why I sought out as many pros as I could find to get each one's unique input. But the one who inspired me to continue on seriously as a teenager was the legendary Mike Holober, leader of the Gotham Jazz Orchestra and resident professor of The New School in New York.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Your child is ready to start lessons if they have an instrument and a desire to play music and develop their new skills. The type of instruction and severity of difficulty depends on their natural ability, their developed ability, and desired ability.
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
My favorite styles of music to play are big band jazz, classical/avant-garde saxophone quartet, and the rock-jazz-fusion style that my old band AUTOTOMII developed, mixing traditional rock band setups with baritone and alto saxophones and other woodwinds, and home-made special sound effects studio and record production.
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Music absolutely runs in my family. My mother was a classical voice major at University of Colorado, who pursued professional music theater for decades afterwards as a soprano belt. Later in life she was a voice teacher. My older brother is a graduate of NYU Steinhardt in vocal performance and makes a living in Brooklyn, NY as a singer, actor and musician. My father, while not an instrumentalist, is probably the most well versed in music and theater non musician I've ever met.
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
My decision to play music professionally came about early on in my college years at Loyola University New Orleans. There really was no defining moment; I've been playing saxophone since I was 10 years old and always gravitated toward doing just that.
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 Vacaville to students of all ages and abilities.
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