Piano Lessons in Virginia Beach, VA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Ukulele Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
There was no exact time for this decision. It is a part of who I am.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Music runs in my family, but not in my immediate family. Grandparents and ancestors before them.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
Counseling people with daily struggles using tools, such as music, art and writing.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
Decided to learn guitar in order to play wherever I went.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
Performance.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Claire de Lune....most difficult and most beautifully expressive.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
Blues and jazz are my favorites, with classical running a close third. Expressive and fun...telling a story through music.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
15-20 minutes daily, playing a piece multiple times and repeating difficult passages to reinforce muscle memory.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I am a fan of the Alfred piano series for both adults and children. They are easy on the eye, easy to understand and demonstrate new techniques through music pieces and repetition. They strive to ensure early success in a student and make the new information much easier to understand through playing. For beginner guitar students, I prefer the Hal Leonard Books 1 through 3. They cover note reading, chord construction, strum patterns, finger style picking, barre chords and even power chords. I am also glad that tablature is introduced.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
One student went on to American Idol for auditioning.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Piano playing with both hands and reading music. For guitar, finger strength and coordination.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Seeing the successes of my students as they strive to be a better player.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Effective practicing includes daily playing for between 15 and 30 minutes at a time. A time slot set aside for practicing is a big help in keeping a student on track and moving forward with their skills. Daily scale playing (for piano and guitar), along with Hanon exercises (or equivalent) is a must. Voice students need to practice good breathing morning and evening. Repetitive playing of difficult parts of a piece is very important to reinforce the muscle memory and hone one's skills. There should not be interruptions of any kind, phones especially, since since this practice time is essential to

When will I start to see results?
The more often you practice, the sooner you will see improvement.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My first piano teacher.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I love the sound and feel of the piano keys and I love the sound feel of the guitar strings, as well.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
A child is better able to learn piano more quickly if they can read and differentiate between left and right hands. Also, if they can read numbers and assign them to their appropriate fingers. Of course, a child who expresses an interest in playing the piano can be of any age since there is no black and white for every student. Children who are interested in the guitar need to be strong enough to hold the instrument (using the proper size guitar). They need to know their alphabet, A-G. Voice students should be over the age of 8.

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