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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Westfield . 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
I have been been playing piano in an academic setting for 20 years, voice for 9 years, and guitar for 8. During my time in high school I began teaching by tutoring my peers in music performance, music theory, and music history. I have studied various musical genres and I always love to cater my lessons to the needs of each individual student. I make it a habit of writing exercises for students so that they can work on something specifically suited to their current musical ability, and will help them grow as a performer. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Orchestral Percussion
I focus on nurturing a students natural curiosity, while helping them find the tools to pursue their own musical interests. Many of my younger students prefer to use technology to connect with music (learning how songs are recorded, and the theory behind songwriting), but I also work with more serious students to prepare for college auditions, state/regional jazz band, etc. My methods differ depending on a student's own goals, but they generally all will start with a technical exercise, an exercise designed to get the student thinking critically, and an application of the concepts we're learning. Read More
Instruments: Piano Drums
With multi-stylistic performance experience, I have had the pleasure of working with artists including Wheatus (UK No. 2 Billboard with "Teenage Dirtbag"), Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing), Andrew W.K., Viktor Kirly (NBC The Voice 2015 - Top 24), and Kate Nauta (Hollywood actress in Transporter 2 and the Game Plan). I have performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Brazil and was a member of the 42 date 2015 Wheatus 15th anniversary European tour. With the band, I also appeared on the Ray D'Arcy show, featured live on Ireland's premiere TV network RT One, and headlined the Trebur Open Air Festival (Germany) and Sligo Summer Festival (Ireland), playing for up to 10,000 people. 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 Violin Saxophone Bassoon
I don't typically use a method series for Voice, as I use a series of vocal exercises I have memorized over the years from my own vocal teacher for technical voice training and warm-up. It's important to note that for beginner piano students I will use a method, but for more advanced-beginners and intermediate players I focus on chord theory and rhythmic playing, as I am a self taught pianist and do not teach classical piano. Read More
Instruments: Piano
I have been teaching students for more than 7 years from beginners to professional performing artist. My methods of teaching is tailored to each individual students as I understand that general methods of teaching a performing art does not apply to all students. Practical methods on practicing and understanding the importance of a musical piece is critical and I will be guiding my students to make sure that they gradually learn this as our lessons goes by. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Organ Synthesizer Ukulele Keyboard Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My teaching style is light and fun and geared to the temperament of the child and the specific goals of the parent. My methods are traditional pedagogy. With younger students under the age of 5 and special needs students I make use of tactical manipulatives for example play doh to assist with fine motor skills. I also incorporate if needed coloring full body movement etc if needed. I try to set realistic goals with both the student and parent bringing various rewards and incentives for achievement.. Read More
Instruments: Piano Drums
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I've had the pleasure of having excellent teachers during all of the stages of my development as a musician. One teacher in particular that really helped my development along was a teacher in Florida named John Yarling. He taught me from the time I was around 13 years old to when I went to college and I was already a skilled, dedicated and promising student at that point, but he provided me with the insight and tools to take my playing to a professional level by challenging me technically to new heights, exposing me to music and drummers at the avant-garde of rhythmic development that I had never heard before, and encouraging me to become an inspired musician with a strong work ethic and sense of developmental direction.
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 degree in Jazz Percussion Performance from the New England Conservatory. I chose this degree over a composition or education degree because I am absolutely a performer first and foremost, and I wanted the educational opportunities that the school had to offer to serve that purpose. I did study composition and music pedagogy in school as well, and I think these skills have also been a great asset to my overall understanding of who I am as a musician, but I got a performance degree so I could study with some of the masters of my instrument!
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Whenever they show interest! Enthusiasm and curiosity for music is much more of an indicator of whether a student is ready than age. A student, no matter what age they are, will benefit from music lessons if they are showing an interest and a desire to play music.
Some key signs that they are ready to begin can be any of the following:
a. They are listening to music
b. they're messing around on whatever musical instruments they may have access to and maybe even attempting to emulate some of the things they hear
c. they ask for music lessons!
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
The most important thing is to have fun! If practicing is feeling like a chore, than you most likely will not make the most effective use of your time. Sometimes, frequency is more important than how long you practice. If you put in 15 minutes of good concentrated work, but do that consistently on a daily basis. That is generally much more effective than practicing for an hour one day a week. I generally will help my students best organize their practice time, but it generally is also a great idea to have a list that puts a scheduled agenda to your practice sessions. Having clear, short term goals that are achievable in the near future, as well as ambitious long term goals really do wonders for determining how one could be spending their time practicing.
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 Westfield to students of all ages and abilities.
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