Piano Lessons in William Penn Annex East, PA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Organ Double Bass Keyboard

I am also the creator of a unique method called "The Seven Secrets of Jazz and Soul" which emphasizes the importance of using simple/easy-to-understand language, even when teaching the most difficult of concepts. I also believe in the importance of "coaching" as opposed to lecturing and try to minimize reading, writing and one-sided lecturing during the lesson. Instead, I sit next to my students, and calmly guide them through the creative process. Read More

Instruments: Piano

Since I strongly believe each person has his own learning style, I cater each lesson to him personally. I customize each lesson according to my student and the pace appropriate for him. Typically one of my pre-college student's lesson bags will include the following material: a lesson book, theory book, technique book, 1 or 2 supplementary repertoire books, notebook, flashcards, and handouts, which include sight-reading, lead sheets, progress charts, memos, etc. Not every item will be used each lesson, but certainly each month. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Bass Guitar Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard

I begin with building a strong foundation with the basics; -counting -internalizing the tempo with your feet -isolating limbs -basic grooves We then graduate to novice material; -performing songs with hits and breaks and form -reading lead sheets and counting -internalizing tempo with grooves -3/4 meter -blues/shuffle/swing patterns For intermediate; - we learn 4-way coordination -review reading skills from books such as stick control, syncopation and and 23 drum rudiment etudes -we will learn three camps -we will work on advance songs with hits and develop comping and soloing Advanced; -we will learn the rudiments ritual -we will learn to ready drum sheet music - we will learn jazz Melodies and common improvisation for jazz and Rb shows -we will learn odd time meters, metric modulation and imposition - we learn advanced grooves from different regions Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone

For all of my students of any age, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements and learning a recognizable song hand picked by the student and approved by me. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce jazz repertoire, sight reading and things like, technical exercises, jazz improvisation, theory, ear training and classical music etudes. I also introduce my students to composition and different musical creation techniques. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Acoustic Guitar

First and foremost, learning any musical instrument should be a fun experience. With this in mind, each person's lesson is subjective and progresses according to the student's learning style; a beginning 5 yr old student's lesson will look much different that a beginning 14 yr old student's lesson. Each student will learn repertoire from a lesson book, solo repertoire and anything else that they may express interest in. As a student progresses, their repertoire will naturally become more challenging . Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I have performed with the Delaware, Lancaster, and Reading Symphonies, Media Theater, 11th Hour Theater, City Theater of Wilmington, West Chester University Theater, Villanova Theater, and Upper Darby Summer Stage. Additionally, I do solo and chamber music concerts independently. See my youtube link for my performance of Six Studies on English Folksong for clarinet by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder

I started mentoring and teaching students when I was in high school. I have been very successful with preparing students for auditions and to get them to the next level with their performance. Many of my students have gone on to study at Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard Preparatory program and Laguardia High School. I have worked as a teaching artist with Brooklyn Conservatory, Midori and Friends, Harlem Children's Zone, Louis Armstrong Foundation, New York Pops, Harlem School of the Arts and Menchey's Music. Read More