Piano Lessons in William Penn Annex West, PA

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Ukulele

For beginner flute and sax students, I like to work out of the Standard of Excellence Books, and for beginner piano I like to use Bastien Series books. I have used these books in my development and am very comfortable and confident with their ability to help studnets progress. Once my students reach a level where they have a pretty solid understanding of music, I start to give them more freedom into choosing what they want to do. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Keyboard

Great music lessons are a mix of solid technique building and fun application of those skills. I always spend the first few lessons getting the student familiar with the basic technique of the instrument, and then quickly move on to duets, improvising, sight reading, solos, etc. that tie in with the current technique studies. Music can also be heard or read, so I try to strike a balance between reading music/theory and learning/improvising by ear. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Recorder Oboe English Horn

I am a professional oboe player and I love to teach! Inspiring others to make music and learn about music is the most fulfilling part of my career. I graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland in 2009, and I am the Second Oboe and English Horn player in the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as Co-Principal Oboe of the Endless Mountain Music Festival in Wellsboro, PA. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I keep a "Piano Homework Assignment" Word document for each student on my laptop which I can then email to you after your lesson is over for reference during the week.  A usual assignment would consist of a "Warm Up" section where we focus on hand position or scales or technique, a "Lesson Book" or "Repertoire" section where we work on new pieces or songs, a "Theory" section for written assignments, a "Fun" list for pieces we are done with but want to keep playing just for fun and then a number of special sections depending on student interest.  Special sections might be things like - improvisation, composition, playing by ear, recital or competition prep, exam prep, sight reading, ear training, etc.  I'm comfortable in few method series but I prefer Faber Piano Adventures for typical beginning children and The Music Tree for very young beginners.  I try to make sure each student has a piece they love every week. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

This method is especially helpful when I am teaching very young beginning students. I thrive teaching children between 6-9. I emphasize consistent good practice for a short period of time. I encourage my students to fit their practice in transitional times. Practice after dinner, practice before your homework, etc. for 5-10 minutes. It is consistent good practice that allows you to progress faster rather than long unfocused work. I find my students love this idea and it gives them proper freedom in their practice. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Accordion

I was a middle school band director and general music teacher in a public school for ten years. I instructed beginning students as well as advanced 8th graders in all brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Directing and leading concert band, marching band, drum line, and jazz band required me to remain in communication with parents and the community, keep organization and discipline in the classroom, and engage the students with well-prepared lessons and quality band literature. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Synthesizer Latin Percussion Keyboard

I have enjoyed teaching since 1996 as an English teacher, then branching out to music, my first love. I think the most important thing for a teacher is to understand a student's fortes and weaknesses; in order to assess the right formulaic approach to learning. I think overall most students can learn best when they are asked to repeat certain patterns in music foundations, whether it be scales or metromone based copy-cat drumming. Read More