Alyssa W
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Drums
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Funk, Electronic, Swing, Punk
Alyssa W
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Drums
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Funk, Electronic, Swing, Punk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 4-80
Bachelor Degree: Texas State University
Concert Master of Westlake High School Philharmonic Orchestra
Music has been one of my passions since I was a little girl! I took up piano at age 8, violin at 13, and drums at 15. I've been known to belt out a tune here and there, too! There is nothing better than having an afternoon to lose yourself to creating and playing music. In high school, I was Concert Master of the Philharmonic Orchestra. I've had the opportunity to perform on the drums at various venues and was invited by my drum instructor to return to the studio to become an instructor myself, where I taught for three years.
I began giving music lessons at 21 while I was a student at Texas State University as an education major. My drum instructor invited me to return to the studio as an instructor. I have taught students as young as age 3, as well as adults, and everyone in between! As a special educator, I have also taught students with various abilities, including those with autism. My stance is that everyone, if motivated and given the right tools, can learn and make progress. After gaining a full schedule of students, I decided to initiate semester recitals to allow students the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. It is one of my favorite memories as an instructor! The pride on a student's face after they've demonstrated something at which they've worked so hard is the ultimate reward of teaching. After completing my teaching degree at Texas State University and accepting a full-time position, I devoted myself to my new career and no longer taught music lessons. However, I missed it very much and am excited to begin accepting students for music lessons once more!
The following are books that I start my lessons with. In addition, I supplement with materials that my students are interested in learning. If there is a particular song or style that they would like to learn(and is reasonably within their ability level or I am able to modify), I work to teach it to them.
Drums:
***The book chosen depends on a student's level and personal goals, but these are great books to start with:
Drumset For Preschoolers by Andy Ziker(for students ages 2-6, or students that would benefit from a color-coded system initially)
The Drumset Musician By Rod Morgenstein and Rick Mattingly(great for beginning drum beats!)
Alfred's Drum Method(for learning rhythms and rudiments)
A Fresh Approach to the Drumset by Mark Wessels with Stanton Moore(teaches an intro to a variety of styles, including rock, samba, jazz, etc.)
Piano:
Alfred's All-in-One Course This book has simple, child-centered lessons that are reasonably paced, teaches beginning music theory, and allows students the opportunity to write.
Violin:
Essential Elements for Strings by Michael Allen and Robert Gillespie
The Violin Fun Book: for Young Students
To be successful at an instrument, it's important for a student to have something that drives their motivation. Playing an instrument is fun, but is also a lot of work and takes practice, perseverance, and patience. I strive to make lessons fun and to help the student find what encourages them to persevere. Music is a language: you must learn to speak, listen to, read and write a language to be fluent. I work on all of these skills with my students. I ensure instruction is tailored to meet a student's needs at their level. I have taught a wide variety of music students, including children as young as 3 and individuals with autism.
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