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H.S. Diploma, G.W. Carver Center for Arts and Technology
I'm currently a second year student at the University of Delaware where I study physics, music composition, and piano performance. Although I'm a classically trained musician I am constantly looking expand my musical vernacular, and some of my favorite genres include swing, flamenco, classic rock, bluegrass, and Irish folk music among others. I began writing music in high school for my peers, and since then my pieces have been performed in various schools and universities. Personally, I have had the opportunity to play original music at venues such as the Baltimore Soundstage, Ram's Head, on board the Spirit of Baltimore, and Wormtown Music Festival in MA.
I first began teaching in high school at the suggestion of my own piano teacher. I loved the experience from the start - few things are more rewarding than watching a student develop their musical passion and skill from lesson to lesson. Aside from private lessons, I also interned with the Peabody Children's Chorus in MD. Under the instruction of the brilliant choirmaster Doreen Falby, I had the privilege of working with a group of motivated students aged 8-12 where we studied everything from conducting to vocal technique and put on concerts twice a year. I also worked as a summer camp counselor from 2014-2017, where I designed and taught a music class for approximately 30 students.
As a student, I would dread the idea of a boring practice, therefore as a teacher, I do all I can to make lessons engaging and useful. I believe that music should be approached holistically and with an open mind rather than trying to force one method to work for everyone, so I strive to tailor my methods according to the needs of each of my students. With that in mind, I usually start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements for young students, and our lessons will consist of playing from the book, as well as working on crucial skills like ear training and improvisation. As a composer, I am always encouraging my students to write their own material!
Each student has an individual connection with music, and therefore a teacher should be willing to adapt their methods in the best interest of each student. When working with a new student, I devote the first lesson to getting to know each other; the student's interest in music, their proficiency level (if they've studied in the past), their hobbies, Depending on that meeting we might choose to focus more on music theory, or ear training, or performance repertoire; whatever the student and I set as a goal for our work together. I am happy to foster and accommodate any and all musical interest!