Darrick L
Instruments: Piano, Voice, Organ, Synthesizer, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Showtunes, Spirituals, Soul
Darrick L
Instruments: Piano, Voice, Organ, Synthesizer, Keyboard
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Showtunes, Spirituals, Soul
Where I Teach:
In Your Home
Ages Taught: 5-80
ABOUT
Degrees / Training / Special Info:
1. Spent 2 years working on secondary add-on teaching certification in vocal music (Belmont University, Nashville, TN).
2. Spent 3 years working on PhD in clinical and school psychology. Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN.
3. Masters Degree in Developmental Learning (Learning Disabilities). University of Alabama in Huntsville. Huntsville, AL
4. Bachelor's Degree in Psychology University of Alabama in Huntsville. Huntsville, AL
3. Work On secondary add-on certification in vocal music. Belmont University, Nashville, TN.
Awards:
2004 - Middle/High School Choirs performed at Country Hall of Fame(Xmas)
Nashville, TN
2003 - High School Chorus first attempt to participate in state competition. Our Soprano
contestant won a spot in the Women's Allstate Chorus Nashville, TN
2003 - Membership and established first chapter of the Tri-M Honor Society at Martin
Luther King Magnet High School. Nashville, TN
2002 - High School Chorus first performance on TV (Xmas) Nashville, TN.
1995 - Devoted Service (Minister of Music), Riverside SDA Church. Nashville, TN.
1990s (Early) - Organist of the Mass Choir of the National Association of the
Advancement of Colored People - National Convention in Nashville, TN.
1992 - Outstanding Contributions - Music Ministry of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church
1989 - Participated in local Up-And-Coming Young Gospel Artists, master of ceremony was Bobby Jones. Nashville, TN
1980 - Guest Solo pianist with SDA Mass Choir and ensemble of the Huntsville Symphony. Huntsville, AL
Overview:
I have spent my life teaching young children to college age. I have spent this time learning how to te teach and how to reach children. After 10+ years of formal piano lessons in Chicago, I spent my time in church and out sharing what I have learned with children: piano lessons for approximately 20 years, 100 voice children's choir, 40 voice children's choir, working with high school students in choral music and piano lab. It was important that I taught from application. I spent my professional life working with professional groups, I performed classical piano concerts regionally, and I worked with church choirs and praise teams.
My piano teacher in Chicago not only taught the technique and necessary skills to be a classically trained pianist, she taught the passion and joy of participating in the arts. I attempted to do the same in all my experiences with students. I wanted my students to be curious, constantly learning. I wanted them to know that I also was a learner. I play piano, but also Hammond and pipe organ, trumpet, flute, and accordion. In my choirs students learned how to use band instruments in the choir. I arranged the parts or allowed them to use their creativity. In high school piano, I wanted students to perform practice improvisation, use basic structures of song writing, and learn how to apply chord progressions to the songs they played. In choir we performed as early as the 1st semester of school, got students involved in scholarship work, and learn how to perform with excellence and the joy of a well-done job. I wanted my students to understand the joy of performing and engaging the audience - parents, crowds in a hotel or museum and even the airport, in front of elementary or middle school students, and even in front of judges.
From these experiences, I seek to teach piano. Incorporate performance, write a song, play and experience other musical instruments, enjoy the music, find appreciation to the variety of genres that are out there: from country, classical, to even jazz, and rock. I want my students to enjoy the art as we work for specific skills, techniques, and professionalisms. Because the bottom line, is the joy we feel ourselves when we play and the joy we give to others when they hear us perform.
EXPERIENCE
I started teaching piano for over 25-30 years; from my high school years to adulthood.
One of my best experiences were to teach a 100 voice and 30-40 voice children choir to decades apart not just to sing but how to sing, to appreciate a variety of music, to appreciate good music, to find the performer in them that they didn't think was there.
Piano or voice - it has always been about technique, posture of the body, shape of the fingers, exercises to grow, solfege to listen and interprete, performance for the joy of it, and finally to do it with your best. It was fun to see my high school choir tell me to stop playing the piano as they really got motivated in singing al capella. My greatest challenges were arranging all of the band parts for a 20 piece jazz band in high school (no computer then) and then do a similar thing when I had to re-arrange SATB music to SSAA music when the expected choir became a 40+ voice women's chorus. And they took the challenge of singing broadway, pop, jazz, and baroque all that year. They took the challenge to sing 4- , 5- part harmonies. We had a piano lab, and it was so cool to see students working on their INDIVIDUAL goals with not one student not paying attention. They were all involved in creating. You can't beat the experiences when students are singing, playing instruments, getting on instruments they thought they may never had touched (i.e. I brought in my hammond organ, so students could experience an organ). I am now retired as a school teacher so I can do that that I have loved so much - teach and share music with others.
METHODS USED
I am a traditional piano teacher. I strongly believe that building skills work: Sight-Reading, Ear Training, Understanding the structure(theory), and playing a variety of good repertoire works. When you teach these foundations - I learned to improvise, interprete, arrange, and create easier. The fundamentals do not mean you can't have fun - to me it explores and opens up the fun of singing or playing this marvelous instrument .
So I believe in teaching
a. THEORY - how is music put together.
b. SCALES - From the scales and chords come the harmony, rhythm, and melodies.
Than writing songs, improvising, and appreciating the different types of musical tastes occur.
c. A GOOD REPERTOIRE - than you can expand to gospel, contemporary, jazz, country, or blue grass.
d. EXERCISES - just like an athlete; your fingers need the work, the flexibility, and the control.
e. CREATE - what styles of music are you interested, can you write a melody as a 7 year old, can you create chords for a melody line, could you transpose?
LESSON STYLE
Teaching Style: Lessons should be a. ENJOYABLE . b. WELL-PLANNED with allowances for creativity when those opportunities happen . c. EXCELLENCE - each week actually learning something new to add to your ability to perform. d. about REAL SKILLS that you can really use to play or sing effectively.
I believe I also need to know what you want to do and try to shape my goals above with your goals.
For young children, I use John W. Schaum piano methods for the exercises(FINGERPOWER), theory(NOTESPELLER), and REPERTOIRE(Books named after specific colors). I like these books because they progress from simple to truly advanced.
For teenagers and adults, I use the All-In-One Alfred piano method.Starts appropriately for level and age. 1 book covers the theory and repertoire we will need.
I believe that young children should have lessons no more than 30 minutes. For some older, intermediate, and advanced; the lessons can go to 30-45 minutes.
I strongly believe that a student make a commitment to practice - just like in marching band, studying for a class, studying for a play, etc. Without regularly practicing at least 5 days each week, the student will not make the improvements that they want.
Finally, I like using intrinsic and extrinsic rewards to say well done. So candy, certificates, awards, and even that annual recital can all be expected. I like to bring other instruments in so we can practice playing as a small ensemble.
KEY WORDS - consistency, fun, skills, structure, create!
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