Bachelor of Arts degree from Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Bible and Theology
University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Piano Pedagogy and Literature coursework
Certificates in basic piano tuning and string replacing, Kircher's Piano Technician Institute, Oak Park, IL
Overview:
Dennis H. holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Moody Bible Institute of Chicago in Bible and Theology and has studied Piano Pedagogy and Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He first privately studied piano with Mrs. Ethel Cliff Stried, a Zion Conservatory of Music graduate, from 1979 to 1989. At Bethel College he studied under Gordon Howell (1989-1990). At Moody he studied under Gary Rownd (1992).
Hello and welcome! If you are searching for piano lessons in Racine, you can meet with me at the Racine Family YMCA Lakefront campus, where my studio is located. I have been teaching piano since 2001, and have a National Guild certificate earned in 1989. I had the privilege of being the secretary of the Zion Conservatory of Music in 2002-2003 and a faculty member 2004-2018. I have been with Musika since 2008.
EXPERIENCE
Dennis H. has accompanied the Bethel College Women’s Choir on tour, Moody voice students, and Christian Youth Theater productions of “Annie”, “Narnia” and “The Little Princess”. As a past member of Frizane Music Ministries, he has entertained the public at Chicago’s Daley Plaza and in Independence Day parades in Elmwood Park, as well as several retirement communities. He has also performed as a soloist for the Von Maur department store in Glenview and the Marcus Cinema in Sturtevant.
Dennis H. was employed at the historic Marshall Field’s store in Chicago as a piano and keyboard salesman. He attended the Kircher Technical Training Institute in Oak Park, where he acquired certificates in piano tuning and string repair. In 2003, he began operating a piano technician business, Northern Strings Piano Services, located in Racine. His ongoing projects include rebuilding and refinishing pianos for clients from Chicago to Milwaukee. Dennis has been teaching piano since 2001, beginning in Grayslake, and expanding into Kenosha in 2004. A number of his students have participated in the annual National Guild Piano Playing Auditions, receiving Superior ratings.
METHODS USED
Alfred Publishing piano courses (both older and newer), Faber and Faber, Bastien, Edna Mae Burnam, and the Hal Leonard course have all been among my pre-published methods that I have used over the years. I have also adopted some technic content from elsewhere. For example, the Zion Conservatory of Music, where I taught from 2004 to 2018, uses a couple of different customized scale patterns for first- and second-year students. A book I have used with intermediate students is a Conus Russian piano method edited by James and Susan McKeever, who taught the Parkside piano pedagogy courses.
LESSON STYLE
I like to rely both on method books and insights I have gained over the years. I believe that a student's familiarity with all the major and minor scales is an important goal to arrive at as soon as it could be achieved. Just about as important is a steady rhythm. So, I stress this too. When my student reaches a satisfactory level, I invite him or her to participate in a recital. In the past, I often gave students the chance to take part in the National Guild Auditions. It is still an option.
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