Dominic M
Instruments: Piano
Styles: Classical, Pop, Country, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Showtunes, Spirituals, New Age, Soul
Dominic M
Instruments: Piano
Styles:
Classical, Pop, Country, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Showtunes, Spirituals, New Age, Soul
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Bachelor Degree: Florida State University (B.M. Piano), Graduate Degree: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (M.M. Piano), Doctoral Degree: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (D.M. Piano)
2019- Gold Medal, 1st Prize, Music Teachers National Association Young Artist (Nationals)
2018- Gold Medal 68th Wideman International Piano Concerto Competition
2019-current Associate Coordinator of Secondary Piano, Jacobs School of Music
2016-2018 Associate Instructor, Jacobs School of Music
2020- 2nd Prize, Robert F. Beardsley Piano Prize Competition
I am a professional pianist with a passion for educating the audiences of tomorrow. As I am completing my doctoral coursework at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music this Spring, I am seeking to expand my studio and reallocate a larger portion of my time to teaching. I have studied piano since the age of three, and have performed publicly since the age of eleven. By the age of fourteen, I earned the American College of Musician’s National Level performance certificate. By age eighteen, I won the Music Teacher's National Association's Solo Piano Competition for the State of Florida, First Prize in the Florida State Music Teachers Association's Gold Cup Concerto Competition, and Second Prize in the Harold C. Schwartz Foundation Scholarship Competition. Presently, while pursuing my doctorate at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, I have built a substantial presence in the competitive field; the previous seasons have been immensely successful, having earned gold medal and first prize in the 68th Wideman International Piano Concerto Competition, as well as first prize at the National finals of the Music Teachers National Association's Young Artist Competition, sponsored by Steinway and Sons. I was also was recognized as a semi-finalist in the Chopin Foundation of the United States' 2020 Competition, as well as a quarter-finalist in the Hastings International Concerto Competition, competing on scholarship after being selected as one of the top three North American candidates. In the past twelve months, I enjoyed immensely successful debuts as featured soloist with the Shreveport Symphony and Symphony New Hampshire, performing the first two piano concerti of Sergei Rachmaninoff. My playing was reviewed as 'breathtaking', 'electric', and 'incredible.' I also performed two concerts with The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, presenting Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto in the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. I appeared on the Texas Street Arts Series, as well as two 'Chopin for All' concerts sponsored by the Chopin Foundation of the United States.
I have been teaching students since the age of fifteen, accommodating every age between four and sixty-five. I have maintained a private studio for the past five years, before which I taught at the Florida State Summer Music Festival for intermediate and advanced pianists, delivering practice coaching, masterclasses, applied lessons, and lectures. I have taught group classes at Indiana University at every level the university offers, from complete adult beginners to graduate music majors. Presently, I have successfully prepared students for major level auditions at Indiana University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, The Peabody Indstitute, Florida State University's college of music, and others. I have also had students come away with top marks from local competitions in Indiana.
For beginners, I generally stick with the Faber Method books, as I enjoy their unity of music theory and practical application more than other method series. It is my goal to remove students from methods as soon as possible- somewhere around early intermediate skill level, so that we may engage with more meaningful repertoire from the 'greats', as well as give the students the tools to take agency over their own repertoire choices, including transcriptions of popular media. I also supplement students with exercises that I tailor to each individual to meet their needs, written or at the keyboard.
I believe the foundation of progress is consistency, so I try to establish routines with my students, spending part of each lesson on technical exercises, theory/aural skills training, and repertoire. I also set performance goals for students by organizing recitals *this has been more tricky during Covid, but I think it is important nonetheless to get students to perform from memory at least twice a year (once at the end of fall and spring terms). I also encourage students to register with their state competitive organizations so that they can experience the pressure and rewards of performing and preparing for musical adjudication.
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