Erika K
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Showtunes, Spirituals, New Age, Soul, Punk, Avant-garde
Erika K
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Showtunes, Spirituals, New Age, Soul, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
B.A. in Music and French Studies from Smith College, Northampton, MA with a year in Paris, France.
Teachers include Dr. Thomas Houser, Ruth Drucker, and Jane Bryden for voice; Monika Jakuc, Kenneth Fearn, and Arno Drucker for piano.
I am a classically-trained musician who loves all styles of music. My earliest memory of myself is age 2, dancing and conducting up a storm to The Nutcracker on TV. I would also put on all sorts of records (favorites include Mozart Horn Concerto and Dvorak Symphonies) and conduct along by myself. As a teenager, I fell in love with musical theatre (Les Mis and Phantom!) and the Nocturnes of Chopin, as well as hip hop and rnb. I also played French Horn in the concert and marching bands and took violin lessons and performed in orchestras and chamber groups. I can freestyle rap and jazz, and love singing Paramore and Evanescence. I love it all!!
I have over 20 years of experience teaching students of all ages from beginner to advanced. I started piano lessons at age 5 and voice lessons at age 14 and continued through college at Smith College, studying with Monica Jakuc and Kenneth Fearn for piano and Jane Bryden for voice. I have sung in operas and musical theatre productions, all types of church services, been a church choir director and accompanist, and accompanied for chorales, choirs, soloists, groups, and even my cat :D
For piano, I like the Piano Adventures Method by Faber but have also used Alfred and Bastien. I am very focused on a relaxed and precise technique, including proper rotation, articulation, flexibility, and strength, as well as teaching the ability to play without looking at the keys.
For voice, I work to build a solid technique based on individual need and interest and choose songs accordingly. Proper breathing and body awareness, utilizing Alexander and Feldenkrais methods, as well as understanding of vowel and consonant articulation and of the intimate relationship between text and music is also essential.
I believe that learning music should be an enjoyable and fun experience while at the same time instilling discipline in setting and achieving goals. I believe that the whole person is involved in creating art, so I am here to listen to you as a mentor and friend as well. Oftentimes, releasing tension in the body through music can release trapped emotions and trauma. I am very versatile in my style and can adapt to any particular needs and desires. We may involve movement and add reading poetry to train different areas.
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