Ian S  
Instruments: Piano, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, New Age, Soul

I began taking piano lessons at the age of 8, and decided to further my studies by attending the music program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In 2018, I obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Music, studying piano and music composition. I have taught music in many different places in since 2016. These include places like Nobu Sakurai Piano Studio, Chuck James Music Studio, Emily Lee's Music Studio, Musikgarten, and more. I have also taught in my home studio. My experience with the huge number of transfer students from a variety of teachers and teaching styles has taught me a lot about piano pedagogy.

I believe a well-rounded and practical approach to teaching music-- where students learn to not only read music, but also play freely with chords and scales to create their own music, learn by ear, and improvise. My goal is to help students grow so that they can play music in a personal and rewarding way, and develop the skills they need to play the songs that they love. I use both Piano Adventures and Alfred Premier method book series in my lessons. In addition, I do supplementary theory work during the lessons to support my students' theory knowledge.