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Bachelor’s Degree, Anderson University, Music Education/Vocal Performance National Association for Music Education International Baccalaureate in Music Theory
National FAME Finalist, Radio City Music Hall, NYC, 2011 Scandinavian/Baltic Tour, Performing throughout Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Estonia, 2015
I’m an educated and traveled musician with a love of teaching and a passion for music. I’m a graduate of Anderson University, where I trained in Vocal Performance and Music Education. In my time as a student, I received multiple awards for excellence in Music Theory and Aural Comprehension, and the Univeristy hired me as a tutor for my fellow student musicians. I have performed throughout the US, as well as internationally, and in dozens of languages. My musical theatre background includes everything from lead to part of the male chorus! I’m easy to get along with, and love to have fun while learning and making music. I’d love to get to know you and be a step in your journey towards better musicianship!
As early as I can recall, I’ve loved teaching. Whether that meant being a teacher’s assistant or elementary school aide in my younger years, or as a music educator throughout and post-college. In high school, I was a Dance Captain for my school’s competitive show choir, and would compose, arrange, and choreograph. While in college, I went to several music educator’s conferences, and was an active member of both the NAfME and IMEA (Indiana Music Educators Association.) I tutored my fellow music students at this time as well, and got my first private music instructor position following graduation, which was an absolute joy! I have over 20 students in my studio, and teach every one of them differently based on their goals and personalities. I’d love to add you to my studio and make some music together!
My methods are unique and created to fit the individual musician, because we all learn differently! For beginners, I incorporate elements of Orff and Kodaly. For the young beginner musician, I like to use games to hone in and sharpen aural comprehension. For intermediate and advanced pianists, my go-to piano repertoire comes from Nancy’s and Randall Faber’s Piano Adventures. For vocalists or music theory students, I use tools straight from my collegiate, educational repertoire. Aural comprehension, or ear training, is an important and constant element in all my lessons, and I use this, as well as other techniques not only to teach my student musicians, but to teach them how to teach themselves.
One of the biggest discoveries I made while studying was that I didn’t want to teach those who did not want to learn. I decided to steer myself away from public school music education, and teach in a more relaxed setting, where I would be able to teach what the student wanted to learn, instead of pouring heart and effort into a subject that didn’t interest them, and would therefore fall on deaf ears. My main teaching philosophy is to use what is known to learn what is not. I find what is familiar to each musician, and build my lessons off of that. Having a safe place to make mistake and ask questions is important, and I strive to make every lesson one that my student musicians look forward to every week!