Matthew U
Instruments: Piano, Synthesizer
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul
Matthew U
Instruments: Piano, Synthesizer
Styles:
Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 3-80
BA, Elmhurst College, Music Business/Jazz Studies
2012- Elmhurst College Music Merit Scholarship
2010-2014- Elmhurst College Music Scholarship
2010-2014- Elmhurst College Vocal Jazz Ensemble
2010-2014- Elmhurst College Jazz Combo
2013- Elmhurst College Jazz Lab Band
2014- Elmhurst College "Late Night Blues" Vocal Jazz Ensemble awarded 2nd Place at Monterey Jazz Festival in California
2014- Produced Anthony Paul's EP "The Process" on iTunes
As a kid, I grew up listening to all types of music, from soul, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, contemporary, and rock. My mom introduced me to my first piano at the age of 6 and I was hooked. Music became a part of my soul. I had great teachers that continued to help me develop my skills and challenge me. I started in classical, and soon found myself getting into jazz and contemporary; I was growing as a musician. Music was becoming a passion. While my friends were saving for a car, I was saving for a Yamaha Motif XF8. I would spend hours in my basement producing and creating music. I believe music can take you to places with no barriers and restrictions. As the philosopher Nietzsche so appropriately stated, "Without music, life would be a mistake."
I started teaching piano while in college. The spectrum of my students was varied from their ages to their experience. I found that I could make a greater impact on the progress of my students not only by incorporating organized lesson plans, but also by creating a fun and nurturing environment. My success in motivating and teaching my students was based on making learning fun. I never forget about the importance of music theory, but I also understand each student is unique. I design my lesson plans around the individual and their likes, and always incorporate the music theory in my lesson plans.
My beginning students start out by learning music theory. We definitely have to establish and learn the fundamentals. Once they begin to learn the piano, I throw in modern day music to keep them interested. We start applying the concepts and theory into what they enjoy playing to continue to build the strong foundation. With my advanced students, I work on advanced chord knowledge, theory, improvisation, and training of the ear. I want all of my students to enjoy the piano, but my ultimate goal is for all my students to become excellent musicians. Musicianship is the key. I want them to be able to play with excellent time and rhythm, read music, and have ears where they can figure out how to play something by listening to it on the radio. This will allow them to not only be great soloists, but to play in bands and ensembles. My students learn how to play with a wide range of drum beats and bass parts to get them accustomed to playing with a group of other musicians. Listening and collaborating with other musicians can help students learn and refine their skills. The key is continuous learning and improvement.
Throughout my music career, I had amazing teachers that helped me grow as a musician. I have taken the best of these experiences to help me become a better teacher. I strive to create a passion for music through learning, positive reinforcement and by creating an environment that is nurturing. While I believe in structure, discipline and hard work, I also want my learning environment to be fun. Building a strong foundation in music theory is important, but finding and unleashing the students passion for music is just as important. I developed my passion for music because I fell in love with learning about different music genres. I also want to learn and understand the music interests of my students. Knowing this helps me develop lesson plans that revolve around that type of music. I want my students to be engaged, and I want them to be interested in what they play. This helps in the learning process; it becomes less of a work mindset, and more of a fun mindset. I always acknowledge milestones and accomplishments of my students. I want my students to feel comfortable asking questions. I creat a safe, trusting, and nurturing environment for my students to grow as musicians.
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