Sarah R
Instruments: Piano, Organ, Music
Styles: Classical, Folk
Sarah R
Instruments: Piano, Organ, Music
Styles:
Classical, Folk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 3-80
Graduate Degree: Yale Institute of Sacred Music
Kate Chittenden Memorial Scholarship from Vassar College Music Department (twice)
Grant from Vassar College Academic Enrichment Fund (for Extra Music Study)
Grant from Vassar College June Ross Marks ‘49 Travel Fund
Senior College Life Recognition Award (for contributions to religious/musical life on campus)
High School Music Award
I have extensively studied music theory, music history and keyboards (particularly organ) at the undergraduate (at Vassar College) and graduate level. I am particularly well-qualified to teach beginners and children. GRADUATE CLASSES TAKEN: -2 years of private organ lessons -Counterpoint, Harmony & Form: 1500-1800 -The Liturgy, Ritual & Chant of Medieval England (Sarum Use) -Church Music in Early Modern European Cities, 700-1700 -Perspectives on the Cantus Firmus Mass -Hymns & their Music -Music & Theology in the 16th Century -Music & Morality -Theological Aesthetics -Sacred Music: Unity & Diversity UNDERGRADUATE CLASSES TAKEN: -3 years of private organ, voice and piano lessons. (Sang for 3 years in the select chamber ensemble, mixed chorus, and Women’s Chorus.) -Independent Study in Choral Conducting -Independent Study in Basso Continuo -International Phonetic Alphabet -Music & Ideas I: The Power of Church & Court -Music & Ideas II: Enlightenment & the Influence of Rationalism -Musicianship Skills I -Musicianship Skills II -Musicianship Skills III -Modal Counterpoint -Tonal Counterpoint -Harmony -Advanced Harmony -The Sound of Space: Intersecting Music, Architecture & Physics -The Art of Orchestration -Composition I
I have been teaching beginner students and children privately for the last 5 years. I have been freelancing as an organist, pianist, chorister and cantor all over Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts for the last 7 years. I particularly specialize in early music - from the Middle Ages through about 1780. I have particular love of early keyboards - clavichords and harpsichords, specifically. My vocal experience has helped and extensively continues to help my keyboard-playing AND keyboard-teaching.
I work with many free online resources - both for repertoire and for the teaching of music theory. I am also able to provide numerous options of method books for the student to pick from, for purchase. Finally, I am able to provide historical documents - particularly, keyboard treatises and methods - that famous composers used. In this way, I use my early music and music history interests practically in my teaching, grounding students soundly in well-established, historical, pedagogical traditions.
I am always highly-organized, high-energy, clear, well-spoken, systematic, detail-oriented, engaging, funny, entertaining and helpful. For students who desire a more relaxed and/or slow-moving approach, I am happy to oblige. For students who desire a faster-paced and/or more intense style of teaching, I am also happy to oblige. In all cases, I believe in tailoring my teaching style to the student's age, ability level, personality, learning style, number of years of lessons so far, other preferences, etc.
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