Piano Lessons Mountain

Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums, Synthesizer, Piccolo, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Oboe, Bassoon, English Horn, Keyboard

I put a large emphasis both on sight-reading and learning to play by ear; I believe these are the most important two skills any musician can have, whether he be an amateur, professional, or somewhere in between (yes, there's an in-between!). I like to focus on whatever a student has coming up for an audition or a solo & ensemble festival. If I can help players have a great experience soloing in public or help them win an audition to play with a great band (and I have a very good track record with my students winning auditions), they'll be more motivated. Read More

Instruments: Piano

When I begin working with a new piano student, my first priority is getting to know them as a learner and as a person. Every student comes to music with a unique mix of goals, learning styles, and personal interests, so I make it a point to understand what motivates them and what kind of music truly excites them. Some students dream of playing classical masterpieces, while others want to explore pop, jazz, film scores, or even video game music. Read More

Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Bass Guitar

I started teaching two years ago at a private lesson studio in Denver called My Music Skool. My main focus was on piano and saxophone. Now I teach privately as a freelance musician. Two points I emphasize when teaching are practicing at least once a day no matter how long you play and learning what inspires you. There will always be some sort of theory I sneak in whether it's learning scales or building technical skills that will build confidence and ability, but if these devices aren't being applied to the type of music that inspires the student, then learning music becomes discouraging instead of fun. Read More

Instruments: Piano

54 years of teaching experience. Read More

Instruments: Piano

My teaching style is dependent on the particular student. For all students, I work to not over assign pieces. There is so much to learn in music, it can be tempting to try to teach concepts too quickly. However, an organized, logical approach that introduces one concept at a time works best. The best music theory teacher I have had was organized and was able to stick to teaching one concept at a time, with sequential lessons building on the information from the previous lesson. Read More