Teaching
Private Studio
I maintain a small, highly-selective studio where I offer private lessons to beginner-advanced piano, viola, and violin students. I am a member of the Music Teachers National Association and a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. My energetic, supportive, and yet demanding teaching style has proven itself successful through my students' growth and their success in performances and competitions. My goal is to instill enjoyment, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment in each of my students. Please Contact me for more information.
Teaching Philosophy
I work hard to maintain a balanced approach to teaching. My students will learn the technique they need to play their instrument well, but they will also be trained in how to approach their instrument in a healthy way, how to listen, how to diagnose and fix problems, and how to present their music. My goal is for my students to receive a well-rounded musical education that adds enjoyment, enrichment, and confidence to their daily lives.
Our bodies were designed wonderfully by God, and I believe we should be good stewards of His creation. Because of this, I place a strong emphasis on developing a healthy physical approach from the very first lesson. This begins with an awareness of the different parts of our body in their natural, relaxed position. Students are then taught how to transfer and apply this to their playing position as much as is physically possible. I also teach my students to discern between natural, purposeful movements and unnecessary movements that only produce excess tension. Tendinitis and other physical injuries are too common among musicians, and my teaching combats that by educating my students from their first lesson to use their bodies properly and naturally.
While discovering a healthy setup is vital, it is equally as important to develop a listening ear. It is not enough for a student to simply hear, but they must be able to decipher their sound and understand each element of it. They must be able to recognize a steady pulse, accurate pitches, good dynamic range, properly executed articulation, beautiful tone quality, appropriate phrasing, etc. My students are taught to constantly listen to and analyze their playing until they are able to discern the presence or absence of these vital musical elements that will set them apart from other players.
Of course, growth in any area of music requires practice. We live in an instant society where most everything is readily accessible upon desire, but learning an instrument is an endeavor that requires time and patience. I instruct my students in practice techniques that produce excellent, long-lasting results. Students learn how to practice in small sections, in rhythms, with repetitions, with a metronome, and many more practice techniques. They also learn how to identify which practice technique will best solve specifics problems in their music. I demonstrate each of these techniques regularly in lessons so that my students know how to tackle each section on their own. Developing this art of problem solving is a vital skill that will apply to all areas of each student’s life.
Finally, I believe that music is not meant simply for our own enjoyment, but we have a responsibility to give back and share our abilities with others in presentation and performance. Therefore, performance is an essential element of a student’s musical education. I work with my students so that they are able to face each performance situation confidently. They receive training in performance etiquette and in how to combat performance anxiety, and I require frequent performances, including recitals and competitions. These experiences strengthen my students’ ability to believe in themselves, and this produces a confidence that allows them successfully connect with the world around them.
I maintain a small, highly-selective studio where I offer private lessons to beginner-advanced piano, viola, and violin students. I am a member of the Music Teachers National Association and a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. My energetic, supportive, and yet demanding teaching style has proven itself successful through my students' growth and their success in performances and competitions. My goal is to instill enjoyment, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment in each of my students. Please Contact me for more information.
Teaching Philosophy
I work hard to maintain a balanced approach to teaching. My students will learn the technique they need to play their instrument well, but they will also be trained in how to approach their instrument in a healthy way, how to listen, how to diagnose and fix problems, and how to present their music. My goal is for my students to receive a well-rounded musical education that adds enjoyment, enrichment, and confidence to their daily lives.
Our bodies were designed wonderfully by God, and I believe we should be good stewards of His creation. Because of this, I place a strong emphasis on developing a healthy physical approach from the very first lesson. This begins with an awareness of the different parts of our body in their natural, relaxed position. Students are then taught how to transfer and apply this to their playing position as much as is physically possible. I also teach my students to discern between natural, purposeful movements and unnecessary movements that only produce excess tension. Tendinitis and other physical injuries are too common among musicians, and my teaching combats that by educating my students from their first lesson to use their bodies properly and naturally.
While discovering a healthy setup is vital, it is equally as important to develop a listening ear. It is not enough for a student to simply hear, but they must be able to decipher their sound and understand each element of it. They must be able to recognize a steady pulse, accurate pitches, good dynamic range, properly executed articulation, beautiful tone quality, appropriate phrasing, etc. My students are taught to constantly listen to and analyze their playing until they are able to discern the presence or absence of these vital musical elements that will set them apart from other players.
Of course, growth in any area of music requires practice. We live in an instant society where most everything is readily accessible upon desire, but learning an instrument is an endeavor that requires time and patience. I instruct my students in practice techniques that produce excellent, long-lasting results. Students learn how to practice in small sections, in rhythms, with repetitions, with a metronome, and many more practice techniques. They also learn how to identify which practice technique will best solve specifics problems in their music. I demonstrate each of these techniques regularly in lessons so that my students know how to tackle each section on their own. Developing this art of problem solving is a vital skill that will apply to all areas of each student’s life.
Finally, I believe that music is not meant simply for our own enjoyment, but we have a responsibility to give back and share our abilities with others in presentation and performance. Therefore, performance is an essential element of a student’s musical education. I work with my students so that they are able to face each performance situation confidently. They receive training in performance etiquette and in how to combat performance anxiety, and I require frequent performances, including recitals and competitions. These experiences strengthen my students’ ability to believe in themselves, and this produces a confidence that allows them successfully connect with the world around them.
