Piano Lessons in Albany, CA

Instruments: Piano

I like to emphasize learning technique through pieces, rather than practicing only technique on its own, as that can get boring very quickly! For beginning students, I like to start with the Piano Adventures series, which has pieces which are easy, teach basic techniques, but also are musically interesting. Once they have the fundamentals, we can begin working on solo repertoire that interests the student. For older students who are interested in 20th century music, I like to teach Bartok's Mikrokosmos. Read More

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

I have taught for over 40 years and am dedicated to helping all students reach their full potential. As a piano teacher I focus on developing a solid technique (ease of execution, tone, variety of touches, etc...), musical knowledge and stylistic awareness. I believe that we are all students and I simply try to pass on what I have learned, as well as what I continue to learn everyday. For me, the most important thing is personal growth. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet

Acknowledging accomplishments is an ideal way to motivate a student to improve. While critiquing a student's weaknesses is something a teacher should do, celebrating the positive moments in playing can help engrave good habits. Whether you are trying to learn for fun or trying to get into the college of dreams for music, I am able to cater my teaching style to the needs of the student and this makes music fun for everyone! Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

My teaching experience started about 10 years ago when I was in Guitar Center looking at keyboards and someone asked me for lessons... I still have that student and many more now and have a very high retention rate and am an upbeat, positive teacher that students enjoy coming back to. The fact that I also play live gigs about 4 nights a week gives my students a chance to see me play live and get inspired, something that is really necessary to keep a student motivated for years. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Flute Drums Ukulele Recorder Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

The key ingredient to learning is interest. I believe that my students need to have an interest in what they are playing so that they can keep their minds and spirits engaged. Rudiments require attention and practice, but there is much more to learning an instrument than just technique; passion also needs nurturing. If a student is really in to Star Wars, for example, I will gladly incorporate the 'Imperial March' into their rudimentary studies. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I am open to a wide variety of teaching methods! By not committing to one specific method, I allow myself to be flexible and respond to my student's needs. For example; if a student has limited eyesight, as a previous student of mine had, I will focus on teaching by-wrought rather than by using written notation. I take extreme care planning lesson plans for my students, and often find myself thinking what would best help my students in my off time. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I have been teaching piano for over twenty years. My teaching philosophy is that every piano lesson should be fun. For young beginners, I focus on basic technique. The reason is that it is very important to form good playing skills right from the beginning. For older students, I broaden their musical knowlege by introducing piano literature from different time periods. I also encourage them to pick songs that they like to play. Read More