Piano Lessons in Mission Viejo, CA

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a degree in both piano performance and psychology. The two are more closely interlocked than most would think. At its core, I believe that music is a a form of communication and communication is integral to our human psyche. My work in musical cognition and psychology informs my teaching, practice, and performance. I have researched performance anxiety, stress, and memory both in their psychological and musical capacities. Repeatedly, I have found that one influences the other and this has consequently led me to make changes in my own musical life. After all, music does not exist without humanity and humanity is driven by the human condition.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
The piano is unique in that it is a percussive instrument but often plays the role of a melodic instrument. The range of sound that you can pull out of the piano (from the shortest staccato to the longest held line), especially the modern piano, is second to none. I love the challenge of an instrument that straddles such endless sound worlds. The repertoire for piano is also the most vast out of all instruments. You can play anything, of any genre, on the piano, easily shown by the numerous transcriptions and arrangements found in music shops all over the world. It is also a harmonic or orchestral instrument, meaning you can play multiple pitches at once, creating chords that support your melody. Whereas many other instruments require collaboration to create a full sound of multiple pitches, the piano has the choice to recreate this on its own or with an ensemble.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I once had a teacher tell me that music was the closest thing we had to magic. Imagine, something that you can't touch, see, or quantify captivating people for hours on end. They're just vibrations but music has moved people from the beginning of time. This teacher opened doors for me. It is so easy to be caught up in the mundane tasks of practice that sometimes we forget that what comes out of our instrument is magic. He often said that our fingers were simply a tool that followed the imagination of our minds. This thought has pulled me out of many ruts in my own musical journey, when I became too preoccupied with fingerwork or speed and momentarily forgot about the expression and the beauty.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
So many children go through the cliche of being forced through piano lessons. The horror! I believe that a child is ready to start lessons when they are able to sit through a half hour to an hour of anything educational and when they themselves express an interest in music. Piano is a great way to start a child off on their musical journey because it is so visual; the notes are literally laid out in a row. You know your child is ready when they tinker away at the keyboard of their own volition! And of course, a love of the arts can be fostered and found through lessons so please do try lessons out.

When will I start to see results?
This is a difficult question to answer just because there is no "right" timeline for learning an instrument. It will take as long as it takes and we will celebrate each individual achievement as it comes. That being said, the basics usually take between one and three months to sink in depending on a myriad of factors like age, previous experience, and amount of time practiced between lessons. This should also come as good news though because you ARE in charge of your own results to an incredible degree! Music gives back as much as you put in so if you are diligent in your practice and don't forgo the less fun aspects (technique drills, scales, etc.), you will see your progress in leap and bounds.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
It's about quality, not quantity. Don't burn yourself out or lose your excitement by forcing yourself to drill mindlessly. Concentrate on the problem at hand: is it technique? Is it artistry? Is it memorization? Break whatever it is down into little pieces and focus entirely on just that. Maybe practice only one bar or focus on one finger's motion or just the wrist. Take breaks! Let your practice sink in even as you are away from the piano. On that note, also take time to mentally practice. Visualization is sometimes the best way to get your muscles to obey. Close your eyes and imagine what it would feel like to perform a motion or a tricky passage. Hear your ideal sound. Then try again.

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