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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Norwalk . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Voice
I always start with applicable musical theory to help the student understand the basics of piano and what are the proper techniques to play the instrument. The same applies to voice lessons. After a student is able to read music on the basic level and knows the placement of notes on the scale, we proceed to the basic repertoire and practice. Each student is individual, so based on the pace I create a schedule, which always includes implementing the learnt material more and more, so that student can perform basics automatically correct. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice
I like to tailor my lesson plans to each individual student. For vocalists, I take age and ability into account and will usually target one or two elements of technique at a time. Once I have a grasp on their level and voice type and what sorts of music they are interested in, I will pick out repertoire that will be fun and challenging for the student, and will put into practice the elements of technique we work on in warm ups. Read More
Instruments: Piano Synthesizer Keyboard
For younger children I typically begin with the Alfred Piano Lessons series as I find the songs very accessible, catchy, and the format of the book to be engagaing for kids. The series is also very suited to a complete beginner in its introduction of new concepts and will have the child already playing songs by the end of the first lesson. For older students I will skip over easy material in an effort to simply fill in the gaps of what they already know or can learn quickly and focus on moving them more into music they are interested in playing. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice
I will prepare lesson plans primarily on my students' skill levels. I will assign small assignments for them to work on over the course of each week after their lessons. I will stress the importance of practice and how critical it is to their growth as a musician. Finally, I want my students to have fun and realize the joy of music!! Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Acoustic Guitar
When I teach, I tend to forget the time. I always walk an extra mile, vocal lessons especially. I want my students to learn the basic techniques on how to use their vocal chords, where to place their voices, how to memorize, how to hold the mic, how to emcee, how to phrase, express, improvise which really needs time in learning. But after that, students will be more inspired, motivated, more eager to learn and challenge themselves to be better singers or performers. Read More
Instruments: Piano Violin Viola Music
For Beginning students or kids from 3 years old, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements and also some other theory to help them to read the notes on staff. Once Student slightly progressed, I will begin to start shop pieces with another finger technique etude, to building stronger and solid finger and also I would recommend some music repertories to listen to it, just for building music expression. For the Adult or Teenager, I would like to know what kind of music brings them here, and we can set that piece what they eventually want to play as a goal, and helping student build and practice the technique. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Bass Guitar Synthesizer Accordion Ukulele Euphonium French Horn Tuba Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I never had a specific teacher that inspired me to go into music. I've had many amazing teachers who have all opened my mind to different musical ideas. Each musician has their own perspective; music is very personal to each musician. When someone becomes a teacher, they are opening themselves up to sharing with others what they know and feel about music. For me, I knew I would go into music when I discovered a natural talent and a calling for it. It was a place in my life where the hard work I put in really paid off.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
This is a loaded question. It implies that I have a primary instrument. My first instrument was French horn, but I soon after started learning trumpet. I have spent a lot of time playing brass instruments, but I never felt as though one of them was my primary. I give the same attention and expertise to every instrument that I play and teach. Techniques on every instrument are universal and transferable. When I learn something on bass guitar, I can apply that knowledge to tuba or to piano or to trumpet. I don't feel that any musician should limit themselves to just one instrument, if they have the desire to play multiple. I am a certified expert in doubling up on instruments and am happy to share my knowledge on playing many, many instruments.
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
My greatest musical accomplishment is performing two solo recitals of all new, commissioned music. These recitals took place in 2016 and 2017. I worked with a variety of composers to create new works that were specifically written for me and my many instruments. The instrumentation and content was always unique and collaborating to bring new pieces of music into the world was life changing. Some of the orchestration includes: trumpet with electronics, brass trio, brass quartet, euphonium and electronics, unaccompanied trumpet, a piece for brass doubler (solo trumpet and tuba, alternating) accompanied by brass trio, and video game music for brass trio.
Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Many of my students have been those preparing for auditions for all-state groups, regional bands, or chair auditions. I am proud to say that of all the students I've had, any that auditions for regionals or all-state ensembles have made it! I have had several middle school student attain their goal of first chair. Most recently, two of my long time students have gone on to college at Arizona State University and Colorado State University and play in their respective marching bands. As a teacher, it is my mission to instill a lifelong love of music in my students, in the hopes that they never give up playing music.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
I think the trickiest thing on any instrument is time. Time is having a sense for rhythm and tempo. The hard part about time is that every style is not created equal. In Latin music, time pushes forward so rhythms feel almost rushed. In swing and many styles of jazz, time pulls backwards for some instruments, and pushes ahead for others, coming together to make a "groove." In every rhythm there is a small subdivision that determines when notes happen. It takes years to teach your body to feel and lock into time the way you need to in each style.
Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I don't use any one book. While the standard choices for books on each instrument have great content to practice, they are all very different in their explanations and sometimes, they provide little to no explanation. I tend to use a combination of three or four books to vary the content that is played and take advantage of all the different ideas in the books. After all, every book is written by an expert teacher with a valid and useful opinion. But, sometimes a book does not contain the joy of music, the fun of music, and the act of creation that occurs each time a student plays their instrument.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
A normal practice session for me looks like this:
1. Warm up
-Breathing exercises, to expand and strengthen the lungs and surrounding muscles
-Buzzing and singing, to get my lips and ears in check
-Long tones and drones, to make the most beautiful sound I can
-Scales and patterns, to increase my musical vocabulary in all keys
-Flexibility exercises, to make sure I am playing without tension and without strain
2. Sight reading, to keep my musical literacy skills up
3. Etudes/performance pieces, to accomplish creating music that is meant to be performed and practice the act of performing
4. Arranging/composing, using all my inspiration from playing to hash out new ideas for new music, or re-arranging existing music for new instrumentation
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 two music degrees!
The first is my Bachelor's degree in Performance. In my undergraduate career, I wanted to focus on trumpet and tuba and the art of performing. I chose a classical degree program at New York University to learn from experts in my field that also happened to be the top, most-called NYC performers on those instruments. I chose performance to hone my technique for my own fulfillment and also so that I could share what I learned with my students.
My second degree is a Master's degree in music education, teaching all grades K-12. I chose this degree to master the art of teacher and sharing musical ideas. The program focused on instrumental and choral classroom teaching in Pre-K, elementary, middle, and high schools, for both mainstreamed and special education students. I wanted to feel comfortable teaching any student and helping any student, regardless of circumstance, to reach their musical goals.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Piano lessons in Norwalk to students of all ages and abilities.
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