Guitar Lessons in Grand Prairie, TX

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
A friend taught me some bass, and from there I acquired a violin from a garage sale and taught myself out of curiosity. My brother in law gave me his old guitar so I could practice, and I taught myself what I know on that, as well. Every now and then I also practice drums. In each case, I would have to say that my natural curiosity only got me so far. I had to find ways to stay curious about each instrument. For me, the key to curiosity was practicing much slower than I wanted to, so that the movements became natural. This habit avoided much of the frustration I had experienced in the past.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Thus far, I have worked exclusively with high-risk, under-privileged children in a nonprofit program. Each student received a keyboard free of charge and had the option of participating in a year-end recital, in which all of my students participated (with some encouragement). ;) Because each lesson was limited to about 15-20 minutes a week, their accomplishments were extraordinary. The students who practiced at home made leaps and bounds, but I was most surprised by the students who refused to practice, as they also saw significant improvement. They all did a wonderful job on their recitals, building confidence for their next endeavor.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
When I was five, I desperately wanted to play the drums, but my parents could only afford a special rate that came if my sisters and I were enrolled together in piano lessons with the same teacher. Being so young, I doubt that I would have grown to love the piano if my mom had not been consistent in requiring that I practice a little every day. I moved from three full repetitions of one song each day to 30 minutes a day, then on my own I would play for hours on end. Knowledge sparked curiosity.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I received over 100% of my score (over a 4.00 GPA) on my college music theory courses and graduated high school with honors, in the top 1% of the US, just after my 16th birthday. Performing 12 classical pieces and two contemporary pieces from memory for my senior recital, I did not feel any remorse for pursuing music as a minor at ONU, a university that is known for their prestigious and rigorous music programs. Upon my first audition, ONU graciously awarded me their highest talent scholarship, which renewed each year until my minor was completed senior year.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Practicing is not about quantity, but quality. Especially with young students, if they can focus on playing a piece or a difficult section five times rather than pushing for 30 minute intervals, they will be much more likely to make a habit of what I call ‘present practice.’

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
This question more depends on the teacher and the parents than it does on the child. Most children, even those who attention deficit or special needs, can learn at three to five years old if the parents and the teacher are creative with lesson content and home practice methods! Children have trouble learning at young ages because they have not yet mastered our language. We, however, can attempt to learn theirs! When Amadeus Mozart was five years old, he did not understand traditional notation, but because he loved music, he created his own, writing down simple melodies that he could read later. His traits were rare, but showed how children think in a creative, adaptive way.

When will I start to see results?
Immediately! When results take weeks to be noticeable, usually we are looking at the area that is not growing. The student’s musicianship, when accompanied by consistent practice, develops from day one. Especially with children, certain things might stick easily one week, be forgotten the next, and make their grand appearance yet again the following week; over all, however, the learning block should not be long-term. Typically, if one area slows down, another is ready to be explored! Rather than expecting certain results, it is better to focus on which ones “want to grow” right now.

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