Guitar Lessons in Island Park, NY

Instruments: Piano Guitar

I am a dedicated teacher who loves to see students develop their passion for music and realize their goals. My combination of experience both as a private piano instructor and as a university professor makes me unique. I love to offer my academic knowledge to teach students not only how to play the classical piano repertoire, but also how to use music theory and history in performance, composition, and even improvisation! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Flute Clarinet Ukulele Oboe Bassoon English Horn Keyboard

For beginning piano students, I enjoy the Faber Piano Adventures. As the student progresses, I guage what their interests/goals are, and choose repertoire according to their interests. For beginning oboe and woodwind students, I focus on a myriad of things that have nothing (and everything) to do with actual music: how to form a correct embouchure, correct hand and finger position, double and single reed care, instrument construction and maintenance, and finally, sound production. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I began learning classical piano when I was around 9 years old. By the time I was 15, in addition to learning guitar and drums, I was the musical co-director, along with my sister, at the church my family attends. At 17 I switched focus to Jazz which I continued to study through university, Jazz piano being the concentration of my music major. In addition to this I've written and recorded several guitar compositions, as well written and music directed for musical theater productions both at school and professionally. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Thank you for visiting my page. I guess music found me. On a family trip to Mexico by way of Arizona when I was eleven years old I remember guitars seemed to be everywhere. I asked my mom and dad if I could have the toy. When we got home from the trip I registered for music lessons and the guitar soon became my favorite toy. Three things happened that changed my life - after a few months my lesson was "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and I remember that if I practiced it hard enough I could get it to sound right. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

Having had so many teachers myself, I have a very broad understanding of what makes technique work and not work. I think developing my students ears and teaching them not only how to play music, but why music is the way it is by far the most important and invaluable part of my lessons depending upon my student's goals. If a student can understand why the songs I teach them are written the way they are, and are able to identify certain structures in a song, they then have the ability to teach themselves something I haven't yet, maybe develop their own opinions on individual songs, and even write their own! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Teaching for me is about finding a balance. The way I approach a lesson consists of focusing solely on the students goals and aspirations and working on that, but also demonstrating yourself to be a good musician and teacher who your student trusts and receives inspiration from. That said, I like to find out and sometimes predict what students would like to do with the guitar and start from there. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I create my own lesson plans based off of the individual student. For voice students, we usually warm up, do technical exercises working on varying registers and techniques, and then work on repertoire. I often find the passages in a particular song that the student is struggling with and focus in on those, finding exercises to guide the student. For instrumental students, I work on a lot of music theory and reading, for students of all levels and ages. Read More