Music Lessons in Chicago Ridge, IL

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar

I love to teach my students the basic tools of what it takes to be a professional musician, whether or not they are into music as a hobby or as a serious profession. I currently play drums for the hit Broadway musical (non-union version) of Rock of Ages and when I'm not on the road; I'm teaching. I’m an avid columnist for Modern Drummer Magazine and I sing/play guitar for one of Chicago's best Nirvana tributes called Smells Like Nirvana. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

For beginning piano students, I typically have them start with the Alfred series. Depending on their growth, we can move onto solo repertoire shortly thereafter. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Organ Synthesizer Keyboard

While at Millikin University, Mary took piano lessons from Aldo Mancinelli (and his wife and former student, Judith Mancinelli), who took lessons from Claudio Arrau, who took lessons from Martin Krause, who took lessons from Franz Liszt, who took lessons from Carl Czerny, who took lessons from Ludwig van Beethoven, who took lessons from Joseph Haydn. Haydn was friends with and had a huge influence on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Ludwig van Beethoven also studied with Christian Neefe, who studied with Johann Hiller, who studied with Gottfried Homilius, who studied with Johann Sebastian Bach. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet

For beginner students, Hal Leonard's Essential Elements provides a simple and easy to understand method to learning an instrument. For trumpet students, I like to integrate Earl D. Irons, H. L. Clarke, Arban, Stamp, Chicowicz and Caruso studies. In addition to technique, these books offer etudes and duets. For jazz improvisation students, iRealPro, The Real Book and Jamey Abersolds ii-V-I book (Volume 3). In addition to these method books, I also like to stress the importance of sight reading; books like Alan Raphs Dance Band book and other solo repertoire provide good sight reading training. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

Regardless of ability, I think it is important to cater to the goals of my students, and help them achieve whatever they want in their own playing, whether it is a difficult piece to learn, wanting better articulation or increasing range and endurance. Whatever the student wants to learn with trumpet, I can help them with. Reaching a high level of playing has required struggle and effort on my part, but my teachers were able to consistently motivate me to become a better player to do this. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I'm a well rounded professional that loves music and sharing it with passionate people. Mental and physical health has always been a priority in my life and I want that to shine through in my lessons. in 2013, I grauduated from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in jazz instrumental performance. There I played with the Columbia College Jazz Ensemble as well as many other prestigious groups and master musicians. Read More