Music Lessons in Crestwood, IL

Instruments: Piano

I taught formal lessons after I had graduated from college. I have also instructed family and friends and have helped them further develop their piano skills. Encouraging regular practise and emphasizing proper hand and wrist placement are things that I emphasize. I like to watch and see why someone is struggling to play a song, and I am able to offer a solution. I like to teach students how to play music that they enjoy: their favorite songs by their favorite artists. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I am a passionate musician and performer, and that passion is met with an equal passion for passing on the knowledge and inspiration I have had the opportunity to gain to others. I am a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky with degrees in Music Performance and Arts Administration and am now working on a Master of Music with a focus on jazz and world music at Northern Illinois University.I have had many invaluable opportunities so far in my life, but a few that stand out include opportunities to study and perform overseas (West African Drumming in Ghana, Steel Pan in Trinidad) and opportunities to perform and work with artists such as Jeff Coffin, Bob Mintzer, Wycliffle Gordon, Brad Dutz, Chris Wabich, Liam Teague, and many others. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Ukulele Recorder Music Keyboard

The moment when a students finally understands a difficult concept, succeeds at a performance, masters a new technique, or has an amazing breakthrough is why I teach. I love to see the joy in the students faces and see how proud they are when they accomplish the tasks at hand. I like to reward and acknowledge successes because a student who feels successful has a higher chance of being successful. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

Learning to play an instrument can be extremely overwhelming, so it's important that the student sets his or her own pace. My role as a teacher is simply to guide students along paths they choose for themselves. At the same time, I push students to explore ideas that they may not have thought to explore for themselves. For example, as a predominantly rock and blues oriented musician, some of the most profound growth I've experienced has come from learning the basics of classical theory. Read More

Instruments: Voice

My teaching style is basically giving personalized voice lessons to each student according to their goals and musical interests. I will customize each lesson according to this common ground. I usually will spend 50% of the lesson in vocal technique and the other 50% applying the vocal technique to the repertoire the student is working on. Sometimes this will vary according to the specific needs of the student. Their might be for example a deadline to prepare for an audition, or to perform in a recording, so we might warm up the voice in that case and go directly to working on the repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

My teaching experience goes back to my school days, when I began teaching my junior students. After teaching guitar for 8 years, I got to meet many students with different goals and skill levels. My students are always encouraged to play in a band, which help them to grow quickly as a musician. I believe sharing your musical knowledge is probably the best occupation anyone can have. The more students enjoys the guitar lesson the more input a students gives, which is vital to learn guitar techniques and skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard

While instructing private voice students, I teach the functional approach to singing. This mindset allows the vocalist to focus on singing freely in all genres. I believe it is important to not only teach a wide variety of repertoire, but to also inform my students on vocal health. Along with a functional approach to the voice, I promote a safe and welcoming environment to make music in. If a student does not feel comfortable in the space they are in, then they will not perform to their fullest potential and I would not have completed my job. Read More