Music Lessons in Gay Street, PA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin

My goal is to foster a love of music through mastery, excellence and fun! I never want lessons to feel like something that has to be done, but rather, something to look forward to. I accomplish this by incorporating the interests of each student and including time in each lesson to improvise, create, or learn music they are interested in. I tailor my instruction to each student and keep track of progress so we know how to proceed. Read More

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

My philosophy of teaching has always been to customize the student's lessons to match their interests, while ensuring that they receive a extensive foundation that will let them move in any direction they may choose. The methods and materials that I select for my students are always focused on enjoyment as well as efficacy. The goal is to get the student playing musically as soon as possible. While I stress the importance of practicing effectively, I understand that students move at their own pace and tailor the lessons to reflect this. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I started playing piano as a young child in a small beach town in Southwestern Michigan. I was always involved in church choir, bell choir and school choirs. From the time I was 15, I knew that I wanted to use music to help people. I began pursuing a degree in Music Therapy at Western Michigan University, where I studied piano with Lori Sims. Upon graduating with a degree in music therapy, I began working as a music therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit where I worked for 9 years with adults. Read More

Instruments: Trombone

My teaching style is pretty straight forward and hands on. I like to ask questions and make people think. I also like for people to work at their pace. I will try to set goals for your student to achieve. I definitely like to tap into what the student likes and go from there! I like to utilize the instrument and have the student really use their listening skills to achieve great sound on the instrument. Read More

Instruments: Voice

I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. I also incorporate various learning by doing exercises, a lot of breath work and visualization, vocal drills are also key. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

It is most important to me that my students become passionate about what they do! I realize that every student learns differently and has different interests than my own. Because of this, I like to cater my lessons to what they would like to do as often as possible and through this I find creative ways to incorporate fundemental technical elements into the lesson. This can be through creating patterns to practice using the material of a musical phrase from their favorite song or expanding their playing range on the instrument by playing it in different keys and octaves. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

My teaching style is relaxed and focused on having fun with music. I have had many teachers who have been very influential in my life and teaching philosophy. My biggest goal is for the student to make beautiful music they like to make, and I believe that enjoying the music is the best way to make that happen. This is because I think practice is often over complicated, in my mind the best way to become a good musician is to spend as much time as possible playing the instrument, and a relaxed and fun approach is the best way to get a student playing all day. Read More