Music Lessons in Pomeroy, PA

Instruments: Piano Voice

My teaching style, particularly with my younger students, is to combine yoga-like breathing and proper posture to develop their voice naturally. I find that it does not matter which style of singing you would like to learn or how you would like to use your voice, breathing and breath work are an essential foundation to wonderful music making. I like to teach voice in a free, forgiving environment where mistakes are encouraged. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

When I took piano lessons, my teacher simultaneously taught John Thompson, John Schaum, and Alfred's Basic piano courses, which was a bit overwhelming! For children in particular, I believe that John Thompson does the most effective job of working from the fundamentals up to the classics. That said, private lessons are very personal, and I'm happy to work with any student to find the repertoire that is most engaging to them. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Djembe

Every drum student is different so I customize each lesson to fit the particular students needs and goals. I always start out with fundamentals and rudiments on the snare drum, Focusing on stick position posture and proper technique. Once these basics are established we move onto a basic drum set method book covering notation, basic drumbeats and drum fills. From there we branch out into various styles of drumming, very often we move to jazz drumming from there as that is usually the first time students are offered to play drum set in their school music program. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students, I first incorporate the fundamentals of each instrument while catering to their musical interests, along with encouraging them to take regular performance opportunities. I want students to focus on the technicalities of what they are doing, but relate it to how it relates to performance and musicality. In students analyzing what they are doing to create sounds, I am guiding musicians to be reflective in their practice and performance, which I believe is one the key characteristics of becoming a life-long performer and learner. Read More

Instruments: Voice

After four years of daily warm ups and classical singing, I realized what it actually takes to have constant growth in your vocal abilities. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You have to have a consistent schedule and habits that you set in place to perfect your craft. I learned that we are truly limitless, and there is nothing we can't do. I enjoy helping young musicians recognize that early. As long as they keep pushing themselves, they will continue to be great. Read More

Instruments: Piano Organ Keyboard

For pianist lessons, I like to use the Piano Adventures book series for beginner students of any age. These are the books I used when I began taking lessons at the age of six, and I have found that they are a very productive tool in teaching students with a a variety of different backgrounds. For organ lessons, I like to use Hal Leonards First Organ Book, as it contains many pieces of music that target work on specific techniques from legato fingerings to proper pedal techniques. Read More