Music Lessons in Rio, WI

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Keyboard Djembe Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style is very simple. With the fundamentals in place, it's possible to learn any song you want to. If there's a song that goes beyond a student's fundamentals, then that's what we'll learn next. As my music teachers told me, if you listen to a record and you find something on it that you don't know how to play, go back and learn how to do it! Listening and learning is essential to playing the music that you want to be able to play as quickly as possible. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I have different methods for piano and voice: depending on the level of the piano student, I will use Faber method books and supplement performance pieces, technique lessons, games, theory discussions, etc. I do not use method books with voice students, although I do have a curriculum that I follow and adjust depending on the level and age of the voice student. I believe that while beginning and intermediate students continue to learn, it is important for them to practice different genres on their instrument -- this allows them to speak different musical languages, improves their understanding of style, and gives them a better context for their own gifts and interests. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

Besides being a drum teacher I have also been certified to teach staff how to work with people who have disabilities, and that teaching experience, while completely different from that of teaching drums, has helped me become a better over all instructor. I have had much success on a regional and local level and during the 2000-2002 era, toured internationally with a group called "Gabriel's Harp". I would love to bring all of this to your student, no matter what age they are or what goals they are looking to acheive. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Synthesizer Recorder Electric Violin Double Bass Conga Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe

For beginning students, I usually start by creating a strong foundation in the student's mind of why they want to learn how to play an instrument and what goals, if any, they initially have for themselves. I then utilize this to help create individual based lesson plans that are driven by the inner workings of the student's mind. I incorporate music theory into every instrument at every skill level because I believe it to be something that is extremely important to understand and that not a lot of students are exposed to before they get to college. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Mandolin Electric Violin Fiddle

I studied violin and viola while playing with a country band (picked up mandolin along the way,) and, in the last year, sought out jazz studies under Lawrence Gray to get a feel for basic jazz improvisation. I value the original music of individuals I run into in the local music scene here just as much as the somewhat antiquated music of classical composers, and, with a combination of these, I play out roughly three or four times a week and strive to always give the best performance I possibly can. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For younger students, I tend to make learning the guitar more enjoyable and fun. Since younger kids need motivation, I prefer to let them play with accompaniment in order to make the lesson and their playing more enjoyable. For more advanced students, I believe that introducing them to variety of music styles is essential to build their musical personality and let them decide what style they want to learn. Finally, I encourage my students to perform in public, so they can build their confidence and realize the great outcome of their hard work. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I have been teaching young clarinetists privately for nearly 8 years, and more recently began working as a clinician and teaching masterclasses at local schools. I prioritize curating diverse resources for teaching and performing, and am frequently trying new technique books and contemporary music for myself and my students. As a performer, I have made great progress through participating in chamber music, and so I encourage my own students to collaborate with their peers and frequently will play chamber music in lessons. Read More