Music Lessons in Sumerduck, VA

Instruments: Trombone Euphonium

For beginner students use the Hal Leonard Essential Elements 2000 method books. These books offer a very detailed and easy fundamental based method to start beginners off on the right foot. These books also utilize simple and recognizable melodies to aid in the student’s learning. For adults, I like to use the Rubank Methods, starting with the Rubank Elementary Method. These books provide a very strong focus in fundamentals for those who are slightly more advanced. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola

I choose to work step by step. Not to force them or pressure them on anything. As I mentioned above, having this balance between having fun, enyoing and learning how to be responsible and dedicated, is healthy and efficient! Important is to understand that to learn an instrument, you also need to practice, at least 30 min per day and not just only wanting to have the lesson, because the progress will be very minimal and slow, and the learning process will become very boring. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I teach breath support, vocal range expansion, resonance, tone placement, posture, proper diction, sight reading notes, ear training, releasing tension and stage performance. I can help my students improve technique for any genres of music they want with a focus on building a solid and healthy technique. For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Alfred’s piano book library Essential Elements. I recommend Alfred’s Prep course for age of 5 to 6 years old. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

For beginner students I will utilize either the "Alfred's Basic Piano Library" or "Faber - Hal Leonard's Piano Adventures" with the particular books selected to fit the student's age and skill level. I also enhance lessons by integrating scale pattern practice as well as exploration with simple boogie-woogie bass patterns; encouragement to sing and play where the lessons provide such an arrangement; and tinkering creating very simple melody lines and lyrics. Read More

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

I am an instructor with a passion for learning, performing and teaching music. I fully enjoy working with students who want to learn how to play guitar, bass, ukulele because I like to inspire and foster my love of music and pass it along to others. While I have an advanced educational background in humanities disciplines, I am mostly self-educated in music. It's a lifelong learning experience of more than 40 years that has led me to perform in local pop, rock, country and jazz groups and to teach music as a way to share my gifts and talents. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar

The most satisfying moment as a teacher is when a student finally "gets it", and for students, I find that lessons are the most fun when the student feels capable and not overwhelmed. I like to challenge my students and encourage them to exceed even their own expectations of their abilities. With this in mind, my overall teaching philosophy emphasizes gaining technical mastery over the student's chosen instrument, strong music reading and theory skills, along with creativity and improvisation to turn them into well rounded players who can hold their own in just about any music setting from the stage to the studio. Read More