Piano Lessons in Ballou, IL

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Bass Guitar

I believe in providing a well rounded education for you or your child. My approach entails a 50/50 split between doing the hard work necessary to excel and learning to enjoy music. Therefore, their will be and allotment of standard scales, chords, sight-reading and music theory education. However, one must also learn how to use these elements to find there own stylized expression, creative abilities and improvisational voice, which I believe to be necessary if one is to really enjoy music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Drums Bass Guitar

My main goal is to give each student the tools to be successful on their own. This is important because most progress is made outside of the lesson. This includes music reading and general knowledge of the music. I feel that success comes from the student feeling that THEY have accomplished something. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Music Keyboard

For my younger students, I often use a balance between classical, pop and jazz music. Fabers Piano Adventures or any variety of the Faber books with a theory book is often used so that students will have a firm foundation on how music works. They can then apply that knowledge to any piece of music going forward. We skip around in the book as needed for every students different learning style. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Music Keyboard

It is important to have a broadened perspective of what it means to be a well rounded musician while having concentrated study in a specific genre or idiom. In my lessons, I strive to cover the major elements required to be a successful trombonist or musician in not only the jazz idiom, but the general music industry as a whole. These subjects include: sight reading, music theory, aural training, music listening, improvisation, composition, arranging, basic music notation, basic music recording techniques, historical and cultural contextualization, music entrepreneurship, and performance edict. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Recorder Euphonium Tuba Mallet Percussion

I like to get to know the student as I am teaching so I create small breaks to get to know who I am teachign and their interest, so that I may taylor my lessons to the student. For beginning students I like to use essential elements books as a guide for their practice. For adults I try to find out their long term goals and taylor my lessons to gettimng them to reach that goal. Read More

Instruments: Piano

An important component in my teaching process is assessment. First I need to understand long-term goals of the student. What does "taking piano lessons" mean to you. If you want to learn piano and go through Bach preludes and Brahms reductions great! But that is not the entire scope of what private lessons can offer an individual. Often the student doesn't know what specifically excites him/her. For younger students especially, broadening horizons is important. Read More