Piano Lessons in Buchanan, NY

Instruments: Piano Voice Organ Synthesizer Keyboard

I firmly believe that experiencing music and being inquisitive are invaluable to learning how to play music. Studying music is not just about learning the material and regurgitating it, but discovering why a moment of music is cool and examining what about that moment makes it hit you in the right spot. I will be the guide that the student needs when he or she does not know where to go with his or her studies, but I want to encourage students to bring in music they want to learn, or discuss music that they think is cool and use that as a jumping off point into our lessons. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For all students, regardless of age or skill level, I like to gauge their musical interests (i.e., what music they listen to, what inspired them to pick up the guitar, etc.), and then work from there. For someone who has never picked up an instrument before, I generally work out of Hal Leonard's Guitar Method Book 1. Once we're past that, I'll start showing them some basic songs, as well as seeing what kinds of songs they would be interested in learning. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet

Depending on how experienced the student is, I make sure to gauge where they are at regarding music theory and music history. Although the main goal of learning an instrument is to learn how to express yourself through music, it is important to understand how we can do that by having a solid understanding of theory and history. I've found that teaching students on a week-by-week basis through exercises that I create for them has been very successful, especially since a lot of method books are very limiting, and they expect every student to be starting out with the same baseline. Read More

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

I have been an active music teacher now for over 3 years. However, teaching is not the only thing I do. I am constantly working on music of all styles with all walks of life. I am currently producing dozens of artists from all around the country out of my home studio. I am also in several gigging bands. Playing live shows is the ultimate reward of being a musician and I like to do it as much as possible. Read More

Instruments: Piano

The structure of each lesson is always tailored to the student, but typically involves working hands-on with material, charting progress week to week, and refining the way that the student applies his or her focus while practicing passages. I often like to emphasize the use of expressive dynamics, rhythmic coordination between the two hands, and melodic phrasing. Given the open-ended nature of the musical experience, I hope to impart valuable insights into these technical aspects of performance and practice while also providing general guidance in accordance with the student's personal vision. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

Based on a child's interest and personal voice, I recommend pieces of music varying from musical theatre, 28 Italian Songs, Schirmer's Book of Solos, and Hal Leonard's Standard Literature. In our lessons, I teach students to warm up with the proper technique, and so that they may warm themselves up when practicing. We also work on sight reading and dictation to implement musical literacy. Most importantly, we discuss textual meaning and how it relates to our performance skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

I started teaching music in college through my babysitting network. When the mothers and fathers of the children I cared for found out that I played piano and woodwinds, many of them asked if I would also give their kids private lessons. Having a knack with kids and with music, my music teaching practice quickly blossomed in that small town. I have found that while it's important to keep kids sharp in their ability to read music on the page, it is at least as important to engage their creativity off the page. Read More