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23 Years
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Chicago . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Voice Flute Piccolo
For beginning musicians, I like to start with the very fundamentals of music theory in order to get them comfortable with reading music and understanding what they are doing. Books I have used in the past include the Essential Elements series and the Melodious and Progressive Etude series. I also understand the importance of enjoying what one is playing, so I always urge students find pieces or books for themselves that they are interested in, and incorporate them into my lessons. Read More
Instruments: Piano
For my beginner students who are children I typically start out with either Hal Leonard or Fabre lesson books to learn all the very important foundational keys in music. As I notice they are grasping the concepts and able to apply them I then like to find outside resources such as sheet music, classical, pop to allow them to enjoy and discover what they love most. When it comes to my beginner adult students I usually start them off in the Fabre adult beginner book. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon
My teaching experience began in the fall of 2010, when I started my college career. Since then I have been teaching private lessons and have also taught in group homes. I encourage short, frequent practice sessions with a variety or repertoire to keep students motivated. I am always looking to bring on new students of all ages! Read More
Instruments: Piano
I am a pianist, composer, and educator who strives to bring out the best in all my students. I have composed for film, internet, and theatrical productions and performed across the country in classical and jazz contexts. I hold a masters degree in jazz studies from the Jacobs School of Music, where I studied with Luke Gillespie, Steve Houhgton, and David Baker. In the summer of 2013 I performed with the Disneyland All-American College Band. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Ukulele Recorder Music Keyboard
When creating lesson plans for classes or for individual lessons, I customize and design the lessons to fit the needs of the students. I always interview the students and set goals to know where they want to go so that all of our work is geared towards there individual success and improvement. I utilize various methods books depending on the students abilities. I also heavily utilize the Kodaly method and the Orff Method when teaching. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Trumpet Bass Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar
I like to start with the basics. Its important to let the student gain confidence in their instrument. So I start with very simple task that would be easy to do while I'm present so if they have any questions I can answer. I also do everything in three's...if we are working on the C scale and we get it correct I like to do it three time straight for memory. Read More
Instruments: Piano Flute Recorder Music Keyboard
I have been teaching private music lesson for 5 years and have several loyal and dedicated students. My students participate in two performances each year, which I arrange. Our last recital was focused on the student's performing their own compositions that we wrote together in our lessons. Students should be able to play the music they enjoy, but are also encouraged to expland their horizons to new and different genres. I believe music lessons should be enjoyable experiences that the student looks forward to each week. Read More
Instruments: Piano Organ
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I generally audition a student and have them either sight read a composition or play something they have done in the past. Afterwards, we talk about basic musicianship and technique requirements. The student needs to know something about a composer and why that composer composed in a certain style, the period the composition was composed, and a brief analysis of what's happening in the music. If there is a specific theme that is worth mentioning, I will have the student give me their ideas and why a particular composer chose that theme.
When will I start to see results?
I recommend that a beginning student take at least three months to see how they like the piano and give them a chance to explore diverse styles. Not every beginning student will aspire to be a classically trained pianist. You may have someone who likes popular, rock and roll, jazz, and even the more contemporary. Three months is a fairly good indicator if a student likes what they are doing and plan to continue. Piano competitions are encouraged as part of their educational development and this is set up by age levels in communities.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I had two piano teachers in music that inspired me years ago when I started in music school. Before starting college, a lady at my home church in West Virginia prepared me for my audition at West Virginia University before finishing high school. I memorized and played the "Sonata Pathetique" by Beethoven which I did all three movements of the work. The entire music department at the university heard my audition and afterwards was told my artistry was wonderful and that came from Herman Godes who was my principal teacher.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
It was my mother who encouraged me to learn the piano which began at age 6. Besides playing the keyboard, I was a gifted singer as well and received voice instruction in a local boys choir and did that until age 14. All through junior high and high school, I was selected as an accompanist for the choirs and received the musicianship award upon graduation from high school. Then through my college years, I was fortunate to study with some of the finest teachers in the world who were world class artists.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Spend at least 30 minutes a day for small children focusing on technique, sight reading, simple solo pieces, and basic fundamental theory. For more intermediate and advanced, anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour. I remind students not to focus on too much at one time. Divide up the session into segments and spend most of the practice on styles and techniques.
Occasionally, I may introduce a recording of a piece and have the student listen and then give me feedback on what they heard and how it should be analyzed.
23 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Piano lessons in Chicago to students of all ages and abilities.
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