Piano Lessons in Crystal City, VA

Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Flute Recorder Piccolo Music Keyboard

I began teaching privately in the greater Milwaukee area in 2012. With my help and motivation, a fifth grader decided to keep his flute and play in his beginning band, despite his families' circumstances. Later, I picked up an interested eighth grader, who eventually received a Gold at regional solo contest and also made the all-state band. Motivation, "keeping it real", and an upbeat attitude have continued to yield personal and academic results in my studio. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style is integrative and interactive. I tend to write, record, and encourage local performances for my student base. I like for students and parents to have something to show for their efforts in music, whether it be a recording or performance. I tend to get my students more excited than most because I prioritize understanding my students’ taste in music. My past students have commented that this was their favorite part about our lessons, was the fact that we were playing music the student actually likes. Read More

Instruments: Piano

It is my goal to ensure that students always have fun during lessons, and learn that making mistakes and growing from them is an important and rewarding part of learning a musical instrument. For beginning students between the ages of 3-14, I typically use Faber's Piano Adventures method book series. These books offer a well rounded introduction to music theory and performance, while also including fun and exciting songs that students can play over and over again. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

For my vocal students, I start with vocal exercises every lesson and allow them learn to vocal techniques through different vocal exercises. Then I work with my students on the repertoire that they are interested in or repertoire that can help them practice their weak spots. For my piano students, I use many different series (Alfred's, Faber, or some classic repertoire) depending on their level and age. For all students, I will also include music theory when I teach because the students will have a stronger foundation with all of these components, which will enable them to learn better, faster and even by their own. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I always ask students, both young and old, if they have goals they would like to work towards in lessons, and I then tailor lessons to help students achieve their goals. I listen to a students interests as well, and incorporate more into the lessons that will motivate and keep lessons fun, whether that is adding in time for composition/songwriting, learning how to play pop chords on the piano, or mixing in Disney/appropriate pop songs as well as classical and musical theater selections! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Bass Guitar Organ Music Keyboard

My teaching methods focus on building on the fundamentals of embodied proficiency with music (not just how to "read what's on the page", but first how to feel and delve into what's happening with all the moving parts and their many relationalities). For both children and adult students, before getting into structures and representations, the starting point will be the embodied feelings and experiences of and around music. In the first lesson, even my absolutely-beginner students will be having fun jamming, exploring and applying newly-learned things before we even talk about what a major scale is. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

Hello! My name is Donovan, and I am an instructor who specializes in ear training and technique. Originally being a self-taught musician, I began with piano and harmonica, then eventually branched out to guitar, bass, banjo, among several others. I have ran sound equipment from an early age as well, learning how to set rigs for full bands and how to mix and master tracks for recording purposes. I have met and played with many famous and unfamous musicians, and find that the highest amount of talent is undiscovered and uncultivated. Read More