Piano Lessons in Crystal City, VA

Instruments: Piano Voice

In lessons, I strive to keep the atmosphere collaborative rather than dictatorial. I encourage you, the student, to ask questions, and I believe it's imperative for you to understand why what you're learning is important. I do my best to make you feel comfortable trying new things and making mistakes. Ultimately, learning vocal technique requires a delicate balance of putting your trust in the teacher without abandoning individual thought. Knowing this, I try to engender the necessary trust inmy knowledge while collaborating with you to incorporate your own words, metaphors, thoughts, and feelings into your approach. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar

I always encourage students to study and practice on a regular basis. This greatly helps them make progress and like the instrument over time. Nonetheless, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. My homework sheets are designed to address both of those points. I always encourage them to practice well; when they practice well, they improved and once they improve they start to like the instrument more. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

My teaching experience dates back to my college days, as I began teaching private lessons part time for school years, and have been consistently teaching students in my home studio for the last 17 years. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. I've also found that a combination of classical and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the piano and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. Read More

Instruments: Piano Flute Recorder

In 2010, she moved to Egypt to teach music at The International School of Choueifat in Cairo. She returned to the States in 2011 and completed Community-Word Project's Summer Institute for Advanced Teaching Artists. Recently, Blythe trained at Great Lakes Suzuki Institute in Guelph, Ontario. Blythe has performed with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Brooklyn Wind Symphony, has served as the woodwind judge for M.T.S.B.O.A.'s Solo and Ensemble Festival, and has participated in masters classes with Julius Baker, Erik Gratton, Mary Karen Clardy, and Kenneth B. 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: Piano Music Keyboard

I believe method books and small pieces of repertoire are an excellent tool for getting beginning students engaged in music. I also aim to tie in my compositional and improvisational skills into the mix; this can permit beginning students who have yet to master technique to express themselves more freely than written notation may allow them to. Piano is a wonderful instrument because it presents limitless possibilities for sound and is very intuitive -- why not use that openness to let your creative potential soar! Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I am passionate about helping others find their passion especially in music. I love teaching people how to make cool sounds with their voices. What I run into a lot is that a long time ago someone told My student that they could not sing and it's funny how people carry that with them throughout their lives so my job is to change that perception. It's not always easy. I tried to give my students clear expectations of what I want and try to make them feel comfortable by using humor and getting them to relax and not be afraid to make an ugly sound Read More