Piano Lessons in Dogtown, CA

Instruments: Piano

My name is David Herscowitz, and I've been playing the piano since 1985 and teaching since 2005. I grew up in Los Angeles and moved to Oakland in 2012. I attended the Alexander Hamilton High School Academy of Music in Los Angeles and received my BA in Music from U.C. Santa Barbara. Making music (especially with other musicians) is my favorite thing to do, and teaching others the gift of music comes in a close second! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience is primarily with private voice and piano lessons. I began teaching as a private instructor in 2010, and have taught privately since. I've had the pleasure of working with a diverse age group from Pre-k to Seniors, and from Beginners to Advanced. I teach fundamentals and technique, but my primary focus in teaching is to inspire the student to explore their instrument, and what it's capable of. I am much more inclined toward cultivating Artists than I am in cultivating immaculate performers. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Organ Synthesizer

Progress is made at the student's own pace. I try to set goals that are both far-reaching and realistic. Anything is possible if you don't give up too easily! I've used a variety of different lesson books in the past. It's important to note that the Bastien piano books, as well as the Clark, Faber, and Alfred methods all play to different strengths. Since different students respond better to different methods, I try to incorporate some variety which focuses on several concepts: developing ear-training (i.e. picking up melodies and chords from ear) as well as sight-reading, technique, and choosing interesting repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

My method is to incorporate proper technique and fingering, and though reading music is important, i also put emphasis on hearing what your playing and also understanding it theoretically. This way students will be well-rounded and be able to understand what they are playing from an audio and theoretical stance, rather than just being told what to play by the notes on the sheet music. What this does is it allows the student to become independent so that they don't have to rely on music and a teacher to be able to play or pick-up songs they desire to play. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I like to set clear but realistic goals for students, so each student can learn at their own pace. I'm a big believer in positive reinforcement. I think the best motivation comes from within, and I aim to fuel this by finding out what inspires the student most and helping them reach their own goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I've been teaching music for a little over 5 years (2014). I have started many kids who don't know if they would rather learn guitar, drums, or piano. So I give them a tour of all three and show them the basics before they decide their favorite. I encourage consistent practice and practice methods that ensure that the students always feel a sense of improvement without frustration. Personally I've felt the sense of improvement after practicing but was still more agitated, but that was college, before I started teaching. Read More

Instruments: Piano

My teaching style is flexible. For beginners, I will teach them all basic technic and reading skills. I believe in learning music by the ability of reading the music. Therefore, to have good reading skill is essential to all my students. Even if the students do not read music fluently, I will emphasize my teaching in improving them to read music. All my students will have good music sight reading eventually. Read More