Piano Lessons in Falls Church, VA

Instruments: Piano Organ

Greetings! My name is Bill Wisnom, and I have been a musician for the vast majority of my life. I began studying piano at the age of 11, and was later accepted into the Peabody Preparatory at the age of 14. I spent my teenage years devoted to a life of practice and performance with the intention of entering university as a piano major. At the age of 17, I began studying organ, and was later accepted into the undergraduate program at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. Read More

Instruments: Piano

It's most rewarding when my student's display those "ah ha!" moments during lessons. It shows me that they not only understand the material, but that they care about what it is they are learning by striving to improve. I also believe it's important for them to feel that what they are participating in is a worthwhile activity that is not only fun but rewarding to explore. Also making sure they recognize the importance of practice by pointing out how their improvements are the result of their hard work. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Bass Guitar Organ Music Keyboard

My approach seeks to breathe air under the wings of the students' interest and attention by making them a constant starting point, while also laying the groundwork of introspection for students to develop and apply their own practices of learning, exploration, and innovation going forward. My teaching methods focus on considering embodied experiences of music, as well as a range of philosophical considerations. Students will be encouraged to think about how feelings, subjectivities, sounds, and spaces interact in complex ways, along with a series of other metaphysical questions that I believe are essential to a holistic praxis of understanding and learning music. Read More

Instruments: Piano

For beginning students who are children, I typically Start with Piano Adventures by Nancy and Randall Faber. Once student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for the recital performance. For adults, if student is beginner, I usually start with Alfreds Adult Beginner book. If adult student already learned basic and start lessons again, I try to find out what the student is interested in. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I use variety of books, like from classical to Jazz. Here are books I usually use for my students. For beginners - Teaching little fingers to play, Bastien piano basics level 1&2, Favorite classical melodies 1&2, Alfred piano library 1&2, Just Imagine! For late intermediate & intermediate - Accent on Gillock 2,3,4, Jazz, Rag & Blues 1,2,3,4,5, Burgmuller 24 studies, Sonatina Album, Gurlitt selected works, Gurlitt Album for the young, ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music UK) exam pieces, Chopin Waltz, Chopin Mazurka, Hanon, Bach Invention, Tchaikovsky Seasons, Bastien piano literature series, and etc. Read More

Instruments: Piano

If there's anything I've learned over the years as a piano teacher, it's that every student develops and progresses at his or her own pace. My job, if doing it well, is to work with them, at THEIR pace, while at the same time, encouraging and pushing them forward. Just as some baseball managers are regarded as a player's manager, I like to consider myself a student's coach. That is, a teacher who is in the student's corner, supporting them, encouraging them, believing in them, no matter how much they may struggle, or how many bumps in the road they may face along their musical journeys. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar

For Piano I teach from the Faber Faber series. I used Primer and level 1 one for children and a level 1 version for late teens and adults. For Guitar/Bass I use Hal Leonard Guitar Method Series. For all my students I determine what they are interested in learning and we focus on that music while still practicing the fundamentals. Read More