Piano Lessons in Glen Riddle, PA

Instruments: Piano

I started playing piano as a young child in a small beach town in Southwestern Michigan. I was always involved in church choir, bell choir and school choirs. From the time I was 15, I knew that I wanted to use music to help people. I began pursuing a degree in Music Therapy at Western Michigan University, where I studied piano with Lori Sims. Upon graduating with a degree in music therapy, I began working as a music therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit where I worked for 9 years with adults. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Flute Clarinet Synthesizer Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Acoustic Guitar

For my beginning piano students, I emphasize the twelve major and minor scales with proper fingering, first one octave and then two octaves. These exercises strengthens fingers and create more familiarity with the keyboard. I use the book, Level 1 The Older Beginner Piano Course by James Bastien and the companion book, Musicianship for the Older Beginner. I have seen results when these books are used in tandem. The student increases in technique and start to master music theory simultaneously. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola Keyboard

As Shinichi Suzuki said, musical harmony breeds social harmony; to learn and make music together helps us all. For this I have grown the string and choral programs in Elmhurst's 51st Avenue Academy; taught violin, viola, and chamber music at the Queens College Center for Preparatory Studies in Music; led the Stony Brook Pre-College chamber music program; taught strings and chorus in Kiev, Ukraine; taught graduate education courses at Touro College online; and enjoy teaching music at NJ's Calderone School. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

This method is especially helpful when I am teaching very young beginning students. I thrive teaching children between 6-9. I emphasize consistent good practice for a short period of time. I encourage my students to fit their practice in transitional times. Practice after dinner, practice before your homework, etc. for 5-10 minutes. It is consistent good practice that allows you to progress faster rather than long unfocused work. I find my students love this idea and it gives them proper freedom in their practice. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

It has been a humbling privilege of mine to perform around the world and I have had the opportunity to perform in David Geffen Hall in NYC, Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia as well as major venues in Kansas City, Chicago, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. I was a member of the world-renowned Westminster Choir for 2 years during my graduate program and, in 2017, we had the honor of representing the United States at the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I structure my lessons in the same way I structure my own personal practice. I usually start off with a few technical exercises, then cover some theory, and then work on repertoire. How much time goes in to each category will depend on the student. A beginner tends to need more time on technique, whereas someone who has an audition or recital coming up will spend most of their time on repertoire. Read More