Piano Lessons in Greenwich, CT

Instruments: Piano

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
A small initial segment of the practice should focus on exercises and warm up. The main proportion of the time should be used to master the new pieces. This is often accomplished by focusing on the problem areas. This narrow focus is then balanced in the end as I recommend that they finish their practice by playing the entire piece from beginning to end without interruption. When there is additional time I encourage my students to practice memorize or review some of the older pieces so that they could maintain a body of pieces that they could always perform.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I studied piano performance and music composition in highschool and during my undergraduate studies. But once in graduate school at NYU I noticed that I was more interested in the cultural and social characteristics of music. I then changed my school and enrolled in the musicology and ethnomusicology division of Columbia University focusing on the cultural meanings of music and teaching in classrooms. Around the same time I began teaching piano privately and realised that my academic focus has given me a very different perspective that makes my lessons different from those given by teachers that are focused on performance. That is, I noticed that I am able to help students that are not planning to become professional pianists as I showed them how performing music can enhance their musical appreciation and bring focus and discipline to all aspects of their lives.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
When I was younger I liked to play flashy pieces. As I matured as a musician and a musicologist, I started to appreciate shorter and less demanding pieces that I love. These include Chopin Nocturnes, Bach suites, Baroque Minuets, Scarlatti sonatas and Bartok dance pieces, among others.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I like the social sciences but cannot imagine my life divorced from sound and the arts.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I like Romantic and Baroque music. The Romantic composers made Piano sing with lush melodies and beautiful accompaniments. I also love Baroque music and its keyboard repertoire because I love the complicated texture, symmetrical forms and the dance suite format. Both of these periods provide a very large repertoire of lovely pieces that have inspired keybpard performers and listeners for generations

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
While in graduate school I realized that I love Indian drumming. I was fascinated by the complicated rhythmic cycles and patterns that Indian drummers perform. I also loved the way Tabla players use their finger tips to produce pitches and timbres in the a manner that seemed similar to the pianists. TO explore these further I began taking tabla lessons and have loved the instrument ever since.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
my mother sang in a chorus and my brother is an accomplished classical guitarist.

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I started taking piano lessons at a music conservatory when I was in the elementary school. By the time I was a sophomore in high school I started thinking about studying music in college. Once I finished my BA I was absolutely sure that music was my chosen career.

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