Piano Lessons in Kettering, MD

Instruments: Piano Voice

For beginners who are children, I typically use Faber and Faber's Piano Adventures. One of my biggest goals while teaching is to provide my students with a well-rounded music education. From my experience, the Piano Adventures series aligns well this goal while providing engaging, fun material for children. After completing a series of method books, I start to focus on classical repertoire. While I believe classical repertoire is the best way to build piano technique, musicianship, and musical knowledge, I love including other genres depending on the student's interest. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I love watching my students develop a passion for music! I encourage students to practice regularly and to persevere toward specific goals. It is my philosophy that taking lessons alone will not develop the musicians skills, but through consistent practice, perseverance, and patience, a student will be able to see real progress and eventually achieve their goals. No dream is achieved overnight! Some of my favorite moments during my four years of teaching thus far have been seeing my students achieve their goals, whether they are landing the lead role in a musical, being accepted into the top choir at their school, receiving high marks at contests, or something as simple as performing in their first recital, having a break-through moment with a new technique during lessons, or memorizing their first foreign-language piece. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Double Bass Piccolo Oboe Bassoon Music Keyboard

I'm most comfortable working with beginner to intermediate students, ages 7-11. Initially, I will provide my students with an assessment to learn more about the student's interest and performance level. Subsequently, based upon the assessment results, I will provide my students with a series of warm-up exercises designed to support proper posture, breathing and the overall handling of their respective instrument for every session . Each session and lesson plans are customized for my students, and will be scheduled as followed: 5 minutes - Greeting and Warm-Up Exercise(s); 10 minutes - Modeling/ Recap and Collaborative Instruction of Core Skill(s); 10 minutes - Independent Application Recording Assessment of Core Skill(s); 5 minutes - Critiquing of Core Skill(s) Wrap-Up Activity. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

My goal with each student is to specialize each lesson to each student's needs and give students the tools to be able to play the music they enjoy. For all of my students, both children and adults, I incorporate theory, technique, ear training, and musicality into the lessons. For beginning piano students, I use a combination of books from Alfred's and Faber. At the same time, I emphasize proper finger technique, shape, and position. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I prefer Piano Adventurers for the series I use to teach piano at all levels. Their series is clear and has the proper scope and sequence to teach all ages. I supplement that technique book with a book for finger independence. Hanon virtuoso exercises and scale. As far as my singing method books, I use an Italian technique for singing. The book I use often time is Vaccai. Mainly I use my ears to determine what the student needs to focus on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

Having started piano relatively late, I was always taking account of what my experience and thoughts were as I progressed forward. I am familiar with and aware of the issues that bog down a lot of beginner students (of all ages) and try to solve these issues in unconventional and exciting ways. I don't believe that performing the same exercise over and over will get you to where you want to be -- music-making is something that happens over a very long period of time but there is always something you can do on the short term that will prove to be rewarding and musically stimulating. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

Hello! My name is Donovan, and I am an instructor who specializes in ear training and technique. Originally being a self-taught musician, I began with piano and harmonica, then eventually branched out to guitar, bass, banjo, among several others. I have ran sound equipment from an early age as well, learning how to set rigs for full bands and how to mix and master tracks for recording purposes. I have met and played with many famous and unfamous musicians, and find that the highest amount of talent is undiscovered and uncultivated. Read More