206-535-2932
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24 Years
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Piano lessons in Kirkland . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Lap Steel Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
For all of my students beginning through advanced I have my own curriculum of technique building studies. Combined with that I have my own curriculum of style studies and songs which include many genres of music. If students want to learn how to read music I usually suggest the Hal Leonard series of books for their particular instrument to start with and then I suggest more advanced materials for the style of music that they want to start specializing in. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums
No single approach works with every student when teaching drums. There are simply too many styles and methods to choose from. But when working with beginners, I tend to focus mostly on developing a good internal sense of rhythm and good listening skills. Then if the student wishes, we may specialize in classical, jazz, rock, latin, or whatever style the student is interested in. There are many excelent published methods to choose from and I occasionally assign etudes and excersizes of my own. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion
The first half of each of my lessons willaddress the basics of music theory(i.e. rudiments, scales, etc.) and technique. The second half of each lesson is about having fun! We will digdeeper into the musicmy student isinterested in,consideringthe songs from a musician's point of view. In dissecting the song we will learn about phrasing, feel, meter, melody, chord analysis, commonalitiesamong styles and the history behind the music. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice French Horn Music
Music lessons should be a playground for exploration! It is my job to meet students where they are and invite them to rise to new heights in their performance. Lessons are a series of small steps. The journey of learning music is a marathon, not a sprint. I work to gauge where students are coming from, attempting to engage the experience from all the different dimensions of their lives in order to create a pace that is meaningful and effective for each student. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Trombone Bass Guitar Euphonium Tuba
I have been a professional teacher and performer for ten years, touring nationally with funk, soul, and latin bands. The diversity of my experience as a performer has directly impacted my view on teaching. Excitement about practicing music comes directly from passion for music in general, and a key philosophy to my teaching method is to not only instill correct practices and technique, but to attempt to foster a life-long desire for musical exploration in my students. Read More
Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard
I foster a fun and supportive learning environment. In addition, it is important to me that my lessons are student led. Rather than dictate to students exactly what and how they should practice, I always use my students' curiosity as a guide, and work on what is most interesting to them. For young learners, I do everything possible to make the learning environment as fun and engaging as possible, practically not even introducing the concept of a mistake until around 1 year of lessons. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Clarinet Bass Guitar Organ Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Double Bass Keyboard Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
Unfortunately I never chose a primary instrument. I chose piano at age six because there was a piano in the house. I chose clarinet in fifth grade but it did not become a primary instrument because I wanted to play in jazz band in high school and played bass because that was needed. Bass was my primary professional instrument up to about 1990 when I started playing guitar and mandolin professionally. Then when I studied to be a church musician I was back to playing piano and added organ. In essence I have become a jack-of-all-trades on instruments. I don't recommend having such diversity because it keeps one from mastering a specific instrument; though I do enjoy playing all the instruments I have chosen.
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
When I first started at the church I currently work at the congregation was not a singing congregation. Now they are a great singing congregation and I believe that my accompaniment approach is a key part to that singing.
Another accomplishment that is important to me is that the gypsy jazz band I played in for several years played on the main stage of North America’s largest gypsy jazz festival. A great moment.
I also am always glad when I run across a former student that is still playing and tell me how much it enriches their life.
Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
A clarinet student became the winner of the state solo/ensemble contest.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
On guitar the hardest thing is to learn to read music without tablature. Because some pitches can be played in multiple spots it can be challenging to know where to play the notes when reading. In some instances one might have two or three solutions before one settles on the best choice.
Another challenge with guitar is to play rhythm well, particularly when using a plectrum/pick. One needs to play so that it sounds smooth and does not drag.
The third challenge is to play with good tone whether using fingers, fingernails, fingerpicks or a plectrum.
Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
On piano I build my lessons around the John Thompson method and supplement it with other materials to give a balanced foundation of many eras and genres.
On guitar, if a classical beginning is chosen, I use the Noad method or the Christofer Parkening method.
For other fingerstyle approaches I use Hal Leonard’s Guitar Workshop series for Fingerstyle guitar supplemented by appropriate materials from Oak Publications.
For bluegrass based material I primarily use Osk Publications.
If the student desires to learn gypsy-jazz I use books by Michael Hortoeitz.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Piano lessons in Kirkland to students of all ages and abilities.
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