Piano Lessons in Lake Villa, IL

Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Clarinet

Every student is unique in their ability level, dedication to the instrument/craft, et. al; therefore, I cannot expect that every student will be the next Larry Combs. I do, however, expect that every student take their responsibility for practicing each week, coming prepared to lessons, and being a good student. In lessons, I am kind and personable as anyone should be, but I like to make clear my expectations right from the beginning. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

For beginning piano students, I typically have them start with the Alfred series. Depending on their growth, we can move onto solo repertoire shortly thereafter. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trombone Euphonium Music

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with a compilation of books that I have founded very helpful through my research in methods or etudes. There is a goal per lesson which should be aproached easily to practice. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Saxophone Clarinet Recorder Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I am goofy kind of gal who is a kid at heart so, while I do not allow the students to goof-off during practice, I definitely encourage the children to have fun and take breaks. Learning a new skill is taxing on the brain so I do enjoy inserting some brain-breaks here and there, when necessary. I'm also a very big sticker advocate! Most children enjoy them, and I love rewarding them after completing a song we've been working on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola

For piano I use the Alfred series, and for violin and viola I use a combination of Essential Elements and Suzuki books.  As students advance I introduce additional solo repertoire.  My voice students learn from a variety of sources.  I usually start with a song they know well and work from there.  Students also learn a variety of warm-ups and sight-singing techniques.   Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Bass Guitar Organ

I began teaching in my late teenage years through a summer program provide through my church. The program is a week long program for kids ages 4-18 and during the program I gave lessons to over 15 students. Shortly after, I began to advertise my ability to give private instruction. Through self advertisement I gained a few adult students and began giving private instruction to earn money. Since then I’ve gained students through recommendations and word of mouth. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Clarinet Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music Keyboard

Building a solid method approach for every student is essential to the students success. I choose a custom approach for each student, because each student is unique. There are many overlaps to my approach for each students lesson plan, however every lesson needs to be altered a little, since some students struggle in areas where others might succeed. Fundamentals are the foundation for successful music making, and thus are the foundation of the lessons I teach. I have worked with many different method books and do not have a single preferred book, rather each student may need something different depending on their strengths and areas that need improvement. Read More