Piano Lessons in Maple Valley, WA

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Drums Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard

I've been a musical director of K-8th grade private school as well as substituting for local band teachers .During that time I taught children all aspects of music, as well as preparing them for recitals and competitions. I've taught students privately at my home studio for more than 20 years, many of my students have gone on to further their education at the university level. I've worked with schools in developing after school music programs that have been successful. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I like working with students in a way where our love of music is the center of our attention, as such musicality is always the goal. For beginner students who’d like to sight-read, I like to start with the Alfred Modern Guitar Method 1 and supplement that with the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method, Grade 1, or Frederick Noad’s Solo Guitar 1 if we’re learning classical guitar. Alternatively, if the student wishes to take a route in which he/she does not sight-read musical notation, I like to start with basic picking technique, proper guitar positioning, reading tabs and chord diagrams. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Lap Steel Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Growing up in the Los Angeles area I started playing piano at age 8, guitar at age 11 and was working professionally as a musician by age 13 in local rock and acoustic acts. As a teenager I played in local college big bands, studied classical guitar at California Institute of the Arts and was invited to study at UC Santa Barbara to develop my other musical love, composing. Throughout my young adult life I studied classical and studio guitar, piano and composition at California State University Northridge and Javanese and Balinese Gamelan music at UCLA and Cal Arts. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Recorder Double Bass Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been a performing and teaching professional for over 25 years and released over 20 albums with many different artists. Since I was in my early twenties, I have performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Central America. I bring my experience to the lesson room through a thorough and varied approach to harmony, technique, sight-reading, improvisation and performance techniques. Acoustic and electric bass are my primary instruments, but I teach to advanced level on guitar and ukulele, beginning piano, and in multiple genres of music. Read More

Instruments: Piano

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce a solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in depending on the ability level. I would also start with books for adult beginners if needed. My goal as a teacher is to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music

With my teaching style, I prefer to work on what the student has an interest in if they are old enough to know. There is no better feeling than to work with a student who is enjoying the study of the current material. I also enjoy teaching beginning composition and bringing out the music from within. When the child is at a young age, I incorporate curriculum that targets ear-training and listening, reading, rhythmic awareness and time-keeping, and theory. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Keyboard

As much as I discuss with students what to practice, however, I think it’s more important to emphasize how to practice efficiently. The patience and focus needed to execute a song correctly is as much an exercise in meditation as it is about performing music. As I tell my students, the mind is the true instrument. Once they know what the symbols on the chart mean, where their hands have to go, and how a song is supposed to sound, they will have no trouble making music. Read More