Piano Lessons in New Canaan, CT

Maria B

Instruments: Piano Voice Music

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Some of my students have been accepted into various prestigious performing arts High School’s, including La Guardia, Kaufman Center, and Brooklyn College. Beyond this, my students have gone on to become finalists in international singing competitions.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
One of my greatest accomplishments in the last few years was when I won sixth prize in a prestigious international competition for opera singers. The competition consisted of four phases; the first took place at the New York Metropolitan Opera and the second through fourth were held in Barcelona, Spain. Out of the thousands of people who auditioned, only six winners were chosen and I was the only Venezuelan singer.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
The voice is an instrument that reflects the soul of the singer. There is something so magical about being able to connect to your resonance and to express emotions through the human voice that captivated me.

When will I start to see results?
Everyone is different! My advice is make short term and long term goals. That way you will see how much you grow from one lesson to the next one.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
That teacher is my dad. He is a music teacher and professional guitarists. He used to play all kinds of music for me and encourage me to sing and read about music. His work ethic and his discipline was incredibly inspiring. He would wake up extra early to practice and he never gave up when something was challenging, he would find a way to make it work and he made sure to have fun while practicing.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I recommend talking directly to the teacher, every child is different and even if they aren't ready to learn some subjects they could still benefit from taking the lesson.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
10-15 min of really focused practice will help accomplish more than you think!

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
The hardest thing is to stay motivated through the times where you don't feel like practicing. That is why one has to find ways of rewarding ourselves for our small victories.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
Yes, I use Alfred, Bastien, Faber, Hannon, Marches, Garcia and Vaccai. It is helpful to have a book as a guidance for the student to practice at home.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
I like to work on 20 min of technique, text work and translation, historical research and character development. If I have more than one piece or opera to learn I make sure to schedule different times to practice each piece, that way I don't get overwhelmed and I get to accomplish more.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
My degrees are in Vocal Performance and 3 years of music education. Music is my life, my inspiration and my passion. I never feel like I am working hard when I making music or teaching it.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Mimi in La Boheme by Puccini. The music in this opera is extremely beautiful as well as the character. You learn a lot about friendship and hardship from this opera.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I would be a nurse or medical doctor. Music heals the soul and I like to help my students and audiences to feel better and to heal.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I love traditional folk music and making a fusion of it with classical singing. I love it because it allows me to learn about different cultures and their way of expressing emotions.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I decided to study piano because it helps me accompany my songs and learn new music. It is also good to play a harmonic instrument when you have a melodic instrument.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
I come from a family of musicians. When we get together we usually sing and and play for each other. I have musical family members on both sides.

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I knew I wanted to be an opera singer when I was 11 years old. My dad brought a CD of Bach cantatas and I knew it right away.

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