Piano Lessons in Portola Valley, CA

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

I like to inspire people to learn playing piano by my step by step teaching style. I teach beginner students simple and fundamental music pieces to let them learn the basic keys and how to read the music sheet. I like to instruct students from diverse experiences the piano, and how to use the instrument as a means of self expression and stimulate their music talent. I will recommend "Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson, Theory" and "Basics of Keyboard Theory" as well as "Piano Adventures Level 1 to 2" for piano beginners. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

No musician is complete without an understanding of the piano; my own experience began at an early age, and I encourage any student to begin studying piano as soon as possible! I have studied with amazing pedagogues and scholars alike, and carry their teaching with me where ever I go. Although the bulk of my professional resume is made up with operatic experience, my roots lie in choral music, jazz, and musical theater. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Conga Latin Percussion

He has also studied voice with Jane Sharp and piano with Ellen Wasserman.  Jake has been teaching music since 2001. He was Music Program Director at Mission Hills Middle School, in Union City, for 3 years. He was also the guitar and percussion teacher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland. Jake has also been a music instructor with COVA, Art and Soul Music Studios, Hayward Music Center and ALMA. Over the years he has performed with musicians such as Josh Jones, Michael Aaberg, Dayna Stephens, Ambrose Akinmusere, Jonathan Finlayson, Geoff Brennan, and Ray Brown. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Euphonium Tuba

For my students on I usually have them play out of the Alfred's Basic Piano Library. For other instruments we usually look at where students levels are at and work from there. From there I find what they like to practice and work on so they are able to grow. I also give my students scales each week to work on to use as warm-ups and build their dexterity. For my students we also look at the theory behind the music we are playing and use various theory worksheets that work on rhythm or we work out of a basic theory book that works best for the student. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Flute Drums Ukulele Recorder Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I am a musician and an artist; my heart sings when music plays and I love nothing more in life than spreading the joy that music brings. In 2015, I graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Flute Performance and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. I spent the following 5 years traveling through Europe (for flute), Trinidad & Tobago (for steel pan), and Cuba (for congas and flute). Read More

Instruments: Piano

My teaching style is flexible. For beginners, I will teach them all basic technic and reading skills. I believe in learning music by the ability of reading the music. Therefore, to have good reading skill is essential to all my students. Even if the students do not read music fluently, I will emphasize my teaching in improving them to read music. All my students will have good music sight reading eventually. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I like to emphasize learning technique through pieces, rather than practicing only technique on its own, as that can get boring very quickly! For beginning students, I like to start with the Piano Adventures series, which has pieces which are easy, teach basic techniques, but also are musically interesting. Once they have the fundamentals, we can begin working on solo repertoire that interests the student. For older students who are interested in 20th century music, I like to teach Bartok's Mikrokosmos. Read More