Piano Lessons in Rectortown, VA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Lute Double Bass Mallet Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I like to find out why my students are interested in playing music. This helps me to create a lesson plan for each individual one. I like to start out teaching using Alfred's beginner books, and progress from there. Each student learns at a different pace, so I base my lessons off of their progress. I have found that doing this helps keep the student motivated and encouraged in the process of learning their given instrument. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar

The most satisfying moment as a teacher is when a student finally "gets it", and for students, I find that lessons are the most fun when the student feels capable and not overwhelmed. I like to challenge my students and encourage them to exceed even their own expectations of their abilities. With this in mind, my overall teaching philosophy emphasizes gaining technical mastery over the student's chosen instrument, strong music reading and theory skills, along with creativity and improvisation to turn them into well rounded players who can hold their own in just about any music setting from the stage to the studio. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola

I choose to work step by step. Not to force them or pressure them on anything. As I mentioned above, having this balance between having fun, enyoing and learning how to be responsible and dedicated, is healthy and efficient! Important is to understand that to learn an instrument, you also need to practice, at least 30 min per day and not just only wanting to have the lesson, because the progress will be very minimal and slow, and the learning process will become very boring. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice

Lessons are geared towards student needs. Beginning guitar and piano lessons follow standard curricula. Voice lessons are usually 15-30 minutes of technique work followed by 15-30 minutes of work on repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

Melissa started teaching during her senior year of college when she took her first vocal pedagogy course. Teaching has been an important part of her schedule ever since. Over the years, she has taught privately, through various community schools, through several national companies, and she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Illinois State University for two years. Thus, she has experience teaching all ages and skill levels. Her students have ranged from beginners to university music majors, from age 3 to age 72. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Flute Clarinet Double Bass

Once they have grasped the reading of music, scales, and arpeggios I start branching out into an Etude/Fundamental book such as the Guenther/Rubank and we start working on songs that they find fun and interesting. Once we get into the grove I start teaching more in depth theory. Intermediate/Advanced Players - Once you get to a certain level, my methods vary while, because every student has different genres they like to focus on. Read More