Piano Lessons in Smithtown, NY

Instruments: Piano Voice

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
Opera is close to my heart because I love the sheer power and grace of the voices. They truly are magnificent and some of the most impressive athleticism I have ever heard. Musical theater, however, is my first love. There is something about the storytelling through music that makes it so magical, and the fact that it is more contemporary in style and in our vernacular that makes it much more accessible to the masses. Opera has this ability too, absolutely, but because most of the well known operas are so antiquated and many are in other languages than english, it provides a bit more decoding to establish that connection to it. That being said though, if you're willing to do the work of bridging the language gap - opera can be a truly rewarding experience for the performer as well as the listener. Some of the best music ever written!

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
I have had several students participate in middle school and high school solo and ensemble and done extremely well. Many have auditioned well and been accepted into colleges with scholarships for music! Most have been self starters and have sought out these opportunities to compete and perform, and they usually do very well because they work hard and are driven to succeed. On the other hand I have also had experience with students who perhaps needed a bit more coaxing to participate, who had trouble with nerves, or perhaps didn't do as well as they maybe hoped for whatever reason. Success has an infinite number of ways to be measured, and for these students who struggled, if they overcame fears it was a great success! It's always a wonderful learning experience to venture out of one's comfort zone, and experiencing what might seem like a failure provides us with valuable information for our craft, but also for life.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
The first degree I received was a Musical Theater degree. I started off college pursuing classical music, but for a variety of reasons I decided to switch to Musical theater because I felt like it was a skill I could master and have in my tool belt, and classical music would always be there. Musical theater also felt more accessible to me at the time as a young person, and something I could seek jobs in immediately upon graduation, whereas opera singing was a more sophisticated art form that not only took time to master, but also took age and vocal maturity. I knew I always wanted to eventually go back to studying opera, which is why I pursued it in my graduate studies. I have found it extremely valuable to my opera ventures to have my experience in musical theater, and vice versa. They help each other immensely. Plus, now I have even more opportunities I am able to explore with my vocal crossover abilities.

When will I start to see results?
This can be difficult to answer. It depends on what your idea of results are. Often times, as the teacher, we notice a student's progress in as little as the first lesson! With the experience teaching, the more zero-ed in on the small improvements we become, and we detect more easily what is working and not working for any particular student. Everyone has a different learning style and pace, so it can be nearly impossible to say. I think a student's success is based on their desire to succeed and their commitment to putting the work in outside of lessons. Practicing on one's own is key, and directly linked to how quickly and effectively a student is progressing.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Set aside time, and stick to it! Setting small goals for your practice session can be helpful to some people, but always remember to enjoy the process! Perfectionism is something we all struggle with at some point but it's not always our friend. Seek small attainable goals and be glad in your achievements! Beginning is the hardest part - we don't always feel like we are in the mood to practice, but I bet if you just sit down and start, you will find yourself falling into it and maybe even enjoying! Just commit to starting and let the rest unfold.

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