Piano Lessons in Waterford, VA

Instruments: Piano Voice

I believe making music fun can keep students motivated and improve their skills. When you love music, you are more motivated to improve. I also believe music is based on a lot of techniques. In order to express your feeling through music and have more fun, you will need to practice to mature the technique. Practice makes perfect!!! I believe that everyone is unique. I encourage my students, but insist that they need to learn something new every lesson so they can get closer to their goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Cello Drums Conga Latin Percussion Djembe

I'm a performer and educator motivated most by the flash of joy I see in students' faces when they first grasp a new musical concept. With a global perspective on music cultivated by my background performing Brazilian music and American Jazz since childhood, and further bolstered by a B.A. in Anthropology: Ethnomusicology from Ithaca College, I have been a full time touring musician for the last 10 years. In addition to mainstage festival appearances all over the country, I have been lucky enough to teach clinics and master classes in percussion at top conservatories and universities such as Oberlin College & Georgetown University, as well as workshops in high schools, middle schools, & elementary schools all over the US. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I want to carry on my passion for music onto other students. I often try to acknowledge how well a student is doing whether they are pacing fast or slow. No matter where and how a student gets stuck, I always will try to work out difficulties and obstacles by working closely alongside them and encouraging them. I also have a system for students where they will earn a star if they reach a certain goal, so that they will feel like the accomplished musicians they will become. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

Learning to play an instrument is an endeavor that does not always yield immediate results. I like to encourage my students to look back on all they have accomplished and to set goals so that they are motivated to keep moving forward. Positive reinforcement and figuring out what gets the student excited are keys to their success. It can be a particular song, activity, or even just a set routine that can make a student really open up and be willing to learn all that they can get their hands on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

I teach using the philosophy of being positive. I will always have only positive things to say to a student. If, for example, a.student is playing out of tune, I wont lie and say how great he/she sounds but might say her position is so good and if her finger was a little higher on the string someone would think she was a professional. I give awards to students who achieve certain goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I work to foster a love of music and a desire to excel in each of my students. I want them to practice because they love it and want to succeed! I also feel that it is important to be a well rounded musician, so we will focus on theory, sight reading, composition, musicianship, performance-practice, and other important and fun aspects of music. I believe that it is important to be grounded in a classical foundation (for both piano and voice students), but I also make sure to bring in pieces of the student's favorite style- which I find helps motivate them to practice and enjoy lessons even more. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I have been teaching in my own home and in student's homes for 9 years. I excel in teaching my students to be proficient sight readers because I want them to gain the ability to sit down with any piece of music and play it. I believe my job as a teacher has been fulfilled if my students reach a point where they no longer require my help. I also want my students to reap the benefits of music that go beyond performance at the keyboard, such as confidence, enhanced motor skills, challenging mental stimulation, a desire to learn, and emotional development. Read More