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PhD, Boston University, Musicology MA, Catholic University of America, Piano Performance/Music History BM, Catholic University of America, Piano Performance
2007 - Boston University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Fellowship
1998 - Catholic University Cardinal Gibbons Fellowship
1998 - Benjamin T. Rome Scholarship
I am very passionate about music, and I try to motivate my students towards a similar love of music of all styles and genres. In 2014, I have completed my studies at Boston University, where I completed a PhD in Musicology with a focus on jazz of the 1930s and 1940s. I have performed at such venues as the Kennedy Center, the Boston Symphony Hall, the Taylor House, and the Kreeger Museum as a solo and ensemble musician. Currently, I am the pianist and managing director of the traditional jazz band, the Butler Parks Hot Serenaders, and am the artistic director of Baltimore-based cabaret ensemble, Ghosts of Weimar. I am also an experienced composer and arranger, having written children's musical shows for D.C.'s Imagination Stage, and arranged the cabaret song repertoire of William Bolcom.
I have started teaching shortly before college, and have a proven track record of working as an independent instructor and part of teaching collectives. I am a member in good standing with both MTNA and MSMTA, and have been consistently teaching students out of my home studio for the past 15 years. With younger students, I prefer emphasizing habit formation, such as setting a practice schedule, regularly committing to a set amount of practicing time, and develop a passion for the piano. I am comfortable teaching all age groups and levels, and emphasize achievement through fun and learning, as it is important to me that students develop a lasting relationship with the instrument and repertoire.
I adjust my teaching based on each student's abilities to maintain a relaxed, fun, and engaging atmosphere. For younger students, I typically start with Music for Little Mozarts, which includes a variety of activities in addition to the exploration of music. For older or more intermediate students, I recommend Faber & Faber's Piano Adventures, which incorporates not only interesting musical selections, but also introduces music theory and analysis. For advanced students, I prefer to piece together selected repertoires based on music relevant to their interests; this typically includes a selection of classical and contemporary compositions with some discussion of the pieces' context within a greater scope of music history and theory.
While achievement is important to me, I believe that developing long-term skills is a far more significant. I prefer to emphasize skill-building and retention, and always want to make sure the student is enjoying the process. I prefer to set realistic short- and long-term goals for students at each lesson, and acknowledge their accomplishments with a system of rewards. Additionally, at the end of each year, I encourage my students' participation in a studio-wide voluntary recital, which is intended to showcase their growth and development over the course of the year as well as afford them an opportunity to perform in public.
I am happy with Alex. He has the knowledge and ability to teach what I am interested in learning. I am hoping to work with him at least a year, maybe longer.
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