Kate W  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Folk, Gospel, Musical Theater, Showtunes, Spirituals, New Age

My teaching experience dates back to my high school days, when I began teaching private lessons part time. This quickly became someone that I loved to do, and I continued teaching through my four years at Western Michigan Univerisity, working with students of all ages and abilities. My college years opened a wide spectrum of teaching opportunities, and I started working with both children, teens, and adults. What I love most about teaching is sharing my love of music with such a diverse group of students, both children and adults. This is the best part of what I do.   

For younger children starting music lessons for the first time, I like to use the Bastien Method because of the excellent illustrations that engage children. I also like to utilize improvisation with them to spark an instant awareness of music making and to engage their ear. It is never too early to facilitate ear training.  For older and more experienced students, I utilize Faber and Alfred methods, with early focuses on classical and folk songs to create a balanced musical education. Pegagogy is a particular focus and it is never too early to discuss proper hand positions and help students avoid bad technique which leads to injury. Encouraging my students to keep a consistent practice schedule is a main factor to success that I emphasize to my students, but more importantly, I also help them identify styles of music that they love. This can mean helping students find pieces of music that inspire them to keep up practice or using improvisation to spark an interest in jazz and composing their own music. I have found that helping students find their musical interests early on facilitates retention, regular practice, and most importantly, enthusiasm for music.