Kimberly A
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Flamenco, Salsa, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Mariachi, Avant-garde
Kimberly A
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Flamenco, Salsa, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Mariachi, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
BS, Rust College, Biology MBA, Business Management MS, Studies in Human Behavior PhD, Advanced Studies in Human Behavior
The advancement of Kimberly’s soulful style is the result of a lifetime of musical influence. Growing up in a talented musical family meant that she was always surrounded by many styles of music. Her mother is a part-time Gospel pianist and/director and her father is a part-time Gospel/R&B bassist. Being exposed by both parents to a wealth of music as a child influenced her music development. Her first endeavor into learning an instrument herself came when she started to sing at the age of 5 and to play the piano when she was 6 years old. As music became more and more prevalent in her life, Kimberly added drums, clarinet, and writing to her list of musical talents. Through the years that followed, Kimberly has immersed herself into the constructions of many styles of music.
Kimberly was born and grew up in the small town Okolona, MS. However, her musical journey began in Memphis, TN. Memphis was where she developed her musical tastes and interests. It wasn’t long after her first live performance that she decided to make music her life purpose. She is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and has performed with and opened for such bands and personalities as Jay Leno, Ray Chew and the Crew and The Craig Lewis Band. Throughout her career, Kimberly has performed in such venues as TBN "Praise the Lord" (Trinity Broadcast Network), Little League World Series Championship (televised Live on ABC), The Apollo Theater NYC, Billtown Music Fest, Isaac Hayes', B.B. Kings, two Memphis Grizzlies NBA games, The FedEx Forum, DingoFest - Memphis in May, and The Village Underground NYC. Kimberly is also a piano and vocal instructor in Pennsylvania. Kimberly’s debut project, “Voice of My Soul”, was released January 7, 2012. Her sophomore project "I Surrender" was released late Spring 2016.
The key to my successful teaching technique is to understand that we are all individuals with various tastes in styles of music. Therefore, I allow students to discover their own styles through exploration of an array of styles rather than insisting that they stick to one specific genre. This and the inclusion of music theory adds to the individual becoming a well-rounded musician. When a student is doing what they enjoy, then they are more likely to continue learning. I believe that there is no "cookie-cutter" way to teach music. It is a very creative art-form which calls for room for creativity.
My teaching experience dates back to the early 2000s, I began teaching private lessons part time. In 2009, I began teaching for a local performing arts school full-time. Among the accomplishments of my prior students, I have 3 who have graduated and attended Berkeley School of Music in Boston, 1 graduated from New York Film Academy and is working off Broadway, 1 who graduated from Pace University then went on to perform on Broadway and now is performing along side Rod Stewart, I have 2 who are now teaching music, and a number of others who are in college, have graduated, or are recording, writing and/or performing nationally and internationally.
For beginning piano students who are children, I usually begin with Alfred's Basic Piano Library or James Bastien. Once the student has grasped a good level of fundamentals, I begin to introduce level appropriate solo repertoire pieces not only of my choosing, but of the students choosing as well. For adults, I allow the student to guide by interests. If an adult student is interested in learning to read, then I begin with Alfred's Adult All-in-one Course: Lesson, Theory, Teaching. For those looking to learn to play by ear, I teach ear training. For those adults who just want to brush up on their music skills, we choose solo pieces together. For vocal students, I teach voice care, reading, exercise, theory, and performance based on the students vocal style preference.
As a recording artist and teacher, my main goal is to inspire others to follow their passion for music at whatever level that may be. My passion for music was cultivated by individuals who believed in my talents and drive for music. I make sure that I do the same for my students. My number one question to students is, what do you want to get out of lessons? By doing this, I am able to design an instruction plan tailored to each students needs. In my experience, I have encountered students who are on many different spectrums of the learning curve. As long as there is a desire present, I will find a way to inspire them to develop their passion for music.
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