Nicholas S
Instruments: Piano
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Funk, Hip Hop, Marching Band
Nicholas S
Instruments: Piano
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Funk, Hip Hop, Marching Band
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Piano: - Over 17 years of performance experience Trombone: - Over 12 years of performance experience Guitar: - Over 7 years of playing experience No relevant degree applicable
Piano: - Owner of a small local piano services company ("Steffl Piano") - Performs at client engagements weekly (events, weddings, social gatherings, etc.) - Instruction experience for a variety of age ranges - Piano Associate at Von Maur - Composer and performer of original songs Trombone: - All-State Band Selection (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) - All-State Jazz Band Selection (2009, 2011) - Trombone Marching Band Sectional Leader (2012) - Played in "The Coopers," a modern jazz performance group Guitar: - Performer in various bands over last several years - Composer and performer of original songs on Ableton Live
Hello! My name is Nic, and I'd like to be your student's next piano instructor! I'm a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), although I hail from Minnesota originally. Over the last several years, I've been instructing students on piano and performing at outside engagements for clients. Additionally, I'm a Piano Associate at Von Maur who performs regularly throughout the week and weekends. Music has been such a big part of my life since I could first recall, and teaching others to play piano is a way for me to spread this passion outside of myself. Music is the only language the whole world speaks the same, which makes learning to play the piano a truly invaluable skill.
As I stated in the previous section, music has been a large part of my life since I can first remember. With almost 30 years of combined musical experience on three instruments (Piano, Guitar, Trombone), I've been exposed to countless types and styles of music. Furthermore, being selected to 8 All-State Ensembles has put me around some of the best minds the Midwest has to offer in music. In the past few years I began my self-owned, self-operated business specializing in piano performance for client events as well as piano instruction. Performance venues have ranged from weddings to social gatherings to organized events, with regularly scheduled indoor performances at Von Maur. During these past few years running my business, I've been teaching lessons as well. I teach all age ranges from a novice skill level up to an upper-intermediate level.
I prefer to instruct out of the James Bastien method books for the student's main lesson assignments. However, I also encourage students to bring and play out of books that inspire and motivate them individually. This keeps lessons lighthearted and keeps the student interested in the next lesson in my experience. I set realistic weekly and monthly goals for my students so I'm able to gauge how the student has performed, as well as how they should be instructed going forward. This keeps lessons interesting and on track for the student.
I truly enjoy seeing my students learn to appreciate music and its many styles and uses. My teaching style, while keeping a focus on the fundamentals of piano, also encourages creativity and exploration of their own. All students have different learning styles and speeds, and some students may take longer to understand certain concepts. I take this into account before each lesson, and tailor the lesson to be both productive and enjoyable. Overall, if anything, I want my students to come out of each lessons feeling like they achieved something on their own so they're excited for the next lesson.
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