123 Bee Street, PO Box 995, Tavernier FL, 33070
Instruments:Piano
Styles:Classical, Kids
Levels:Beginner, Intermediate
Experience:15 years
Rate:$30 / hr
Personal Statement
I started learning the piano at age 4. I began teaching private piano lessons in 1999. By the time I graduated in 2003 with a BA in music/piano, I was teaching in my own studio. I moved to the Florida Keys in 2007, my studio had grown to 35 students. I made myself redily available to my students for extra help or tutoring whenever it was needed and even traveled to many of my students homes to give lessons. That not only added to the sucess of my studio, but also helped me develop great relationships with these students as well as their parents.
Since learning music is very similar to learning a new language, I consider myself to be a very patient instructor. I make sure that before I add on to a lesson that the student has a clear understanding of the previous one. I am always looking for new and fun ideas to help a child or beginner learn and grow musically. I also incorporate my own experiences as a student of music into my lessons. Many times this helps to ease certain anxieties or insecurities that a student may be feeling towards the piano or their progress in learning it.
Teaching piano brings me great joy and I look forward to having many students in this area in the very near future.
Education / Training
I began taking private piano lessons at age 4 with Mrs. Merrill Pitre. She taught me using the John Thompson method. She was also responsible for teaching my my first classical pieces by Burgmuller and Fir Elise. When she became ill, she referred me to Ms. Anita Edwards who continued my method training and trained me in my first Mozart sonata. Along with private piano lessons, I joined the school band in 4th grade learning the flute and took dance lessons with a small dance studio run by Kayla Scurlock until I graduated from high school at age 17. While in high school, I was a member of the flag corps and won several awards as a music student. In college, I majored in music(piano) and was awarded the honor of top piano major for three consecutive years. I also participated in the university concert band(flute) and was a member of the choir for 4 years. Some of my college music professors and instructors are Donna Sammarco (piano), Dr. Carol Britt (music theory and sight singing), and Kenneth Claus(choral director).