Piano with Rebekah C.

Rebekah is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music with 17 years of piano teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle, Washington). She has taught on the Oregon coast, Portland, Seattle, eastern Oregon, and currently is teaching in Boise, Idaho. Ms. Carter is equally comfortable teaching in-person lessons or online lessons. She teaches students who live in the U.S. and internationally. Her students have the opportunity to participate regularly in festivals, competitions, examinations, recitals, and community/church functions. Ms. Carter has experience teaching special needs students. She also teaches advanced lessons to music major college students. Whether you're studying for the first time as a beginner elementary student, picking up the instrument again as an adult, or preparing for college auditions -- you are welcome here! You will enjoy an exceptional, individualized lesson experience that appreciates your learning style and personality. For beginners, Ms. Carter uses a curriculum called Piano Safari -- an innovative, new, research-based method that combines the best approaches to piano study: intervallic note-reading + patterns + individual note-reading. Using fun and engaging "safari animal friends," the curriculum introduces seven universal techniques for playing the piano well. Students also have opportunities to explore what they've learned through guided improvisation and creative exercises. Students become strong sight-readers and rhythm readers, learn theory concepts at the keyboard and in writing, and learn to play musically in a variety of styles and time periods (including the eras of classical repertoire). Adult students study an individualized curriculum comprised of resources and pieces selected by the instructor (or requested by the student), based on the student's musical goals and interests. Ms. Carter will recommend pieces of study that will help the adult learner reach their goals, expand their capabilities, learn new concepts, and enjoy playing the piano fully. When Ms. Carter is not teaching, presenting, adjudicating, or practicing, she enjoys spending time with her two children, reading, cooking, and hiking in nature. Other Accomplishments: Ms. Carter was awarded the Tholen Fellowship from Portland Piano International in 2015-2017, and studied with Dr. Alexander Shtarkman of the Peabody Conservatory. Other notable instructors include: Dr. Peter Mack, Dr. Thomas Otten. Ms. Carter's musical lineage traces back to the Great Composers, including Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin. She passes on this legacy to her students. She has served on the Executive Board of the Oregon Music Teachers Association, and has held many positions at the State and District level. In 2020, she presented at the Oregon State Conference. She presents workshops to teachers regularly and enjoys adjudicating student exams/competitions. Teaching Philosophy: I offer classical piano instruction with an emphasis in strong musical literacy and development of a core foundational technique to facilitate and support artistic playing. To achieve this, students study repertoire from a variety of composers and eras; study musicianship skills including scales, arpeggios, and chords; develop technique intentionally through exercises; learn musical vocabulary within the lesson and through memorization; and develop central music skills in the areas of sight reading, ear training, and rhythm. Students learn best when they feel ownership over their own learning and musical development. I encourage students to engage in their learning during the lesson and during at-home practice, to ask questions, to speak up when clarification is needed, and to provide their own examples and ideas. As the instructor, I model practice strategies and provide broad concepts as well as detailed instruction. I teach the student not only what to practice, but how to practice, developing the student’s mind in the area of problem-solving which will lead to eventual self-directed practice for life-long musical learning and enjoyment. The student’s responsibility is to respond to instruction by mastering lesson content weekly, ensuring progress and satisfaction. The student will attend lessons prepared to learn and demonstrate their best playing from the prior week’s practice. Parents support the student by providing a quality instrument and a focused, stable environment and consistent schedule for the work of practicing. Parents can encourage the student to perform for them on occasion and can check that assignments are completed prior to the lesson. Parents of young children will need to read lesson notes to the student and facilitate practice of specific concepts or goals. The instructor provides regular opportunities to perform throughout the year; parents will stay informed of these opportunities, register students for events, and ensure students are on time with all necessary materials and dress attire. The instructor will communicate regularly with parents about events, policies, and any updates, utilizing email, in person communication, phone calls, the studio Facebook page, and website. It is the instructor’s responsibility to create an atmosphere of openness in which the student can safely make mistakes and learn confidently. The instructor will communicate weekly practice expectations clearly, while respecting each student’s individual learning needs and pacing. The instructor is committed to the continual practice of her discipline through her own training and performing, and will remain current on best teaching practices and curriculum offerings through regular attendance of professional development opportunities, thus presenting a dynamic, current, and genuinely artistic lesson to her students every week.