Winnetka, CA Piano Lessons

elaxed, I do expect students to do their part and work on the assigned materials at home. In addition,I enjoy playing along with students as soon as possible.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music Room: upright piano, chair, sports memorabilia, room for parents to sit in on lesson

*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect students to provide instrument (except piano) and music (which I would select)

*** Specialties ***
Can teach any school band instrument and keyboard

provide, but also to helpfully convey that knowledge-base and skill-set to my students.
My lessons are catered to the student and aim to develop the whole musician, technically and artistically, incorporating a broad musical understanding with the goals of the parent and/or student in mind. Let's make some true musicians!

*** Travel Equipment ***
I do not provide any travel equipment. The student should provide a piano/keyboard for lessons.

*** Specialties ***
Along with teaching traditional piano technique, I specialize in improvisation, arranging, songwriting, and composition.

re harm than good. I believe attention must be paid to individual learning styles. Therefore, as a teacher I have learned to observe carefully at first and custom tailor a practice routine with each student aimed at achieving their goals. I believe the study of music helps foster a deep level of self-confidence and self realization, which eventually leads the student to discover a portion of himself he would otherwise never know. My goal is to inspire others with this joy, which is everyone's birthright and an important key in finding happiness.

A gifted singer-songwriter of Pop, Rock, World and Reggae songs that possess that timeless quality. He has recorded with 2 time Grammy nominated producer Barry Goldberg (Eagles, Robbie Robertson, Verve Pipe, Marilyn Manson). He has released three CDs, had songs featured in compilations and in feature length film, toured North America, and taught guitar, piano, and voice both privately and in an all ages Montessori school in Santa Monica. He consistently played in a variety of bands while earning an A.A. in music from SMC and later a B.A. in Ethnomusicology from UCLA, where he earned distinction as an excellent student both academically and in musical performance. He brought passion to his performances with legends, Fransisco Aguabellas Afro Cuban ensemble, Brazilian Batucada ensemble, African-American gospel choir, music and dance of Ghana, and the Balinese Gamelan ensemble. As a member of several original LA bands, (Las Manchas, Samson Simpson, Toussaint, Mentone, Cloth and Spicy Fernandez) he has performed at world famous venues and toured North America. He co-wrote and co-produced the first EP records by Samson Simson with Ronen Navah, and also co-produced Mentone's first full-length record, "Empire" with Ronen Navah and Aki Ehara" Currently he is developing his new band, Spicy Fernandez, which has released a few singles on the internet and is getting a good buzz from Industry heavy weights.

*** Lesson Details ***
I believe in custom tailoring a curriculum to fit the students needs, while still providing them with the same basic tools all musicians need to develop in order to play well (both with themselves and with others). Obviously, some students require more structure and discipline, while others have a stronger work ethic. Some may even need a teacher that is more laid back to balance them out, but more so my job is to facilitate learning and guide. A student studying with me can expect to receive a general assessment of their skill level in musicianship, theory, and on their instrument within the first couple of lessons (or once I feel that I have experienced enough of their abilities). Based on that assessment, I will work with the student to develop a plan of small goals to work toward. Progress will be monitored weekly and larger goals will unfold naturally in accord with the students own dreams and musical ambitions. Within 3 to 6 months of study with me students will learn to play a range of simple songs, basic scales, exercises, finger positions, and have a solid foundation for listening to, and playing to rhythm.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Full acoustic upright, Wurlizter electric piano, and keyboard synths, a computer based digital audio workstation...guitars...percussion...in the front room of my house. Has a full set-up for a band.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I provide copies of some sheet music, a library of music books, percussion instruments, digital recordings of lessons.
I expect that they provide their own instrument, pencil, notebook, 3-ring binder for sheet music, stereo/mp3 player, CD player, etc.

*** Specialties ***
I excel at popular music genres such as pop, blues, R&B, rock, and jazz. I am also trained classically and enjoy the challenges of standard repertoire from Bach to Chopin.
I began studying music as a student of the Suzuki method. However, today I find that my own practice resembles most closely, the Kodály, Dalcroze, and Orff-Schulwerk methodologies in philosophy and application.

gside a song you love or reading through a classical concerto, I’ll help prepare you or your child to tackle a wide variety of styles, without missing out on any of the basics that turn good players into phenomenal musicians. We all know it’s not about being the best. It’s about having fun, and playing music well is definitely fun. Music lessons include:

1. Building a really strong foundation so it's easy to interpret or understand any part, and to play it with the right amount of practice.

2. Learning to sight-read music, so you can play it well as soon as possible.

3. Learning how to improvise (make-up) music, learn music by ear, and to understand and create chords, which lets you play music in different ways.

4. Play different styles from classical to jazz to popular music.

5. Learning how to practice efficiently so you can learn music as fast as possible.

6. Composing our own original music.

Practice makes perfect! Learning an instrument helps build self-confidence and discipline. If your child’s bored, distracted, or just needs a constructive hobby, music is a great place to get them interested in something that will help them feel better about themselves, and the effects will be felt across everything else they do, through better studying habits to a more patient, diligent work ethic.

It’s also relaxing! Stressed about work? Need an escape? Everybody has the power to learn an instrument. Seriously, there’s no such thing as “talent.” Just start lessons and get practicing! It really is that simple, and I’ll guide you through every step of the way.

I have a diverse background teaching students of all ages, from 3-year-olds to retirees alike, customizing what we learn to the individual student. We’ll learn how to read music just as easily as you read words; improvise and compose music of our own; and feel good playing any style: classical, jazz, rock, and all. My experience as a working musician in films, musical theater, and pop music, as well as classical concert music, allows me to appreciate and teach styles that many other instructors overlook, and I know full well that learning an instrument is not about becoming a professional; it’s about being able to connect to others or oneself through music… and also to just have fun! There’s no need to learn music we don’t like! It’s not about stuffing Beethoven into your kids’ ears… we just want to make music, be that Beethoven or Billy Joel.

Learning an instrument is one of those few skills that will genuinely last you your whole life. I don’t want to sugarcoat it: it takes time to learn an instrument. It takes practice, and sometimes it’s frustrating. But the results are well worth it.

Now get out there and make some music! But start by signing up for lessons. I can’t wait to get started!

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“What’s that chord?” “Why does all my music sound the same?” “How do I fix this voicing?” “I just can’t get it out of my head!” …sound familiar? You’ve probably hit a rut. Or maybe you’re just starting out. Either way, you want your music to sound new, exciting, and to come out exactly how you hear it in your head. Yes… you CAN learn to compose music, you CAN learn to be more creative, and you CAN learn to share your sound with the world.

Film music, classical, jazz… whatever your interest, all music comes from the same place, and by learning a handful of basic concepts, you can apply these to whatever style you’re trying to write. Learning to emulate another musician involves knowing what they’re doing. Learning to create a groundbreaking sound requires that you know what’s already been done, and how to achieve it. Step by step, we’ll work our way there.

We’ll learn how to write cool, interesting chord progressions, how to write beautiful melodies, and how to voice chords. We’ll learn how to control the mood of our music, from making it sound relaxed to adding tension wherever we want. Maybe you’re trying to write for an orchestra, or just a small band. By learning the basics, you can then easily break away from what’s been done and come up with something truly new… the goal of any aspiring composer!

oped a simple system of teaching music theory and chording to her clients, which is ideal for vocalists and songwriters to learn to accompany themselves, as well as for the beginner or intermediate pianist to learn a combination of traditional sight-reading and reading / composing chords on their own. Laura and her husband, Trent own and operate a Recording Studio & Writing Room in Santa Monica, CA.

n piano skills and theory so that they can achieve their own individual goals and be able to express themselves musically and in their own unique way.