Turin Music Lessons

r lessons fun, practical and productive!!! Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, advanced or even at the professional level, I can help you advance your playing skills.

erhaps you are someone interested in pursuing an ability to play a certain style - pop, jazz, hymns, oldies, classics, or certain artists. I customize our lessons to match your objectives.
My students have an opportunity to perform publicly several times a year which encourages practice and also builds confidence. After a few lessons, I can provide an idea of where a student will be in 3-6 months. You can always expect to find me prepared with fun ideas for our lesson. I have a grand piano as well as several keyboards to add variety and fun to our lessons.

*** Studio Equipment ***
home-grand piano in living room seating for parents
church- digital piano and seating for parents

*** Travel Equipment ***
I would bring my own violin to demonstrate but would expect students to have their own instrument.

*** Specialties ***
For piano, I use Faber & Faber, Alfred, Bastien and Music for Little Mozarts. I include sight reading books, rhythm workbooks, improv studies, and later scales and arpeggios. For violin I have created my own hybrid using traditional methods and Suzuki.

music lesson books and additional supplies upon request (music manuscript paper, metronome, etc.).

Some of the main areas taught to piano students are: recognizing various chord types and their structure on the piano; playing major/minor scales and finger exercises, and reading music as well as playing by ear. Performance Preparation is also covered. Repertoire will include songs assigned by the instructor and/or songs of the student’s choice.

Some of the main areas taught to vocal students are: 5 parts of the Vocal Mechanism; breathing and breath support; tone production and placement, pitch, and correct diction. Theory will include singing major and minor scales, vocal exercises, and reading music. Performance Preparation is also covered. Repertoire will include songs assigned by the instructor and/or songs of the student’s choice.

All lessons will designed according to the individual student’s areas of interest. You will receive lesson assignments on a weekly basis, so your progress is dependent upon application of the material given as well as consistent practice!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Equipment:
Roland XP-80 Piano (76 Key)
Roland Digital Recording Workstations

*** Specialties ***
gospel, pop, rhythm & blues, jazz, intermediate claassical

taught special needs music students - Down's Syndrome, mild autism, adults with arthritis or who have suffered a stroke. My training as a teacher - I have a doctorate in education - makes me uniquely qualified to work with a wide range of student abilities. I spent 26 years in the classroom, the last 15 teaching gifted education.

I would be delighted to meet you and help you begin your musical journey!

mas. We share the stage with our students and give them the chance to shine with us and learn from us how to be professional performers.

My students have gone on to Broadway and enjoyed careers on TV. One of my students just starred as Matilda in the National Tour.

e many musicians at the beginner intermediate and advanced levels of training. His practical systematic and thorough teaching method allows students to develop quickly and rise to their full potential. Retiring from military music recently Ray is busy working on various recording projects and freelancing as a pianist/keyboardist teaching private lessons and providing music media services in the greater Atlanta area.

MY PERFORMANCE:
As a performing artist Ray has worked as a professional musician for the last 25 years performing around the world in more than 20 different countries with various ensembles. He has recorded on numerous albums with various artists to include the Army Ground Forces Band, Orquesta Sensacional, and most recently with the Ian Charleton Big Band (Brain Chatter Album available on Spotify). Ray is fluent and proficient in many different styles and genres of music. Specializing in jazz and Latin styles he is truly a master improviser and soloist. Ray's style of playing is influenced by artist like Herbie Hancock Chic Corea Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk. Ray has also performed and,or recorded with some of the most accomplished musicians from around the world to include Grover Washington Jr., Hillary Jones, Gerald Chavis, Roy Richardson, Gary Harris, Don Tillman, Brett Anderson, Corey Cross, Alfie Moss, Abdu Salim, Joel Joyner, Dexter Whitaker, Jim Lambie, Jamie Abersold, and Wayne Bergeron just to name a few. He has also had the distinguished honor to perform for former presidents Ronald Regan and George Bush. Ray aspires to be the consummate musician.

FOR BEGINNER PIANO STUDENTS:
For students just starting out I use the Leila Fletcher Piano series, John Thompson, or Alfred series. After students are doing establish the basic and are doing well I introduce music theory and technique (scales, basic chords, and technical exercises) as well.

FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED LEVEL STUDENTS:
I define intermediate level students as students who already have had 2 yo 4 years of lessons and experience and can already play pretty well. With this level of student I work on strengthening their foundation and rounding out and diversifying their skill set. usually with this level of student they have specific goals in mind that we work towards as well.

The intermediate level is also where various piano and music styles are addressed to include classical, pop, rock, R&B, country, blues, jazz (modern & swing) and Latin, contemporary christian, and gospel. The technical aspects of playing these styles like chords, chord progressions, scales, modes, licks and ornaments,technical exercises, sight reading, lead sheet interpretation, music theory, ear training, playing by ear, song form, and improvisation, intros & endings, and performance concepts and techniques are addressed as well.

OVERVIEW:
Overall my students that apply themselves usually progress quickly and exponentially. some of them have went on to be professional musicians and band leaders and have far surpassed their initial intended goals and objectives.

pportunity. I believe that it is never too late to start learning music.

festivals, including the Yellow Barn Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Center, where she met her husband, Principal Percussionist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Joe Petrasek. Jessica and Joe perform together as the Petrasek Duo, and have given recitals and masterclasses at several universities.
Jessica has been a finalist twice for the position of Principal Flute of the Seattle Symphony. She was a finalist for Principal Flute of the Oregon Symphony, a super-finalist for Piccolo of the Houston Symphony, and was most recently the runner-up for Principal Flute of the Knoxville Symphony. You can hear some of her performances on her website, JessicaPetrasek.com.
Jessica has a huge passion for teaching, which she began at age 18. She has had students of all ages and levels, and has honed her teaching techniques, tailoring them to the specific needs of students whose manners of learning vary greatly. She is consistently surprised at what she discovers through teaching, even after 22 years of playing the flute. In addition to keeping a private flute studio, Jessica has been a tutor of Latin and Ancient Greek for five years, and has substitute taught. Her main hobby is English-style horseback riding, specifically Eventing.