Foxboro Music Lessons

than 30 years, I am currently the Director of Worship for the chapel at Gordon College, a small Christian school north of Boston. I'm often involved in city-wide music events in Boston’s faith-based community and in demand as a featured musician for church services, parties, concerts and other events.

I hold a Masters of Music from New England Conservatory in Jazz Piano and am comfortable and fluent in a number of musical styles. In addition to private lessons and performing, I do music transcription, workshops, and all forms of vocal and instrumental arranging. My passions include morning coffee, finding new guitar chords, creating killer PowerPoint presentations, and trying to figure out how to use my smart phone.

*** Lesson Details ***
My priority as a teacher is to make the learning process fun, life-giving, and productive. I teach with patience and humor, at a challenging but not frustrating pace.

Some quotes from my students:
"I absolutely love learning from Bil! I've watched my playing and the playing of others at church vastly improve as a result of his training."

"[Bil] is filled with a large amount of knowledge, so while sitting under him you not only learn about how to play but you learn about music history and theory. Beyond being a good teacher he is genuine and friendly and cares about others."

"I have really enjoyed working with Bil. His patience and wealth of knowledge has helped me come out of my musical shell and has encouraged me to discover my musical voice."

"Bil makes learning theory fun! His deep understanding of music is complemented by his contagious enthusiasm."

"Bil has taken me to a different level. I went from tab and basic guitar chords, to building jazz chords and a far greater understanding of music theory."

There are at least two ways that might set me apart from other teachers.

Firstly, I have honed and developed "people skills". I am an ordained minister and have held positions where I was formally and informally in a mentoring/pastoring role. I bring that sensitivity to my music lessons, understanding that personal and emotional issues can be triggered by the engagement with the music and skills being worked on.

Secondly, I've had a remarkable broad base of experience. My coursework has exposed me to a wide breadth of ideas and tools; my work life has been long and varied; I have had extensive experience in many different cultural contexts, both musically and otherwise; and I work well with many age groups and skill levels.

Regarding my teaching approach:
For beginners, I have a fairly consistent set of topics and skill sets to cover. Generally, in a few months, piano students (particularly those in middle school through adulthood) should know how to play major, minor and seventh chords, how to read simple chord charts and some very basic accompanying skills. Guitar students should know a dozen open chords and have been introduced to barre chords, and to have learned several styles of finger picking as well as strumming. Bass students should know how to find notes on the board and will have begun to learn how to fill out a song with an expressive but non-obtrusive bass line.

For intermediate students, the pace, direction and focus on lessons depends upon the goals and passions of the student along with the amount of time he or she has to practice. My goals for students at this level and beyond is to learn how to learn. I will use outstanding recorded examples of particular skills or stylistic idioms to help my students understand and master each new concept. I often will check in with my student to make sure that we are on track with what they are hoping for.

For advanced students, we will generally target very specific objectives. I also try to add elements of theory, history, culture, and even life lessons to apply to the topics we address. Because of my background in pastoral ministry, I can serve as a mentor addressing the emotional and relational issues of playing music as well as its technical aspects.

*** Studio Equipment ***
upstairs music room: fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, amps, drum set, seating for parents

*** Travel Equipment ***
if for guitar or bass, that instrument; I expect piano students to have an available keyboard and for other students to have their own instrument(s).

*** Specialties ***
strong in jazz, rock, pop, gospel, sacred, R&B.

ere's Master Class (Paris, France), Mozarteum Summer School and Music Festival (Salzburg, Austria) and Vienna Music Seminar (Vienna, Austria). I was awarded scholarship when I attended Cleveland Institute of Music and Aspen Music School. My teachers include Jinsook Kim, Donald Walker, Paul Schenly, Gabriel Chodos, Viktor Teuflmayr, Claude Elffere, Anne Epperson, and Vivian Hornik Weilestein.
Previously I was a rehearsal pianist of operas, II pagliacci by Leoncavallo with Daegu Opera, Snatched by the Gods and Broken Strings by Param Vir with University of Iowa Theatre department, and contemporary operas based on the works by Francesca Cavalli with Temple University Opera. Other than operas I worked with Missoula Children’s Theater for the performance of Aladdin. As a collaborative pianist I performed in numerous concerts and performed in master classes of Joseph Silverstein, Steven Isserlis, Julliard Quartet, Isaac Stern and Richard Stoltzman. I have been teaching piano at the university settings (University of Iowa, Temple University and Catholic University of Daegu) or privately for 10+ years. When I was in Seattle I taught at Half Note Music School in Bellevue, WA and was a pianist at St. Columba's Episcopal Church and United Christian Church in Renton, WA. Now in Boston area I have been working as a pianist/organist at First Baptist Church of Wollaston. In between my careers in music I worked as a software engineer as well.

dio engineer Lou Gonzalez, founder of QUAD Studios. His new studio, QUAD Lakeside in Raymond, Maine, is one that I helped build and use to record and produce bands from around the northeast.

ills that can be beneficial in every aspect of our daily lives. Whether you are new to the cello, picking it back up after some time off, or at a more advanced level, I hope to hear from you! If you have any questions at all, please send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

BIO:
Born in Minneapolis, MN, Victor Mooney began playing cello at the age of 7. While in Minneapolis he studied with Tom Austin, former member of the Minnesota Opera. Victor completed a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Iowa State University, where he studied with George Work. Upon graduation he was awarded the Outstanding Senior in Music award, the highest honor the Music Department at Iowa State gives. While in undergrad he also received a scholarship for excellence in performance. In the fall of 2015, Victor pursued a Master's of Music degree in Cello Performance at The Boston Conservatory, where he studied with Andrew Mark. He has participated in master classes with Anthony Ross, Tanya Remenikova, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Hong Wang, Bruce Uchimura, Wes Baldwin, Theodore Buckholz, and Joshua Koestenbaum. From 2013 to 2015 he played regularly with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra. While at Iowa State University he had the opportunity to sit Principle Cello in both the Iowa State University Symphony Orchestra and the Iowa State University Chamber Orchestra. Along with teaching privately in his Boston Studio, Victor also teaches for the Brookline Adult and Community Education Center. Outside of music, Victor enjoys reading, cooking, watching hockey and soccer, and visiting with family and friends in Minnesota.

titions: she won First Prize in the “Music World” International Competition in Italy. In 2008 in Israel Ms. P. won a prize in memory of Bracha Eden for a most impressive performance during the competition " The Voice of Music " Jerusalem . In the United States in 2012, Ms. P. was the winner of the American Protégé International Competition of Romantic Music; recipient of the Grand Prize at the Metropolitan International Piano Competition; and the winner of the AFAF Golden Era of Romantic Music International Competition. In 2013-2015, Ms. P. was awarded the E.B. Storrs Piano Scholarship from the Musical Club of Hartford. Ms. She was also awarded the Cargill Foundation Prize in the 2014 Scottish International Piano Competition in Glasgow, and became a prizewinner at the Iowa International Piano Competition in 2015.

Liana graduated from the Donetsk Music Academy in Ukraine, and went on to earn her Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music in 2011. Her career continues with recitals in Hungary, Israel, Ukraine, USA, England, Syria , Canada , South Africa and Norway. Most recently, Ms. P. finished her Artist Diploma at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford .

Studio Equipment: Yamaha G3 Grand Piano.

Specialties: Traditional piano method. Classical music

s spend the most time on the student's goals, like learning a new song or perhaps theory and improvisation. My biggest focus is on the student. Music, and all art for that matter, is an amazing privilege, it is meant to be enjoyed. My favorite part of a lesson is the joy on a student's face when we have successfully completed one of their favorite songs.