Newton Upper Falls, MA Piano 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.

feeds the other, is an ongoing process that requires a deepening awareness for the teaching artist of what their teaching brings to their art and what their art teaches them about learning.”

I am devoted and dedicated to helping find each of my students strengths, weaknesses and style of learning. Once I have identified these traits, I am able to develop lessons and repertoire that helps each students become the most efficient learner and best musician they can be.

I pride myself in creating a fun and safe learning environment in which I establish a firm musical foundation for my students. Lessons include: scales, etudes, articulation, dynamic and sight reading exercises, standard saxophone repertoire, recording and analyzing performances, saxophone/music history lessons, and exploration of the sounds, genres and artists of the saxophone.

Simultaneously, my students cultivate many other skills while learning how to play saxophone. Students enhance their fine motor skills and ability to memorize, students increase their overall self-confidence and become self-sufficient and creative problem solvers. I am passionate about educating and empowering my students and I enjoy connecting with a wide array of musicians of all ages, playing levels and backgrounds.

Feel free to contact me to inquire about lessons, I hope to hear from you soon!

Stephanie

ow. I am able to work around your schedule and I am available to be contacted anytime.

*** Lesson Details ***
Initial Lesson:

- Subject understanding is determined.
- Necessary areas of improvement are determined.
- Preferred and/or most efficient study style is determined.
- Goals are set.

Each lesson will vary according to the student. As far as music studies are concerned, we will begin by ensuring mastery of the basics such as note recognition, chords, and correct fingering.

For each subject, the pattern will be similar. We will work on the basics and then we will progress commensurately.

*** Studio Equipment ***
M-Audio 88es Keyboard (MIDI Control/88 Keys)

*** Travel Equipment ***
Music Students:

M-Audio 88es Keyboard (MIDI Control/88 Keys)

Non-Music Students:

Subject related study material.
Stationery.

*** Specialties ***
- Spanish
- ESL
- Language Arts
- Piano
- Drums

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 Inctitute 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 Theatre 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 and Catholic University of Daegu) or privately for 10+ years. Recently 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.

nd Asia. In Boston, Martin graduated from Berklee College of Music.

cademy in Ukraine. My career continues in recitals in Hungary, Israel, Ukraine, USA, England, Syria , South Africa and Norway.