Plainville Music Lessons

d working together to turn musical fantasies into realities.

From grade school to high school I took rigorous classical piano lessons. In 2006-07 I attended two summer programs at Berklee College of Music where I studied jazz/rock performance, and continued to study jazz piano at Washington University.

At Boston University, I studied classical music composition/theory, and was accepted to for a dual degree in Music Composition, Psychology, but decided to pursue music as a minor in order to allow more time for gigging. Since relocating to Boston, I have performed 250+ shows in various ensembles around the greater Boston area.

*** Lesson Details ***
As your private instructor, I am here to give you the most rewarding, interesting, and enjoyable lessons in the UNIVERSE. My lessons are are catered to your specific goals and where you are at, beginner to advance, 5-1000 years old. I am here to get you to where you want to go, whether that's taking up a new hobby or becoming a virtuoso. Together, we will do it!

In our lessons we will work on:

- Your favorite songs, any style
- Writing your own music
- How to learn music by ear
- How to read music notation and chord sheets.
- How to record/produce yourself
- really, seriously, ANYTHING YOU WANT!

I know what it's like to have a teacher that is uninspiring, or to be told that a certain kind of music is the "right kind to learn," when all you want to do is jam out to your favorite songs on the radio. I've been there. That's not what I'm about. I'll teach you how to play whatever it is you want to learn, whether that's the complete works of Bach or the latest One Direction song. Let's do it.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Digital Piano, Synthesizer, Digital Audio Workstation, Recording Equipment.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Piano and voice students must provide piano/keyboard.

*** Specialties ***
My experience is primarily with pop/rock/jazz/classical music, but we can do any genre/style you'd like!

different concepts they incorporate
3 Ear-training/pitch recognition. Strengthening the ability to "pick up" new material more quickly and translate ones Ideas to the instrument.
4 Music appreciation/Musicality. Listening to new and different types of music focusing on the different elements that make up a great performer/performance.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music Studio: piano, stereo system, no drum there! room to sit for parents
A1: drum kit, whole performance set up with recording studio, room for parents to sit in on lesson

*** Travel Equipment ***
amplifiers, cd/mp3 player

*** Specialties ***
ear training, most musical styles (pop/rock, r&b, reggae, jazz , world)

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.

First Prize in the 14th International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Rome, Italy, and was awarded a Special Prize. In year 2006 Ms. S. won the Puigcerda International Piano Competition in Spain. In the same year she recorded the complete works for piano and orchestra by Balakirev with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra for NAXOS records. In 2008 Ms. S. received the “Outstanding Award”, which granted her a return engagement to give a second solo recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2010 Anastasia was awarded a Special Prize for the best interpretation of French composition at the International Piano Competition “Parnassos” in Mexico. Her solo recital in 2008 at the Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago was broadcast live on WFMT Radio, in Internet, and on the TV-Station “Channel 25“; Anastasia was invited to play there again in 2011. Her career continues with numerous appearances as a soloist both in concertos with orchestra, in solo recitals, and in chamber music concerts in Ukraine, Germany, Macedonia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Russia, USA, and Japan. Anastasia’s recent engagements included a performance at the Bolshoi Hall of Moscow Conservatory as well as solo appearances with orchestras in the United States and Germany featuring concerti by Prokofieff, Mozart, Grieg, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky. In 2014 her new CD "Music of Russian-Jewish composers for oboe and piano" was released. Currently, Anastasia is working on her two new solo CD's for Centaur Records.

In 2013, Anastasia was granted the Extraordinary Abilities in the Arts permanent US residence, as one of a small percentage of those who have risen to the top in their field of endeavor. Anastasia served as an Adjunct Faculty in Piano and Chamber Music at the Hartt School, and is currently on faculty of the New England Conservatory in Boston.

I offer scholarships for advanced level students upon request.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Yamaha Grand Piano. Piano books and theory material available if needed

*** Travel Equipment ***
Travel myself by car

*** Specialties ***
Traditional piano method. Classical music.

. Soon after, he was one of the first students to receive a full scholarship to Berklee through the African Scholars program. In 2009, he settled in Boston, Massachusetts.

At Berklee, he was exposed to a variety of influences, but wanted to go deeper into the roots of jazz and expand his knowledge of music. He auditioned and was selected to participate in the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, which is directed by Danilo Perez and the residency teachers, including Joe Lovano John Patitucci, and Terri Lyne Carrington. The Institute emphasizes an artist's original vision in jazz, and has helped Albino find his own unique voice in the art form.

Albino still felt the absence of his own Mozambican traditions in his music. With the help of his mentors, Richard Bona and Lionel Loueke, two of the most prominent African musicians in the United States of America today, he began to bridge that gap.

Today, Albino's music succeeds in combining many disparate parts into an organic whole. It incorporates his musical experiences from Mozambique, the U.S., and many other places around the world, combining rhythmic patterns and musical concepts to create a unique Moz-Jazz sound. He will always continue to combine and capture the energies of different musical traditions to create a unified and original musical style.

Albino's original composition “Mozambique Dance” was recorded by Jazz Revelation Records, a student-run record label at the Berklee College of Music, for the 8th annual album released in 2011. He also recorded “Awusiwana,” his own composition, for the Berklee 2012 summer album. His debut album, also called Mozambique Dance, is to be released in Spring 2013.

Albino is an active musician, and has performed in several countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Italy, the U.S., and Mexico. He has also produced and recorded various projects in Mozambique and in the United States. In 2012, he will graduate from Berklee College with a degree in Music Production & Engineering and Performance, and a minor in Acoustics and Electronics.

*** Lesson Details ***
My teaching method dependent on the type of student. All my students will be treated with care and commitment to help them archive the their goals in the lessons.
We will be using book method as a way to follow a clear direction.
Learn songs, chords, scales, phrase, theory and more material that is needed for better musical foundation.

I am open to what the student wants to achieve over short and long terms.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Desk top and Laptop Mac Computers
Protools, Logic Pro, reason
Focusrite 56 Liquide, Focusrite Dual Mono Mic pre
BBe Maximizer
Bricasti, M7, sterreo reverb

*** Travel Equipment ***
Guitar
Guitar Amp
Mic
Laptop
Mbox

*** Specialties ***
Guitar
Bass Guitar
Voice
Ukelele
Song writing
Production
Audio Recording
Mixing
Mastering

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.