Sheldonville, MA Piano Lessons

15 mile radius of Franklin MA (Sharon, Foxboro, Mansfield, Plainville, Wrentham, Norfolk, Medway, Holliston, Bellingham, Milford, Hopkinton. etc.)

*** Studio Equipment ***
PIANO
Fender Rhodes
Casio PX-150

DRUMS
Pearl Masters, Yamaha, DW, Roland TD-6

CYMBALS
Zildjian, Sabian, Wuhan, Paiste,

HARDWARE
Pearl, Yamaha, DW, Axis, Tama

STICKS / BRUSHES / MALLETS
Vic Firth, Vater, Regal Tip

PA
QSC - K8

MICROPHONES
SURE, Rhodes

*** Travel Equipment ***
I provide handouts, transcriptions, and a PA speaker to play music.
Students should have a Piano, drum set, or percussion instrument.

*** Specialties ***
PIANO / DRUMS / PERCUSSION

Traditional / Suzuki Method

Rock, FunK, Jazz, World, Classical, Orchestral

Note reading and writing, Harmony, Music Theory, Scales, Ear Training, Arranging

Rudiments, Technique, Brushes, Mallets, Double Bass Drumming, Odd Meters, Reading, Soloing

Timpani, Marimba, Bells, Chimes, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Percussion, Congas, Bongos, Djembe, Frame Drums

val, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Bumbershoot, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montana Folk Festival, Globalfest, SXSW and Luminato.

Education has long been a passion for Danilo and he has been teaching private music lessons as well as instruction in the Boston public schools for years. Danilo teaches all levels and ages. His students value his patience and ability to find an inspiring path to discovery for each individual. Danilo has also shown himself to be very effective in the classroom setting. He has been a general music teacher in the Boston Public School system as well as teaching master classes and clinics at music schools and universities around the country.

In January 2014, Danilo was invited as a guest artist and educator at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul where he taught and performed for young afghan music students.

Danilo considers his success as a performer to be in a direct relationship with the success of his teaching and he aims to spread to the joy of music making and appreciation as wide as possible.

*** Lesson Details ***
My teaching style is relaxed and supportive while always aiming to increase the knowledge of the student. My strong technical background combined with a deep sense for wide-ranging musical styles allows me to find what inspires a student initially, and use their interests and strengths to lead them to new discovery and technical efficiency.

Private study covers technical aspects of the instrument, including body awareness as well as reading, theory and musical expression and improvisation.

While each individual learns at a different pace, I strive to point out the progress my students have made because I find this recognition of achievement, no matter how small, is essential in a student's continued love of studying music.

*** Studio Equipment ***
lessons in dedicated music room with all instruments and equipment; upright piano, drum set and percussion.

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.

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.

s I do not have access to a car, I prefer that students come to my home studio in Somerville, or that they be within public transit options.

N.B. I own a dog, so for those with allergies, it might be best to meet in your own home.

e huge stepping stones, moments I will never forget and always have to lean on when I am filled with doubt. The power of an encouraging word of a mentor is priceless, and I believe the blessings I have are a testament to the presence of compassionate mentors in my life.

I've been teaching music for almost ten years, reaching hundreds of brilliant kids since I started teaching. I've always tried to be for my students like those mentors who were there for me.

My teaching philosophy is centered around fostering a connection between music and happiness. The necessarily includes loads of encouragement, fun, the occasional happy dance, discovering musical intuition (basic improvisation and listening), a holistic knowledge of music (basic theory and history), anxiety management, and life-long lessons about the value of concentration and hard work. I believe in getting to know my students personally, and usually take some time out of every lesson to catch up on my students' lives. This may seem like a waste of time, but in fact is extremely important for the student to feel as though they belong in my studio and, in a broader sense, the world of music.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read about my life and my teaching. Please ask any questions! I respond quickly and will get back to you asap!

Best,
Michelle

y improvisational anchor and ear training.

Asia tour. Since 2011 she is Vice President of the Musical Association "Alfred Cortot", founded with the aim of spreading the classical music in all its aspects, with special reference to the education of young people, and she has been the Artistic Director of the Accademia Musicale Varesina, the concert series "The Schubertiades of the Lake" and "Note di Lago" and the Caraglio International Piano Competition for about ten years, until she moved in United States in 2016. Her students are regularly awarded top prizes (more than 100 prizes) in National and International Music Competitions in Italy and abroad. She performed in Belgium (Chateau de Cheneau), in France (Salle Cortot, Auditorium Paul Langevin), in Italy - “Musica in Castello” Festival (PC), Salone Estense, Villa Pirelli, Villa Motta (VA), Turin Conservatory, S. Sebastiano da Po Castle (TO), Fazioli Showroom, Teatro delle Erbe (MI), Caraglio Teatro Civico, Filatoio Rosso (CN), Casa della Musica (PR) - and she had her debut in the United States (Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York). Recently she performed for Senator Thad Cochran in a private event, in Chautauqua (Marshall Studios) and with the Austin Symphony Orchestra in Austin (MN). Her upcoming performances include her debut in Madison (WI) for the "Salon Piano Series", her return in Savannah (GA) with a recital for the Armstrong Atlantic State University and her debut in Canada for MitBravour Concerts Series. Paola has also worked as artistic director and music critic for several recording companies. Paola lives in Boston, MA, with her husband, pianist Roberto Plano, and their three daughters.