Capitol Heights Performing Arts Classes

zz, classical and rock.

such as, science and mathematics.

Mr, Ray's comprehensive 3 step courses.

1. Learn the basics of the music language, reading and writing.

2. COUNTING. keeping time, the ruler of motion in music. 

3. Learn how to create beautiful melodies and syntax of song to discover the process of creativity with a structure toward musical thought.

Also. effective personal practice techniques and the basics of Improvisation and Composition. 

It is well documented that exposing children to music and the creative arts is a prerequisite to fundamental logical thought processes and schematic reasoning.

Music is organic FUN for kids of all the ages! 4 years to 104. Lol
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Recordings with artists and celebrities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Presentations of jazz and classical ensembles with rotating artists for hire of various genres of music.
You may consider me a Triple threat as they say, Singer, Dancer and Entertainer.

He has performed with notables such as Stevie Wonder,
Natalie Cole, Bette Midler, and Carmen Mac Cray.
Akademisches Festival Orchestra, Leipzig,
Kammerorchester de St. Laurentius, in Dessau, Germany.
National Gallery of Art Orchestra, and the
American University Symphony.
Howard University Community Orchestra
La Fete Musique, World-wide Busking Society.
MTA-Music Under New York
resently D.C. Concert Orchestra and DC Strings workshop
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ofessionally now for over twenty years. Some students want to take a few lessons to see if it is something they will enjoy, others have worked with me for over a decade. I have mentored several students who have gone on to professional careers. I have experienced a lot of success teaching young children and those with special needs. I have been blessed with a tremendous amount of patience and truly enjoy teaching anyone who wants to learn.

Whatever your goals or abilities, I look forward to working with you!

*** Lesson Details ***
Experience fun based lessons as my teaching approach is relaxed and inspirational. I enjoy working with all ages, adjusting my teaching methods to accommodate your learning style and abilities. Learn to play the music you love! You learn best when you enjoy what you are playing, I can help you play along with your favorites or even write your own songs. I always ask my students at the beginning of a lesson "What would you like to do today?" Then structure the lesson accordingly into a routine that the student can practice on their own. Generally the time is divided into warm ups, learning new material, then picking a fun song the student choses. Whether your interest is Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop music, etc... I'm here help you reach your goals so let's make your dreams come true with music together!

*** Travel Equipment ***
Books, Guitar, music stand, metronome, picks, tuner, page clips, capo, media player, laptop, Keyboard (on request), and recording equipment (on request)

*** Specialties ***
With Voice I specialize in helping people prepare for auditions such as American Idol. I have students who simply want to be karaoke stars. I have several professional singers that hire me as a voice coach and producer for recording sessions. I have taught children as young as 2 and those that retired with a lifelong dream to sing. Though my training is classical, I can teach Jazz, Pop, Rock, Rap, R&B, etc...whatever is fun for the student. I highly recommend learning to read music but I do not push it unless parents want their child to.

With Piano I can teach traditionally from Alfred and Bastien Piano Courses depending if they are auditory or visual learners. For Kinesthetic learners I use Hanon scale exercises and Rothman Rhythm Exercises. For those that want to learn notation I introduce classical and Jazz composers unless there is a popular artist/band/movie theme etc...that they would like to learn. However I do not push students to read music unless their parents would prefer it. I tend to keep more students that want to learn to play by ear especially adults by using rhythm training and music theory exercises and then applying them to songs they love. For piano I haven't had much success with children younger than 3. I also have a lot experience working with special needs children.

For Guitar I teach Classical, Acoustic, and Electric all styles and genres. I encourage sight reading but don't mind using tabs. I use more exercises with these students, since the first month students have a hard time making a sound. I try to make the lessons fun by having students strum chords along with songs they chose. I teach lead and rhythm even songwriting and composition. Job satisfaction for me is seeing my students leave a lesson with a smile on their face so I make sure to be a fun based teacher that doesn't give the student a hard time about not practicing.

For Recording and Performance I use the knowledge I gained doing Pro Audio Sales for Guitar Center from 2000-2002 to help clients build their own home studio. I have lots of producers and engineers I work with on a regular basis to produce broadcast quality audio and video recordings and help my students use their lessons and pre-production for those opportunities. I can teach Garage Band or Pro Tools classes on navigating the software and utilizing all the commands. I can also teach room acoustics and using the right microphone and how to position them with the right equipment and the right acoustics to get the best possible tone that they are looking for. I can also teach editing, mixing, looping, sampling, midi, and mastering so that the student can eventually work on their own writing, performing, and recording their music.

o meeting you and hearing all about your goals and dreams in music and how I can help you along your path.

She was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she received a dual Bachelor of Music degree in Music Therapy and Vocal Performance (Class of 2003). It was through her service as a music therapist, Millieu (residential) counselor and music teacher in the Boston City Public Schools/Greater Boston Metropolitan Area, that she began to feel the call toward a greater understanding of the gravity and role of the socio-emotional needs of students (and their families/villages) in urban settings. This call brought her to Baltimore, MD where she enrolled in the Pastoral Counseling Masters of Science program at Loyola University. In addition to her studies, she currently teaches Elementary and Middle School choir/ Musicianship teacher in the Baltimore City Public Schools through the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's OrchKids Program. She also serves as Minister Of Music and Arts at two local churches.

takes into account the needs and skill level of the student in preparing her lesson plans and material.

Briana’s use of dance vocabulary and physical demonstrations allow her to teach the material accurately and effectively. Her positive attitude and constant words of encouragement keep students motivated and engaged in the lesson. Students will increase their knowledge and physical vocabulary of the movement style and leave each lesson a better dancer, performer and person.

She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance and Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from the University of Michigan in May of 2013 and has had a wide range of professional experience. She has worked with and performed works by modern dance choreographers such as Lindsey Merchant, Melissa Beck, Germaul Barnes, Jessica Fogel, Christopher Huggins, Shen Wei and Dianne McIntyre. She was artistic director of a chapter of the international hip-hop dance company Dance2XS International.

Briana was a full-time company member with StepAfrika!, a professional stepping company in Washington, DC from 2013-2015 and currently, she is working with CityDance resident artist S.J. Ewing & Dancers. Briana has had the privilege of performing at DC's City Rhythms Festival, Catholic Universities Hartke Theater, the Hill Center, the VelocityDC Festival, the Guantanomo Bay Naval Base as well as others. Recently she was invited to perform a modern dance solo in Dance Place’s 2014 New Releases Choreographers Showcase and Joy of Motions 2014 Dance Project Concert. Most recently, she served as the assistant choreographer on the American Theater’s Company’s production of The Project(s) in Chicago, IL, rated 4 stars by the Chicago Tribune. Most recently, she collaborated with Hard Soles Dance Company on a new piece titled “Re:set”, combining contemporary dance and body percussion, for the 2016 March on Washington Film Festival in honor of the 70th anniversary of the integration of the NFL and was chosen as Dance Place's 2016 New Releases Commission Recipient in support her new work to be premiered the summer of 2017.

Briana encourages students to bring writing materials to each lesson to take notes for any learned vocabulary and each lesson will follow with a recorded video of the movement for the students to refer to until the next lesson.

ure to focus a lot on confidence and stage presence to help students prepare for upcoming auditions, showcases, concerts, and talent shows. With my voice lessons it is absolutely possible to transition out of your stage fright and own that stage like you were born to be there, because you were!! These are not only vocal coaching sessions, but complete performance-ready-workshops.
I am here to make all your singing and vocal performance dreams come true! I can't wait to sing with you :)