Finksburg, MD Music Theory Lessons

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.

derstand that every student is a little bit different. Every student has different strengths and weaknesses. Every student has a different learning style. Every student has a different way of understanding things, a different way of processing information, and a different personality all together. It will be my job as a teacher to get to know each student individually and use my teaching methods to teach the student how to play the violin and help him or her to reach his or her goals.

*** Lesson Details ***
I am a laid-back person. I am easy-going, enthusiastic about violin playing and about teaching and learning music, and I am very patient with my students as well. However, I am also very demanding. I explain and demonstrate objectives in a very precise way, and I demand a lot of detailed work from my students, inside and outside the lesson. I explain specifically what I want the student to do. By the end of every lesson, the student will have specific things to work on for next time. I expect each student to make practicing a habit, and practice regularly what has been discussed in the lesson. I try to make the lessons as pleasant and as laid-back as possible. But I become more firm, serious, and strict when a student either is not making an effort or does not practice enough outside the lesson.
I start students off with the Suzuki method. We work on techniques to hold the violin properly, hold the bow properly, and get a decent sound out of the violin, without too much physical tension. A student begins by learning to play by ear. After he or she is comfortable playing by ear, we associate the notes that the student hears and plays on the violin with written notes on a page.
We also work with the Paul Roland methods so that the student can learn the violin in a basic, rudimentary way. It involves a lot of repetitive patterns, back and forth motions that are slow and round, and avoiding excessive tension. This will give the student the tools that he or she needs to learn how to play the violin in a short period of time.
In three to six months, a student who is a beginner will be able to hold the violin and bow comfortably, create a decent sound on the violin, and play the Twinkle Variations, and maybe a few other songs.
If the student has played violin before, then in three to six months, he or she will have had some rehabilitation to get rid of tension and force, overcome some bad habits he or she may have developed, and review the fundamentals of violin playing. I will improve the student's approach to the violin, and by the end of the three to six months, he or she will have a better idea on how to practice and play the violin.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Piano, seating for parents in the living room,

*** Travel Equipment ***
I will provide a stand.
I will expect the student to have a violin, rosin, and a pencil.

*** Specialties ***
Suzuki Method- a starting point, particularly for kids, but for people of all ages. It is a good way to begin learning the violin by playing by ear, developing a strong, clear tone, and bringing out one's individuality through his/her musical development and his/her ability to be expressive.

In a matter of time, I want the student to get used to reading music, in addition to playing by ear. This can be done through the pieces in the Suzuki method or through other music.

Eventually, I take the student off of the Suzuki method and work with him or her on classical repertoire.

lopment

A typical lesson with me will have us tackling a number of music fundamentals and general technique. My goal is to teach you HOW to learn, as well as what to learn.

*** Studio Equipment ***
My studio consists of a separate fully furnished room with an acoustic upright piano.

*** Specialties ***
The only general method that I use is teaching basic singing to help develop a strong sense of relative pitch. I specialize in teaching Classical and classical hybrid musics including video game scores, and movie scores.

state).

I also have an extensive professional and personal background in meditation (10 years), astrology (5 years) and healing (particularly Reiki, 4 years). I am very interested in the intersection between a healing/mindfulness-awareness approach and singing/playing piano.

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.

to help them fulfill their musical goals.

central to the modern music industry.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production. He was accepted in 2013 with a scholarship and finished the four-year program only two and half years later. He has studied with great teachers such as the amazing composer and concert pianist Jeffrey Chappell. He has also studied guitar performance on the side and experiments with different instruments whenever he can. In recent years, Ryan has focused on teaching workshops, classes for small groups, private lessons, and on creating his new book The Theory and Creation of Music.

In addition to his musical pursuits, Ryan also has a profound passion for self-growth, psychology, and spirituality. He is well-versed in a number of different self-development practices including Vipassana meditation, circling, and re-evaluation co-counseling. Complementing his practical experience, he has also developed a deep understanding of related intellectual fields like integral theory, developmental psychology, and eastern philosophy. Ryan plans to write his next book on his newly created system of self-growth: Adoga.