Astoria, NY Songwriting Lessons

Broadway/Musical Theater and any other vocal style!

Many, many of my students have gone on to place in the renowned Bergen County, North Jersey Regional, and All State Choruses and consistently receive leading roles in school, community, and regional theater productions! I also have current and past students who have gone on to have roles on Broadway including an upcoming production of Annie! I've also had students who have gone on to have their rock and heavy metal bands place in local and regional band competitions and be signed!

Whether you want to learn how to sing Karaoke better, audition for American Idol, prepare for auditions, or really seriously work on your vocal technique, i'm the teacher for you!

*** Lesson Details ***
Our lessons will be filled with music, support, encouragement and success! I teach to the whole student and we will get to know one another well so I can tailor your lesson specifically to your needs, goals and dreams! By taking lessons, you are taking an amazing step to improve not only your skills as a performer but also your self esteem! When you become better at an instrument or your voice improves so will your outlook! Its a natural fit!

Within 3-6 months, you'll have learned many standard warm-ups and vocalises that you can have in your back pocket for any opportunity that comes your way. If you are a singer, you will have learned how to breathe correctly for singing and implemented great technique into the style music of your choice. You will also have learned quite a few songs, starting from simple to more advanced as we go along!

For the beginner piano student, we will begin understanding basic Music Theory and scales. We will work on finger position and learn basic tunes starting with one hand at a time. soon you'll be learning how to play simple songs with both hands and accompany yourself as you sing along!

For singers, we'll learn about vocal techniques, breathing, relaxation and getting your best vocal sound and discovering how to perform a song with great diction and presence! We'll also learn performance techniques, how to work with a microphone, have a great stage presence in front of a live audience and begin learning how to read music and even get familiar with the piano keyboard!

All of my current students will say that they enjoy our lessons because each one is tailored to the individual and their goals. Its a wonderful and exciting journey that we embark upon together! I love seeing my students progress and learn over the course of our time together!

I encourage all of my students to get out and perform and i'm ALWAYS looking for opportunities for my students to do just that (unpaid AND paid!). Since music is a performing art I try to schedule two recitals a year with my students. These recitals are completely optional (but encouraged!) and take place in a local church hall or other performing space. They are done is a low stress and fun way ...and afterwards, i always provide some sweet treats for the parents and students that attend! Its a super fun way to display how hard my students have been working! Each student leaves the recital with their name and piece in a printed program and a certificate!

My studio is located in a safe, family home on a quiet street with ample street parking. The home is a smoke-free environment. We have a cute little Shih Tzu but not to worry if you have any allergies. He stays in his house downstairs and away from the studio and he never enters the studio room.

Let's make some music!

*** Studio Equipment ***
second floor up stairs, bathroom, desk, f/w keyboard seating for parents, method books, music stand

*** Travel Equipment ***
I will provide any necessary music books, pitch pipe, and possibly music stand. Student must have a keyboard or piano.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in the Bel Canto style of voice teaching. This means an easy and fluid voice that can be applied to ANY STYLE of music! Whether you want to sing pop, rock, musical theater, classical/opera I will help you to perfect your style and technique!

terson University jazz studies department
M.A. in composition from William Paterson university

rnor's Award in Arts Education for the category of Instrumental Music.

*** Lesson Details ***
I am very laid back and friendly, and I want you or your child to be as comfortable as possible during our lessons. You or your child will develop confidence and musical intelligence. I will make your lessons fun, enjoyable, and effective. Boredom is not an option! Music is fun... let's keep it that way.

The teaching methods I use will be custom-tailored to your individual needs, personality and specific musical goals. If it's guitar or piano you want to learn, I want to get you playing exactly what you want to be playing as soon as possible. That's what you're here for, and that's what I'm here for. I will make it happen. If it's songwriting that you want to learn, I will help you access that place inside of you that is dying to express itself creatively, and will teach you techniques to harness that energy and translate it successfully into musical expression.

You can expect to learn all the basics of music theory, proper playing techniques, improvisation and spontaneous musical expression, and I will help you develop your "ear" so you can figure out songs you like just by listening to them. This is all about you and your goals, and I want you to achieve them in a fun and engaging way.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Living room: Upright piano, guitars, amps, keyboard, percussion

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in pop, rock, classical, jazz, blues, folk, fingerstyle (guitar), etc. I also teach improvisation and songwriting, and try to develop the student's ear for figuring out songs they like on their own.

, tailoring lesson plans to suit their personal goals and interests. I have experience playing and teaching an extensive range of styles including pop, rock, jazz, country, metal, and classical. One of my main goals is to foster a sense of musical understanding with every student so that they may learn to combine technical, theoretical, and aural skills into a unified whole.

Most students want to learn to play songs they know and love. To that end, I get students playing the music they want to play right from the beginning, often through personally crafted arrangements of songs/pieces of the student's choosing, specifically tailored to their current skill level. This way, technical and theoretical skills are learned through direct experience with actual music, and only very rarely through rote exercise.
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For more advanced players, I offer an array of strategies designed to take your playing to the next level. I find that the most common shortcomings of advanced players are conceptual. The technical skills are there but the level of conceptual and theoretical understanding has hit a wall. Many players find themselves playing the same chord shapes, melodic patterns, and harmonic progressions over and over again. I've had much success over the years in getting advanced students out of this rut and helping open up new pathways for exploration in both improvisation and composition.

g, marketing and branding, and licensing. I'm currently a member of 3 original bands and have continued to do an array of session work on both guitar and bass.

I am endorsed by Lakland basses and am a member of SESAC. I love coffee, chocolate, and like my eggs over medium.

ting and a Bachelor and Master's in Clinical Psychology from the Netherlands. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Berklee, Vivienne was hired to work for pianist Kenny Werner and the Berklee Effortless Mastery Institute, focussed on 'how to let the music play itself'.

Vivienne has been residing in New York City since April, 2015 where she gave a debut performance at the infamous Blue Note Jazz Club and is currently working on her third album. Her music is available on her website www.vivienneaerts.com and on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.

TEACHING STYLE
As a vocalist, composer, pianist and educator who is passionate about teaching, Vivienne believes in sharing her joy for music with students of all ages and she is adept in all styles of music. Vivienne has been teaching private piano and voice lessons all over Europe for the last 15 years. For the last five years, Vivienne has also been teaching songwriting and improvisation workshops at the University of Leiden (Netherlands) and at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Vivienne has a wide variety of students and lesson plans, from the absolute beginner to advanced and professional students. She is known for successfully preparing students for Berklee College of Music auditions since she has been a Berklee Student/Alumni Ambassador for several years.