Roslyn Heights, NY Music Theory Lessons

an Opera Guild board member, “The way she played … will stay with me forever.” She is also a winner of multiple competitions, most recently winning the Hunter Symphony’s Aria and Concerto competition with Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G.

Nicole holds an M.A. in piano performance from Hunter College in New York City and a B.M. in piano performance from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. She graduated summa cum laude from both institutions and was awarded the Benno Lee Prize at Hunter for an outstanding Master’s Recital. She is a member of the American College of Musicians’ Piano Guild and has studied with the likes of Geoffrey Burleson and William Wolfram. She has over 10 years of teaching experience, specializing in piano, composing and arranging, and music theory.

poser, I've penned over 15 charts for Jazz Ensemble, in addition to several charts for Studio Orchestra, Jazz Combos, Chamber Groups, Vocal Groups, and Film, and I've won a few awards, including 1st Place in the International Zurich Jazz Orchestra Composition Competition, a 2011 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award, and a 2012 ASCAP Plus Award. I co-lead a jazz orchestra that has performed in several NYC clubs. My pieces have also been performed by her own chamber group "Community of the Spirit," Kurt Elling and the Metropole Orchestra the Zurich Jazz Orchestra, Todd Coolman's Quintet, the Eastman Jazz Ensemble and Studio Orchestra, Bernie Williams and the William Paterson Jazz Orchestra, Weapons of Jazz Destruction, and others.

I've also been inspired by many teachers along the way. I have a BM in Jazz Writing (Composition) with high distinction from the Eastman School of Music, and an MM in Jazz Arranging from William Paterson University. My composition and piano teachers have included Jim McNeely, Bill Dobbins, Rich DeRosa, Harold Danko, Raymond Torres-Santos, Tony Caramia, and Adrien Cohen, and I am a current member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in NYC.

I'm a very passionate teacher and I'm excited to begin your musical journey!

*** Lesson Details ***
In addition to a customized lesson plan (dependent on your goals, strengths, weaknesses, and interests) you get introduced to a wide variety of styles and concepts. Some of the things you will do in your musical adventure with me include:

1) Learn classical pieces ranging from short Bach Minuets if you're a beginner, to Chopin Nocturnes and Bach Preludes and Fugues if you're advanced.
2) Learn the "why" behind music... Why does this sound quirky? Where does the musical statement end? What harmony is the composer using?
3) Write your own music. We might take a new concept you learned, and you may compose a song based on it. Or you may have your own ideas, and I'll help you take them to the next level.
4) Learn to improvise and learn how to play some jazz. You will play over blues and learn jazz standards. You will also learn how to play by ear.
5) Learn basic conducting.

*** Studio Equipment ***
home: fully-weighted keyboard, seating for parents, music stands, sheet music, printer (for printing custom handouts), free wi-fi
music studio : fully-weighted keyboard, seating for parents, music stands, sheet music, printer (for printing custom handouts), free wi-fi

*** Specialties ***
I teach classical and jazz, and usually like to incorporate both into lessons at some point, even if the student may have a greater interest in one of these (so you don't have the classical pianist that has never played one note not written in the music or doesn't know how to spell a simple major triad, and you don't have a jazz pianist whose reading skills is not up to par, and has no regard for tone/touch). Typically students not only read classical repertoire (Bach, Beethoven, Bartok, Kabelevsky, etc.) but also learn how to improvise over a blues, read a lead sheet, and figure music out by ear. I'm also comfortable with rock styles.

I also have a lot of experience accompanying (musical theatre, instrumental, vocal...) and I like teaching the student how to follow a soloist. I teach students how to read lead sheets so they can read whatever they may get from a vocalist, and I teach chord theory so that they can easier recognize patterns in music when playing with an instrumentalist or vocalist.

I incorporate composition and theory into lessons, usually in conjunction with whatever piece they are learning (explain what type of chords are in their piece, or explain how they move, or why something may sound discordant or may go somewhere expected, or I may teach them phrases in music just like sentences work in English.) I definitely, however, work with students who are more serious in composition as well and talk about how to develop their pieces, how to create ideas, how to get out of a "writers block," orchestration techniques, encourage them to expand their instrumentation, etc.

ool, I continued through middle school. There I was placed on drum kit and thought I was the coolest. I didn't take it too seriously but serious enough to keep playing drum kit. When choosing high schools I wasn't interested in keeping with drums. I only took marching band because it meant no gym. After my first year I was placed in every band the next three years, having to learn timpani and marimba for concert band. I was also recommended to join a city wide concert band, InterSchool orchestras of New York, and haven't left since. I still coach the band and help tons of high school and middle school students hone their craft. Also that year, through ISO, I was given a chance to attend French woods performing arts camp on scholarship where I began my love of playing in musical pit orchestras. Through this time I studied with a couple of teachers and had plenty of coachings with professional percussionists. Upon graduating I have played well over 100 different musicals, played with over 25 different orchestras, and have taught over 100 students both privately and in coachings. I currently run a Drumline out of a private school, coach ISO band, freelance and have a studio of 8 students. That is a short sample of my journey and I hope it inspires you to study with me.

If you choose me as a teacher, I will shape you as an overall musician, not just a "Drummer". What this means is that you won't just learn beats from me, you will learn all the fundamentals of basic to intermediate music theory, from note reading and rhythm to chord changes and ..... You will start on a practice pad and quickly go to a drum kit. Lessons will be half and half, but more 75/25 drumkit, because everything you learn on a pad can translate to the kit! I would also teach you timpani and xylophone if you like so you can broaden your horizons and even get into the middle/high school or college you want. I have most of my books of pdf that I can give you to print or you can purchase your own copies. You would also need to purchase a practice pad and eventually a drum kit. If you don't want to purchase a drum kit then there is almost no reason to study it since you won't be able to practice between lessons. Practicing, let's talk about that. It is expected that you practice the material we learn in the lesson throughout the week. Now I know everyone is busy, but if you can put aside 25 minutes (a sitcom without commercials!!) a day then you will have a better understanding and better retention of the material. Doing this will let us just review the material a little bit and go on to learn new and exciting things.

The bottom line in choosing me? I am a professional musician in the trenches of the nyc music scene and know what it takes to make it.

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t of our time together.

In our lessons we'll cover the basics of breathing, support, phonation, and placement. You can expect an increase in range, power, and vocal control, and correct any intonation issues. We'll also discuss stylistic issues and what songs/pieces best suit your voice.

Most of all we will have fun throughout the entire process!

If you have any questions feel free to message me.

---PERFORMANCE BIO---

Bass-Baritone Alexander H’s recent performances include his debut with the Beethoven Easter Festival of Warsaw as Pietro in Simon Boccanegra, Monterone with in Rigoletto with Opera Theater of Connecticut, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with Bronx Opera, Le Bailli in Werther with Opera Company of Brooklyn, and the bass-baritone soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with EOS Orchestra of Beijing. Alexander's operatic credits include performances of Lorenzo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, King René in Iolanta, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, and the Sorcerer in Dido and Aeneas, as well as excerpted performances of Colline in La Bohème, Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, Banco in Macbeth, Dulcamara in l’elisir d’amore, and Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, as well as many others with Mannes Opera, Chautauqua Opera, and Yale Opera. Equally at home in art song, Alexander has performed as a soloist in Chautauqua Opera’s young artist recital series, Yale Opera’s Liederabend concerts, and the Montreal International Vocal Arts Institute recital series.

Alexander is a graduate of the Yale School of Music, where he earned both a Master’s degree in Music and an Artist Diploma as well as being awarded the David L. Kasdon Memorial Prize, for the most outstanding singer in the School of Music. Alexander earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Mannes College of Music.

---REVIEWS---

"Moreover, my attention was riveted by the young bass Alexander H...when he sang it, the foundations of the Warsaw Philharmonic trembled. It was truly an exceptional voice!"
-Wielkanocny Festival LvB Czasopismo

"Alexander H brought so much charm to Leporello that at times he nearly stole the show."
-Opera News

"The best sung was the King's plea to God for Iolanta's healing in the strong bass-baritone of Alexander H."
-Opera-L

"Bass Alexander H commands the stage."
-The Day Connecticut

"Alexander’s portrayal of the Count...was memorable. His resonant voice and litany of curses set up the final scene and marked the kind of pace and flow and continuity that made this production come alive."
-Shoreline Times

---STUDIO EQUIPMENT---

Yamaha Baby Grand Piano

Americas, and the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra.

l BACHELOR degree in Brazilian Jazz Studies and Classical Composition from UNICAMP (2004-2011, Campinas - SP, Brazil), a MASTER OF MUSIC degree in Studio Jazz Writing from the Frost School of Music - University of Miami (2011-2013), and a DOCTORATE OF MUSICAL ARTS degree in Jazz Composition also from University of Miami (2013-2016).