Piano with Anthony S.

I started playing music at age 9, when my mom decided to put me in piano lessons. Much to her surprise, I fell in love with the instrument and played non-stop, sometimes skipping dinner to read through a new piece or practice for an up coming competition. After winning a few state wide competitions, I enrolled in an arts high school to practice my craft, and be around other creative high school students. While in High School, I started writing music and singing in a 16 member chamber choir. The summer before my senior year, I won the prestigious Berklee songwriting competition and was awarded a scholarship to the school, which I decided to decline to make my way towards the music mecca of Los Angeles. I received a Bachelor's degree from CalArts where I focused on contemporary piano/voice and composition. Since graduating in 2010, I've released an EP entitled 'Living in Layers'. I sing and play piano in a number of bands including cover bands and original projects, mostly in the pop/rock/soul veins. Some of my collaborators include Akon and Andy Samberg (for an SNL short), Ben Lee (platinum selling Australian recording artist), Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons), and the Swingle Singers (Acclaimed British A Capella group). I have love in my heart for both classical and popular music, and I think my combination of the 2 will make for a very well-rounded lesson experience. I would say that my biggest strength as a musician is that I'm well rounded, and can work with just about anyone in any style. I can help you understand the styles that excite you, but also open your eyes to other new and exciting things. I would say that I specialize in writing, and work very well with students interested in composition and songwriting. *** Lesson Details *** Lessons with me will vary from student to student, but you can definitely expect exercises to better your technique, games for your ear to help you understand whats happening in the music, and a project of your choosing, whether it be a pop song, a Mozart Aria, or a Jazz Standard. First and foremost, taking music lessons should be fun and inspiring. You can count on me to figure out just what it is that made you pick up the phone and ask for lessons, and then together, we'll create feasible step by step ways to reach your goals. I am a pretty easy-going teacher, but I like to challenge my students and push them to a level that they are comfortable with. For beginning piano students, I like to use the Faber and Faber Method, which comes with escalating books in Performance, Theory, and Technique and Artistry. It just covers it all! For advanced piano students, I like to asses their strengths and weaknesses and design a curriculum with the student that's both fun and challenging, sometimes working out of specific books, and sometimes not. For voice students of all skill levels, I like to base my curriculum off of a balance of technique-building exercises and stylistic song of the students choice. A classical singer may have different exercises with vowels, placement, and breath than a pop or rock student. I like to focus on the 'true' voice, find what makes you sound like you, and make you the best and most confident singer you can possibly be. After 6 months of lessons with me, I will have you saying that you are not only a better musician, but you understand music more and you're more inspired and excited than before. Music is what unites us as people, and I strive to give the tools necessary to all of my students to be able to express themselves in a way that works for them. *** Studio Equipment *** LivingRoom: piano and/or keyboard (88-weighted key) couches and chairs, parents can sit on on lesson *** Travel Equipment *** If the students don't have a piano or keyboard (88-weighted key) then I can provide a keyboard for the lesson. *** Specialties *** Piano: beg - adv Vocals: beg - adv Theory: beg-adv I am capable of teaching classical piano lessons, but I specialize in contemporary and popular piano styles and composition/songwriting. I love working with vocalists looking to accompany themselves better!