Speaking Voice with Emiko C.

I'm a highly versatile, enthusiastic and encouraging teacher with over 15 years of professional experience. My educational background is from the Levine School of Music in Washington, DC and the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. I was a professionally trained concert pianist as a child and grew up playing music my whole life, so I know first hand how much time, effort, and dedication goes into perfecting your craft. This also means I know how to make working hard a fun and rewarding experience (so it doesn't seem like hard work at all!) -- which is the most important thing that students feel so they can clearly see and experience their achievements. I have taught students of all ages, genres of music, and levels privately, in schools, conservatories, and in group settings. Having had writing contracts with major record companies, I am also well versed in songwriting/performance coaching and lessons for professional musicians. Music should be a fun and interactive experience that yields rewards every time you have a lesson -- I strive to make this a consistent reality for my students! *** Lesson Details *** Students can expect lessons with me to be fun, interactive, very organized, and a lot of open dialogue. I encourage exploration and questions about their instrument or piece/project we are working on. I am a big believer in "break it down til you can do it" which means to conquer difficulties through small steps, stringing them together, until the entire passage has been performed. This creates an immediate sense of accomplishment for the student, as well as showing them that they can really overcome any new challenges in the process. I make sure to give my students a lot of information on how to learn and focus on their needs individually. As a rule, I don't have a specific method I use, though I do have a long list -- I prefer to focus on each student's learning and communication method and develop lessons so they can reap the maximum benefit. After 3-6 months, ALL of my students should and will be able to perform multiple pieces (some from memory) and have a strong command of technique, and some theory -- this is all dependent on age and level, of course, but generally, this is what is striven for. *** Studio Equipment *** ProTools, Garageband, Digital Performer, fully weighted keyboard, acoustic and electric guitars, drum programs, and professional vocal microphones *** Travel Equipment *** I expect the student to provide a properly working and tuned piano or keyboard for piano and voice lessons, and for any other lessons, either a computer or their performance instrument of choice. *** Specialties *** I am extremely experienced in teaching piano and voice of all styles and levels to all ages. I have taught students as young as 3 and 4, and as old as 70. I am very well versed in teaching composition, music theory, and have been hired numerous times to be a musical director/performance coach for artists and students preparing for school performances, pageants, etc.