Piano with Jonathan H.

Hello Students and Parents, I am a musician currently living in Burbank, California. I have a Bachelors in Music Theory/Composition from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Masters in Music for Film and Television from the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program in Seattle, Washington. I have a fun and laid back personality, I love music and I love teaching music to students of all ages in a way that is fun and informative. I have played piano and guitar from the age of 6 and began teaching when I was 13. My musical experience has been eclectic having studied a variety of genres including classical, jazz, blues and rock. I also have considerable experience as a composer and songwriter. I have composed numerous pieces for soloists, small ensembles and full orchestra. I have also written over 40 songs in a variety of musical styles. My goal as a music teacher is to encourage students to have fun with music and to be the best musician they can be. Thank you for interest in music lessons and I hope to be teaching some of you very soon. *** Lesson Details *** I believe that the best environment for learning is one that is fun and relaxed. I enjoy music and have fun playing and teaching it and my hope is that you will have the same experience. There are several ways to accomplish this goal of a fun, relaxed learning experience. First, there are my responsibilities as a teacher. The most important job I have is to always be encouraging and positive. I have a naturally laid back personality and I promise that I will never raise my voice, talk down to or demean a student in any way. Rather, I always try to build you up through positive reenforcement and compliments. I also try to custom tailor each curriculum based on your specific interests. That way you are playing music you enjoy. At the same time, there are things that I believe are important for every student. For example, I teach all of my students how to read music. This enables you to be well rounded musician and to branch out into a variety of musical disciplines. In order to have a fun, productive learning experience there are just a few things I ask of you, the student. First, I would ask that you come prepared to every lesson, having practiced the material during the week. Learning to play an instrument is like learning to play a sport. You have to develop muscle memory that can only be built by consistent practice during the week. Particularly for the younger students, this means getting the parents involved and helping them practice each day. If you practice a little each day, you will be amazed at quickly you progress and how much fun you will have in the process. After a few months of lessons I hope that you will be a proficient sight reader and be able to play the music you enjoy. For those of you learning songwriting, I hope that will have a firm understanding of the principles of writing music and have written several well structured songs. Most of all I hope that you will have a continuing passion for music and a desire to continue to learn and have fun. *** Travel Equipment *** With Guitar teaching, They will need to have a guitar and two chairs. I can provide the music stand. With Piano, they will obviously need to have a piano. *** Specialties *** I try to be as versatile a musician as possible and can therefore teach a wide variety of styles and genres depending on the interests of the student