Percussion with Leah R.

I am a Hope College music student pursuing a major in Instrumental Music Education and a minor in Jazz Studies. I study percussion and jazz piano at the collegiate level and especially enjoy the challenge of teaching beginning to intermediate students. As a percussionist, I have a background in just about every field of percussion; keyboard percussion, snare drum, timpani, and multiple percussion. I also gig as a jazz vibraphonist and have experience with jazz drumset. I have taught a few private lessons before but have primarily worked in the classroom setting with concert percussion ensembles and marching band front ensembles. As a pianist, I am also quite versatile. I have been playing classical piano for 12 years, but discovered jazz/contemporary piano 5 years ago and fell in love with it. I have gigged as a pianist for 4 years now and play in Hope's premier jazz ensemble. This evolution of my playing has helped me see how musical diversity benefits overall musicianship. I believe that much of practicing and performing is psychological and strive to blur the line between practice and performance. This is accomplished by making practice fun, yet efficient. Creating games and exercises is something I model in my lessons; everything has relevance to technique and repertoire but feels more "fun". I also believe that listening is a crucial part of learning an instrument- anyone who studies with me will receive some great playlists! I can teach classical, world, and contemporary styles; in addition, I can teach improvisation and basic composition. I can't wait to meet you and to see you improve as a musician!