Piano with Ryan S.

Hi! I'm a current Juilliard student who has experience working with students coming from all kinds of backgrounds. As a professional solo and collaborative pianist, I have concertized in settings ranging from living rooms to Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. My focus is in classical piano music, but I am always open to work on what your goals are as a musician, whether that is learning Broadway tunes or Clair de Lune. I currently study at Juilliard in NYC. As a teacher, I like to focus on the practical aspects of playing in addition to conveying what you would like to convey in a piece of music. This includes laying out a solid foundation of technique and helping you fix any potentially harmful technical habits. Playing the piano should feel easy, and that is precisely what I would like to instill in my students through my lessons. Additionally, we will work on what is in the music, why the composer writes what he or she writes, and what your own feelings about the music are. I am also able to offer help with music theory and aural skills, as your playing will benefit from increased proficiency in both! I teach students of all levels and ages; working with people that come from different backgrounds is exciting for me. I am also an approachable and friendly human being (I think!), so you can feel as comfortable as possible during our lessons! Professionally, I have won numerous awards and competitions as a solo pianist such as 1st Prize in the Kosciuzko Foundation Chopin Competition in Washington D.C., 2nd Prize in the Steinway and Sons Piano Competition in NYC, and the grand-prize in the Music for Humanity scholarship competition. I was also selected as a finalist in the 2018 Stecher and Horowitz New York International Piano Competition. I am a sought-out collaborative pianist who specializes in instrumental repertoire such as horn, trombone, tuba, violin, and more. I have received fellowships to highly-selective music festivals such as Kneisel Hall, Manchester Music Festival, and Pianofest in the Hamptons. My sight-reading capabilities are great, and you can rest assured that demonstrating what you are playing will not be an issue. If you are interested in scheduling a lesson, please send me a message, and I will respond promptly. Thanks so much!