Forney Music Lessons

ersonally conducted 3 of the 5 orchestra and taught each class daily, either in sectionals or group instruction and conducting

At Texas Tech University, I worked two years as a teacher for the nationwide outreach program, String Project. With String Project, I would teach classes of 15 to 20 students at a time. These classes were forty-five minute violin classes held at the university twice a week. Each student had an additional thirty minute weekly, private lesson. My work, along with 4 other teachers, earned a position to lead two clinics at the annual ASTA convention, held in Atlanta Georgia in 2009.

During the Spring 2011 semester, I spent my week in the Houston area as an orchestra teacher at Fort Settlement Middle School. During my time at Fort Settlement, I ran a program of 164 middle school string musicians on violin, viola, cello, bass and harp. The orchestra ranged from beginner to upper-intermediate levels. I had the opportunity to take 3 of the orchestras to UIL contest. All three groups came back with outstanding awards, including Sweepstakes, the highest award possible.

I am a sought after violinist, pianist, accompanist, teacher, conductor, and adjudicator for several ensembles, musical organizations, and student recitals. I began my musical career at the age of eight playing the piano. I have continued to play and take piano lessons throughout my life. When I entered the sixth grade, at the age of 11, I began my violin studies. These violin and piano studies led to my eventual audition and acceptance at Texas Tech. Though one may think two is enough, I did not. After a year marching in the colorguard in high school, I began lessons on the clarinet at the age of 15 and joined the band. I continued to perform on the clarinet in the marching and concert bands throughout high school and college.

With 6 years of private, group and public teaching, I am a state certified music teacher for early childhood through 12th grade. Since the fall of 2011, I also teach full time as a middle orchestra teacher in Lewisville ISD. I am a current member of TMEA, TODA, TMTA, and ASTA. I have taught a wide range of students and enjoy sharing my passion for music making. As a teacher, I want my students to understand and learn music in many different aspects. Understanding how to read notes and rhythms is important, but combining them with the emotion and sensitivity of music makes playing any instrument fantastic. Music theory and technique are other important aspects of playing all instruments and are stressed in each lesson as well. As students practice and develop their skill and understanding, it is my desire for students to express the music from the depths of their heart.

*** Lesson Details ***
I am generally a very easy to get along with, but I do have high expectations from my students. For beginners, I run my lessons in sections with stretches, detailed warm-ups, repertoire, theory and end with an overview of the lesson and expectations for the next lesson. With my intermediate and advanced students, I expect them to come in already warmed up and prepared. I will have them play through technique exercises with brief reviews and explanations for the next expected exercise. We then go immediately into repertoire where students will "perform" prepared pieces for me. I stop and work on things throughout and then set an expectation for the next lesson for repertoire before ending the lesson.

*Note* I do expect all students to have an instrument to practice on. I highly encourage all beginners to RENT their first instrument from an instrument specialty store and not purchase one from a "department" or "super" store or online. Instrument specialty stores are always available to do repairs and upgrades with very decent prices. Purchased beginner instruments are hard to sell once grown out of. I do have names and numbers for multiple violin and piano shops in the DFW area, as well as a piano tuner.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Front Room: Piano, music stand and mirror, chairs and couch, highly encourage parents to sit in on lessons

*** Travel Equipment ***
Students will need to provide all of their own equipment. I will bring any additional books on an as need basis. I will bring my own violin to violin lessons, but students will need to provide their own with accessories.

*** Specialties ***
Kodaly and Suzuki

ously studied. Fourth, a short segment involving improvisation (again, typically in the style of music chosen by the student).

ortunities 4 times a year for those students who are ready to play for a judge!. The more you perform, the easier it gets!

*** Lesson Details ***
I believe that most people would say that they wish they could play the piano. Taking piano lessons keeps you practicing and working on improving your skills. I can always help a student to play better in some aspect of their playing. I break down skills into as small a step as needed so the student can understand what needs to be done. Reading music is similar to reading words, so sometimes the problem is not with the fingers being able to play, but what the student is seeing. I can take whatever series you are currently playing out of and move forward with you from that series.
Rhythm can often be a problem when playing and that usually is just a matter of getting that rhythm into your vocabulary and really hearing how it goes.
Fingering is another area that can be the reason that a passage is not working for you and I can help you figure those areas out. I always try to correct and help you improve by using humor and positive reinforcement. I have several books that work on technique in fun, short exercises that will apply to any songs or literature that you are working on.
We will spend some of every lesson sight reading (looking at music that you will practice at home). Improving your ability to read music at sight will make your piano playing more enjoyable for you.

As with any lessons, the more you practice, the more progress and fun you will have! Every student needs a spiral notebook that we will use to keep track of your lessons. I have found it best if I buy the books you need and then you pay me for the books - that keeps you from having to search at a music store for the correct books and I make sure you have the correct book/levels. If you prefer to find the books yourself, that will be fine also. I am flexible and want your piano playing years to be lifelong for you.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Yamaha Grand Piano, Baldwin Acrosonic Studio Piano, Suzuki 88 key electronic keyboard,

*** Specialties ***
*Teachers
marked as a Student Favorite have taught a minimum of 25 lessons and
have received the highest feedback rating from students.
Piano, Handbells, Music Theory, Sight reading
I can teach from any series, have tended to specialize more with beginning and intermediate students. I have taught from almost every series over the years.
Right now I have students in Faber & Faber, Bastien, John Thompson, Schaum, David Carr Glover, Hal Leonard, FJH, Dozen a Day, and Alfred series.
I think that breaking skills down into small steps works well for mastery and understanding. I like to expand my students' appreciation of different types of music, from classical to pop, looking for music that is at the student's playing level.

to learn that they have something valuable to offer, and that through hard work and determination they can be successful.

lbums in different genres such as Vita Versus' 'Nomads' LP, Lightfall's 'Uncharted' EP, and various original songs and covers recorded for Hunter&Savannah. I have opened for such acts as Daughtry, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Hawthorne Heights, and Tonight Alive. I believe in creating better musicians AND people out of my students. I love teaching people of all ages and walks of life!

pt. Ear training properly though is not only a daily process but can be difficult for some so if you feel like this isn't for you that is okay because it all comes down to what you want.

My voice students will learn to relax into their singing and to strengthen their voice week to week. Each student receives a personalized plan of daily exercises based on their needs and weekly performance. I also offer audition coaching for those in the musical theatre community. For kids and beginners we start with basic breath control and diction. For more advanced students we work on improvisation

My instrumental students will begin by learning ear training and basic structure from there I make it about you and what you want to learn. I am a big believer in genre bending instruments. I for instance play jazz and blues mandolin. If you're wondering why you have never heard of this its because you can count the number of culturally relevant jazz and blues mandolinists on one hand. There are also reasonably few people who teach this as it is something so rarely done. If you have latched on to a particular genre of music I'd love to help you explore it.