Lake Stevens, WA Piano Lessons

g The Total Experience Gospel Choir, Seattle Pacific University Women's Choir, and The Spokane Area Children's Chorus. Musical productions including Grease, Once Upon a Mattress, Chicago, and Les Miserables. I have been a featured soloist in ensembles throughout my life. I also performed in the Jazz Ensemble at Seattle Central Community College for three years as a vocalist and pianist.

I have an extensive background as a performer in small and large bands in the Seattle area. I have played in various venues throughout the area including Key Arena, Benaroya Hall, McCall Hall, Folk Life Festival, Marymoor Park, Highway 99 Blues Club, Tula's Nightclub, and the Nectar Lounge to name a few. I have also worked as a studio musician with various funk, soul, and electronic music producers and bands.

I study African dance and other forms of dance including hip-hop, house, and have traveled to Guinea, Conakry to study dance and music with Les Ballets African a premier African dance ensemble that tours the world. I also spent the summer of 2012 working with a non-profit organization in Chiapas, Mexico teaching music and dance to kids k-12 in the Indigenous Village of Ignacio Allende. More recently I have been studying and performing with Pat Wright and The Total Experience Gospel Choir since 2014.

*** Lesson Details ***
As your teacher I can help you thrive in music. I promise to provide a fun learning experience with lots of laughs and smiles. My number one goal is to help build a love and passion for music and boost student's confidence. I understand and appreciate different levels of experience and make sure to cater the lesson to the individual. Whether my students are young or old; whether they view voice or piano lessons as a just-for-fun hobby; or whether they wish to pursue a serious music career - I am happy to facilitate all of this and more, as we work together to reach their goals.

My musical foundation is one built on proper technique and strong musicianship skills. Students will learn proper posturing, breathing, and vocal production- in addition to reading and music notation, music theory and more. As students master these techniques I will work to help them bring out their own voice and creative expression. We will explore music from a variety of genres including Jazz, Classical, Pop/Rock, and more. Each of my students will be able to perform in ways that are not only healthy and technically sound but unique to them.

*** Studio Equipment ***
In the studio I have an acoustic upright piano, shakers, tambourines, and a library of music books. The studio is also used for dance lessons and has hardwood floors and mirrors. There is also a waiting room area for parents to sit and listen in during lessons.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I provide books, metronome, and keyboard stand. Students are expected to have a piano or keyboard.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in Jazz, Classical, Pop, Rock, RnB, and Broadway style singing. I use an eclectic approach to teaching.

e basic course of piano lessons in 6 months.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Roland digital piano keyboard

*** Travel Equipment ***
I travel to student's place.

*** Specialties ***
Western Classical

ian and I'm proud to call him and his manager my friends. His new album coming out is nothing short of amazing.

In fact everyone I've mentioned above are pro all the way and great guys as well. I"m honored to have played with them.

I challenge my students to view music more than just as a "skill", but also a tool to communicate effectively and to combat life's obstacles.

I have had many guitar teachers myself including one true Famous Rock Star legend here in Pacific NW. Congrats Rog. U Earned It, & inspire myself, & others everyday.

You got to know the rules 1st, before you can then break the rules. This is how you develop your own unique style. And it's what separates the Pro Players from the rest of the pack.

But even if you don't want to play professionally, maybe you just want to learn a few chords, licks, songs, for yourself, or to impress friends. That's okay too!

I welcome every level and style. I always learn something from my students.
That's what music is all about. Learning & trading tips and licks from other musicians.

Bottom Line Is... I can help you learn and progress on your instrument faster...

Let me be the Music Coach to get you there!

*** Lesson Details ***
The most important thing in a lesson with me is to learn while having FUN! I am a very laid-back teacher who wants to focus on music making you smile. We will choose material and a pace of learning that will keep you excited to rehearse and return the following lesson improved!

PERSONALIZE your guitar lessons by learning techniques used by your favorite artists in "their" songs.
FEEL FREE learning in a comfortable atmosphere where you can excel successfully as a musician!
CONQUER shyness and insecurities by unleashing the dynamic performer in you!

Most All Styles/Genres/Experience Levels Taught - We go over everything systematically. Music Theory, Songwriting, Chords, Scales, Determining Key Of Songs, Performance, etc

After 3 to 6 months, you should expect to be playing some of your favorite songs and artists accurately

Be sure to check out some of my you tube demos. Let me be the Music Coach to get you there!

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have a Sound Proof Pro Recording Studio, PA System, guitars, basses, amps, drums, recording gear, mics, mic stands, strobe & lights, fog machine, seating for parents.

Sorry No Disco Ball Yet.. You Can Bring Your Own If You Want Though.
I've Got Some Bell Bottoms Somewhere Around The Studio Here.

*** Travel Equipment ***
*** Brand New*** Now Offering Music Lessons Online (From My Recording Studio To Your Home via Skype)
I'm really excited to add that to offer lessons online through TakeLessons! It's a great thing to get to work with students all over this country and I'm looking forward to help pioneer the future of music lessons!

*** Specialties ***
*Teachers classified as a Student Favorite have taught a minimum of 25 lessons and have received the highest feedback rating from students.

My Unique Specialty - is teaching students the rudimental basics 1st, & then how to copy your favorite artists off the CD, radio or iPod, almost note for note. Believe me, it can be done. You just have to know what to listen for..

Brand New - MEASURE your success by recording your music progress along the way. I do own a recording studio, so we can record students progress via audio or video and then post to my YouTube channel.

ng County areas.

I was eight years old when I started taking piano lessons in Tacoma, WA. When I was 12, I discovered that I had perfect pitch while playing church hymns with my dad. This ability has served me well on a number of occasions. I discontinued formal piano lessons when I started college, but I continued to play piano on a nearly daily basis from that point on, keeping my technical skills at a very advanced level. I played trumpet in school bands starting in the 5th grade, and switched to French Horn in the 8th grade. The appeal of the horn may have had something to do with its rich, warm sound, its intricacy and complexity, and the demands that it placed on me to play with a high degree of pitch accuracy. I loved the challenge of playing accurately on the horn then, and I still do. As a horn student, I have studied with Jacqueline Shannon, Kathy Farner, Kathy Colton, Lawrence Lowe, Elizabeth Ward, Jeff Snedeker, Rodger Burnett and Stacie Eliason. As a horn performer, I have played with community and regional professional orchestras in the Seattle area, Central Washington, Olympia, in the Tacoma Youth Symphony, and in numerous ensembles in college.

I have studied music at Tacoma Community College, Brigham Young University and Central Washington University. I received Bachelor of Arts in Music at Central Washington University. I plan on attending graduate school in the future, focusing on music composition and film composition, as well as French Horn and piano performance.

As a music composer, I have written works for many different ensembles, choral works, solo piano pieces, and works for solo instruments. I am drawn to rich harmonies and beautiful melodies, as well as interesting timbres and musical variety, in my own music and that of the music I listen to. I am easily able to visualize music in color, and I have a thorough understanding of how the elements of music combine together to affect emotions in listeners. This is one of the reasons that I am currently pursuing film and media composition.

As a student, teacher, performer and music composer, I know that there are countless musical topics that students are curious about. I feel that students should feel free to ask any question in the field of music, even if it may seem like a "dumb" question. I value the sincerity and passion for good music that so many students have. I will help you acquire the knowledge and skills that you need, so that you can see more clearly your own musical goals. Previous and current students I have, each have made improvements in their own playing and knowledge of music, some of whom have made vast improvements in their playing and knowledge of music.

As I have taught music privately for a little while now, and can reasonably compare how I teach with other instructors that I know well, I can say with certainty that there are at least a few areas of my teaching that are somewhat unique and highly beneficial for certain students, if not most students. I value ear training and using flashcards with beginner students quite a bit, and am fond of teaching not only the "nuts and bolts" of music, but also, how music "works", such that a student of mine can write their own music if they have the desire to do so. I also try to assign a wide variety of music for each student (which differs according to each student's musical interests, abilities, and areas of their playing that need to be improved), especially as they improve and approach the intermediate levels of playing. There are many reasons I do this, but for the student, it is very important that they do not feel particularly "bored" with the music they are playing. I also have found that students who have a more sensitive nature tend to be more comfortable with the way I teach, as I reserve higher, stricter expectations for more advanced, older students. I also try to always be as patient, kind, and considerate with every student as I can be. Lastly, I highly encourage questions and feedback at any time during a lesson, and I try to create an atmosphere where the student feels comfortable to do so.

I accept students from five years old on up, but I prefer horn students to be at least ten years old before starting lessons, unless they have noticeably greater abilities to focus for a certain period of time than other children their age.

Employment and Musical Experience:

Transcription Work for David Templeton, Composer, 2010

Private Composition Instructor, January 2009-Present

Private Horn Instructor, January 2009-Present

Private Piano Instructor, Fall 2006-Spring 2007, January 2009-Present

Summer Camp Counselor: Lutheran Summer Music, Summer 2006

Principal Horn: Ensign Symphony Orchestra, December 2014

Fourth Horn: Olympia Symphony, September 2012

Third Horn: Mid-Columbia Symphony, February-May 2007

Second Horn: Washington East Opera, Barber of Seville, January 2006

Substitute Third Horn: Yakima Symphony, Winter 2006

Third/Fourth Horn: Wenatchee Symphony, Fall 2005

Substitute Horn: Leavenworth Summer Music Theater: Summer 2005

1st Horn: Shoreline Community Church, Christmas 2004

Principal Horn: Central Washington University Symphony, Chamber Orchestras

Principal Horn: Central Washington University Wind Ensemble

Finalist, Northwest Horn Workshop Mock Auditions, March 2005

Education:

Graduate, Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program

Post-Baccalaureate Music Education Courses: Central Washington University, 2006-2007

Bachelor of Arts in Music: Central Washington University, Summer 2006

Associate of Arts and Sciences: Tacoma Community College, Fall 2002

Other:

Eagle Scout

Served 2 Year Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Music Composer/Arranger

*** Lesson Details ***
I have always wanted people I interact with to be, as a general rule, comfortable and relaxed in any setting. This certainly applies to the students I teach. However, students can expect that musical improvement will only occur through daily practice and constant effort. That being said, I am more interested in helping students overcome any difficulties in this area through reviewing their own practice habits and motivations, rather than using harsh discipline. It is crucial that students see the connection between their own practicing and musical improvement. Once this occurs, they can take more responsibility for their own progress with that added awareness.

The material chosen for each student will vary considerably, depending on their current knowledge, experience and ability level, innate abilities, musical tastes and priorities. The progress that is made will, to a large extent, be determined by the student's practice habits and natural ability. However, over the course of a few months or so, students should see noticeable improvement in their own musical abilities, if they practice and pay attention during lessons.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Piano, music stand, computer/printer, metronome

*** Travel Equipment ***
-French Horn: pencil, mute, tuner/metronome, maintenance/cleaning supplies, some books depending on if it is a first lesson, etc. I bring my own horn, and expect the student to have their horn. I also expect them to have a music journal to use as a reference for practicing and keeping track of their progress. Occasionally, I will employ a recording device for the purpose of assessing personal teaching effectiveness, or for the student to evaluate their progress/record their practicing.
-Piano: Metronome, pencil, some books if it is a first lesson, music journal, possibly a recording device from time to time.
-Music Theory/Composition: Music paper, pencil, music journal.

*** Specialties ***
Regarding method of instruction/teaching style, I am student oriented, and tend to adapt to each student's personality and learning style. I tend to teach more in the classical genres, with some pop/film music thrown in for variety (from time to time). I prefer using the Bastian, Alfred, and/or John Thompson piano methods, and Pottag-Hovey, Maxime-Alphonse books, etc. for French Horn.

nts entering talent shows, performing at assemblies, choir, open mics, musical theatre and locally for the elderly during Christmas.

About your lessons:

I host the following recitals: a Christmas and Spring recital.

Teaching Philosophy for Piano

* For the very young beginner (4-8), we will refer to Dogs and Birds, which is a wonderful book series developed in the United Kingdom that includes colorful illustrations making learning music enjoyable for the young musician.
* We will journey through Faber books and loose music material for your music studies.
* You will learn all major and minor scales.
* Other books like Bastien and Alfred will be included.
* Have fun playing songs.
* Learn to sightread.
* Ear-training development.
* Learn about technique and proper poster.
* Enjoy learning songs in classical style. Even the best jazz musicians recommend training classically before jazz.
* Learn solfege.
* For older learners you will refer to Faber studies, loose materials and Hanon drills.

Teaching Philosophy for Guitar

* The younger beginner will start with Alfred's kids guitar course.
* Learn how to read tablature and music.
* William Leavitt's Berkley guitar study.
* Learn how to play scales in the first position on your guitar.
* Build rhythm studies and cadences.
* Develop ear training and dexterity.
* Sightread chords and melodies.
* Play duets.
* Have fun playing songs.

About your instructor:

I teach piano and guitar.
I cover the Everett/Snohomish area.
Has choreographed a musical and loves to dance.
Works with special needs students.
Has studied with many professional musicians and professors.
Local Singer/Songwriter.

Melissa attended Cornish College of the Arts from 2005-2007 to earn her music composition degree. She later transferred to Trinity Lutheran College earning her Bachelor of Music degree in Music and Worship. She has been playing music since she was five years old. Melissa has been in touring bands in California, choir throughout college, community bands, open mics, gigs, musical theatre and theatre since 2005. She interned at the 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle. She was recently seen performing guitar along with one of her students in Cotton Patch Gospel. You may have also seen her as an accompanist and actor in It's A Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play, at Warm Beach Camp's dinner theater, 2014. She's played music for residents at a retirement home, is getting ready to record her first full album and teaches music to children at Northshore Christian Academy.

I look forward to serving you as your music instructor!

y!

-I've helped students learn the ins and outs of ear training by teaching them how to play their favorite anime theme songs from memory alone.

-Like classical or jazz? I've shown people how to shred on everything from Chopin to Count Basie.

-Video game nerd (like me)? There are a ton of amazing soundtracks in games, and I've taught many students how to play songs from Zelda, Halo, and Final Fantasy, as well as indie games like Undertale and Journey.

-Want to be that guy/girl that can bang out awesome Karaoke jams at parties? I've taught people to play hits by Lady Gaga, Journey, 21 Pilots, and many more.

I've worked with kids and adults from beginner to advanced, so no matter what your age, background or skill level, I'd love to meet you and chat about what you want to get out of learning music.