Piano
If you are an adult, either just starting out or continuing your studies, piano lessons are a wonderful way to participate in the enjoyment that music brings us in our everyday lives.
As for children, studies have shown that children who learn to play a keyboard instrument are more likely to excel in virtually every facet of their scholastic pursuits.
We offer both traditional and non-traditional approaches in our piano lessons, according to which is most appropriate for the student.
Keyboard
Many do not wish to purchase a piano until they are sure the student will continue to show an interest in learning. Others prefer the convenience of a portable instrument, and yet others simply prefer the variety of options an electric keyboard has to offer. These include the headphone jack, composition software, and different sounds, just to mention a few.
Guitar
We offer lessons in acoustic as well as electric guitar. Acoustic guitar includes classical, pop, jazz and rock guitar. Electric guitar is best suited to rock and jazz musical styles.
Electric Bass
We offer electric bass lessons, as well. Electric bass is best suited to rock and jazz musical styles.
Voice
We have a variety of voice teachers as well as vocal coaches. Some of our teachers are more suited to teaching children while others are more appropriately assigned to teens and/or the adult professional. Students may study classical and/or popular vocal music.
Voice lessons include instruction on protecting the vocal chords, ear training, warming up, presentation, and repertoire. They also include vocal technique including breath control, pitch, and range.
Strings
Lessons in violin, viola, cello and upright bass include correct positioning of the bow, the instrument and the hands, as well as proper bowing and playing technique, including intonation.
Winds
Lessons in flute, saxophone, oboe, and clarinet include correct breath control and phrasing, as well as proper embouchure. Repertoire may be classical, jazz, or popular, as desired.
Brass
Our brass department offers lessons in trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba. Proper embouchure and breathing technique, as well as scales, phrasing, fingering, tone, range, and endurance are addressed in the lessons.
Repertoire may be classical, jazz, or popular, as desired.
Drums
Our drum instructors have varying backgrounds and are prepared to accommodate the student’s requests regarding the genre of music the student is interested in learning. Keeping time, correct posture, positioning of instruments (height and angle), seating distance from the drum set, and setting the drumsticks at the correct point in the swing are topics which are covered in the lessons. We stress playing smoothly and evenly at first, and then focusing on speed and power later as the student progresses. We can also accommodate the more advanced student.
Music Theory
Music theory is helpful in understanding music on a deeper level than just playing the notes and chords. If the student wishes to learn theory, our teachers are prepared. Theory includes many aspects of music such as understanding, memorizing and applying scales, key signatures, and the circle of fifths to his/her repertoire and/or original compositions.
Ear training may also be incorporated into the program if the student wishes. Ear training is the development of the student’s ability to listen and recognize what s/he hears. Students may learn to play and sing above the notes s/he plays and/or to notate music.
Improvisation
Improvisation is extemporaneous composition. The more advanced student can learn to play original music based on existing music or on a chord progression and/or melody. Jazz is the most well known genre in which improvisation is employed.
Composition
Students of music may at any time wish to compose their own original music. Our teachers are supportive of the student’s desire to compose. Depending on the student’s level and goals, we can assign the appropriate composition teacher if in fact a different teacher is required other than the student’s instrumental teacher.
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