About
I’m a professional pianist and teach all styles of music, beginners through advanced. Learn technique, your favorite songs, sightreading, improvisation and a lot more!
As a player, I’ve toured with Al Di Meola, Arturo Sandoval, Blood Sweat & Tears, Engelbert Humperdinck, Debbie Gibson, and many others. Studied Jazz Performance at University Of North Texas on a full scholarship. Been teaching privately since 1986. I’m a patient teacher who believes music is supposed to be fun! References available.
Here are some examples of my playing:
"Real McBop" with Arturo Sandoval:https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLEh1ZM_qJXHacNSN0QtX-zMvlWrnLGB-s&v=xS63wTWafmM
“In A Silent Way/Kid Charlemagne” with Show Biz Kids, a 12-piece Steely Dan tribute which I lead and arrange for:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_WZxZyF1zgk
“Footprints” with my quintet:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KhIXCe9KBrE
“Medieval Overture” with Al Di Meola:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nEO0GEIvPas
Selections from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier:
https://www.facebook.com/phil.magallanes/videos10153147771810812/
I always approach teaching music from the mindset of being a perpetual student of music myself. It’s very gratifying to help students disover and master new things. What I do is open the door and let the student walk through. I particularly enjoy the challenge of identifying a student’s style of learning and then designing a custom course of study based on their needs and goals. But the best part about teaching for me is what I learn from my students. Your own understanding always grows as soon as you try to explain something to someone else, and my students themselves frequently give me new ideas. This makes teaching endlessly enriching and gratifying for me, because it gives me a chance to constantly refine my own inner creative process.