Paradise Piano
About
If you want a teacher who will ignite a passion for music in you, and push your pianistic abilities to new heights, you have come to the right place! As a teacher, I put my student’s enjoyment of piano first and foremost, but I will also challenge and motivate you to push yourself and expand your mind musically. My goal is for you, or your child, to have a fun and enriching musical experience! Be you a beginner or an advanced student, you will have a lesson infused with patience and enthusiasm, paired with my years of musical experience and knowledge.
I teach mainly with a classical approach, as literature classics (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.), or pieces written in a classical style, provide an important foundation on which to build other skills. Once a firm foundation has been established, it is easy to branch into other musical genres. I do tailor lessons to each student’s needs and likes, and include pop and other types of non-classical repertoire, depending on the student’s preferences. All my students learn fundamentals including scales, studies, or some form of exercises to improve technique and finger dexterity. I emphasize playing with a fluid arm technique, letting your wrist guide your fingers, and using your arm weight to make a more resonant and beautiful sound.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Always assess any experience the student already has, find out their likes and dislikes, get attuned to their personailty. These are all things that help relating with and teaching a student, and I always think on this when deciding what pieces or techniques to work on with each student.
If students have certain goals, this is also a factor I consider for lessons: what specific musical abilities or techniques does each student need to master in order to reach their goals?
Age, particularly in younger students, can also dictate the pace of a lessons. How much can a student take in, how much repetition is needed in the lesson, etc.
Experience, goals, individual personality, and capacity to learn, these are probably the top 3 things I center on to determine how lessons will progress with each new student.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Awarded an academic and music scholarship, Cheryl received her Bachelors degree in piano performance at Texas Christian University (TCU) under the tutelage of Dr. Tamás Ungár. She attended the Varna International Piano Master Class in 2005, and on placing in the concerto competition, performed the first movement of Schumann’s piano concerto with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra. Cheryl graduated from TCU with academic and musical honors in 2006.
Awarded a Teaching Fellowship, Cheryl continued her piano studies at the University of North Texas with Dr. Steven Harlos and professor Adam Wodnicki. As a TF, Cheryl taught UNT students private piano lessons, and also group piano classes, to both music majors and non-music majors. She also taught private piano lessons to students of varying ages and skill levels at UNT’s Community Music School. Cheryl returned to her home state of Alabama to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Baldwin Pops Band in 2007. She received her Masters degree in piano performance from UNT in 2008, with an emphasis in pedagogy.
Cheryl has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist, and has had master classes and lessons with piano greats such as Arbo Valdma, Veda Kaplinsky, and Jan Kadlubiski.
Cheryl refined her teaching skills at Southlake Music Academy and then continued to teach privately from her home studio. She joined TCU’s Piano Preparatory faculty in 2012 and taught there until she moved to Florida in the summer of 2013.
In addition to teaching, Cheryl held the position of pianist/organist at St. Stephen’s Methodist and St. Peter’s Catholic churches. She also accompanied high school solo and ensemble competitors for the past five years.
Cheryl currently accompanies the choir at St. Louis Catholic Church, and teaches from her home studio in Tallahassee, where she also enjoys writing and playing her violin, as well as planning trips to anywhere remotely tropical! If you'll notice throughout this site, one of her weaknesses is taking pictures of tropical flowers.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Lessons are $30/half hour, or $60/hour, with monthly payment due at the start of each month.
I offer sibling discounts, with each sibling past the first being $25/half hour rather than $30.
Paying for a semester (16 weeks) up front is a 5% discount, and paying for a year in full (40 weeks) is a 10% discount.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked with students as young as 3, to students well into their golden years. I teach at all levels, and have taught all the way from preschool beginners, to college grads who have majored in piano.