EVM Piano Studios

Music has always been an important part of my life, and I enjoy sharing my passion for the piano with my students.

EVM Piano Studios is a learning community where we connect with each other through music, and support each others' growth and development as musicians. It’s a place where it is fun and interesting to dive deep into music, and challenge ourselves to reach for new levels in our playing.

There’s nothing better than being able to fully enter the world of a piece that we’re working on, to have the skills for mastering the piece at a high level, and to share our interpretation of the piece with an appreciative audience.

I strive to provide my students with a strong musical foundation:

- Healthy technique based on good posture, alignment, hand position, and arm movement

- Music reading facilitated by internalization of landmarks and intervallic reading.

- Consistent sight-reading supported by duets and trios played with me and with other piano partners

- Rhythmic skills involving the full body and strategies for decoding complex rhythms

- Demystification of the art of piano pedaling

- Early level Theory and Musicianship skills developed in a fun way via Group Classes based on the “Music Mind Games” approach developed by Michiko Yurko

- Royal Conservatory Theory Classes Levels 1 through 10, preparing students for college level work in Harmony, Counterpoint and Music History

Listening and the development of the ear is at the heart of my teaching. We listen for musical tone in its many manifestations: beautiful, warm, angular, glistening, strident etc. We listen for the use of rhythmic pulse and inflection, for the balance between inner and outer lines of music, for pedaling. Perhaps most importantly, we learn to listen to ourselves as we play.

I suggest goals essential for successful ongoing progress, and provide many opportunities for performances, examinations and competitions. Overall, I tailor my instruction to meet your needs and interests.