Michael Su Piano/Cello/Ukulele Lessons
About
I believe in the power of music to transform lives for good. I have seen it in my own life. I attribute a large part of my happiness to music. In November 2016, I started transcribing a song I recorded as a cello loop and titled “Heart of Hearts” to piano. It is my thank you to my dad for fighting for his life and surviving aortic dissection. One day I decided to play this song for my dad on piano. I consider this my greatest accomplishment as a musician and person.
Because music has the ability to transform lives, not just my life, for good, I wish to give this gift to others in the form of lessons.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
1. Evaluate skill level and diagnose technique problems
2. Assign exercises to improve technique
3. Ask student what songs he/she wants to learn
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have learned the piano since age five. I have learned the cello since the fourth grade. I have a minor in music from UMBC. I will transfer to UMBC for music education in Fall of 2017. I have experience playing with UMBC Chamber Players, UMBC Symphony Orchestra, and John Hopkins Symphony Orchestra.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$25/hour.
How did you get started teaching?
I was a string mentor at Roland Park Middle School for a semester while a student at Johns Hopkins University back in 2005. Music took a backseat to other plans through college, however, and I graduated with a bachelor's in information systems and a minor in music in 2011.
A month ago I posted an ad on Craigslist. A theater teacher at Levine Music School contacted me about wanting to learn and we started the week after.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Consider what excites you about the cello and what kind of music and songs you want to learn. If a teacher can teach you the mechanics of how to play, it's a good fit. If a teacher can feed what makes you passionate about music, it's a match made in heaven.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students should think about what problems mechanically they're having. For some more advanced students, what needs improvement is expressiveness and interpreting the emotions of a piece. Playing beyond what's printed on the page, playing with heart, is what makes people come alive.