About
I really love the process of working with every individual. I truly believe that everyone has their own unique talent, and that the main goal of a teacher is to inspire each student to believe in his/her special abilities and to work towards making his/her talent stand out. Coming from the background of very intense musical trainining and from extremely competitive classical music environment, I can say with certainty that the most important feature each student needs to develop is the desire to work and create their own perspective on music. Of course, certain things are necessary to learn in piano. You do need to learn to read the music, develop the ability to create singing-like phrasing, learn how to use different registers, balance voicing, and many more.But really, what you are learning is the ability to paint with the sounds. You are learning to create your own musical world, so you can develop your own personal taste for music, and, simply, enjoy it. Enjoy listening, enjoy playing, and enjoy working on the details. You cannot force someone to enjoy something, just like you cannot force someone to like the food they don't like. Therefore, it is important to find a way to connect with an instrument, so that the piano would become your very close friend. All of my students love playing and they enjoy practicing even if it's tedious. Why? It is because we spend a lot of time trying to uncover that internal strength and transfer that strength into the playing.
I am very specific in a choice of materials because I know exactly how each piece would contribute to developing each person's expresssivity and understanding of the music. It makes me happy to give the right tools to each student, so that they can dive into the music. I really enjoy seeing the growth in each individual.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Usually, I interview my new students first, and I would play a piece for my new students. If the students are young children, I usually talk to the parents first, then to the children. With the young children, I would also do a small test. Very easy:) With adults, I would normally start with setting our goals and expectations. There is a lot of exploration in the beginning. Yet, I'm very specific with materials and goals. After all, we want to learn to play!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
As a child and young adult, I've been through a very intense professional training in one of the most prestigious music schools for especially gifted children in Russia/Ukraine. Just so it's clear, how intense was the training, by the age of 16, I already performed Rachmaninov's concerto No. 2. And of course, I do have BA and MA in piano performance.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I usually discuss it individually.
How did you get started teaching?
I first started teaching when I was a student, doing my Bachelor's degree. I've played a lot of concerts, and was very well known as a Russian pianist in the area. So, I would be invited to teach and perform in different Summer Institutes, workshops, fundraisers and outreach concerts. And usually, people who attended the concerts would come and ask for lessons.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked with pretty much anyone you can imagine:)
I've had a lot of young children, who grew into young adults while being my students:) I've taught a lot of Asian students. And just loved working with them! All the stereotypes about them are totally untrue. They are incredibly expressive! They are also absolutely wonderful and respectful people!
As a coach and an accompanist, I've worked with a lot of exceptionally gifted African-American young adults.
I've worked with quite a few very intelligent adult students.
I've also worked with students with disabilities. In fact, one of my exceptionally gifted student only had one hand, and a half of the otherr one. He played and won competitions, and was and is just incredibly talented.
I've worked with professional musicians. I've taught teachers and helped them to become even better teachers. I've worked with a lot of different people from completely different backgrounds.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I establish a clear goal and specific pace for each student individually. I refrain from competition quite on purpose even though I, myself, come from extremely competitive environment. Therefore, I am always happy with what my students achieve. Of course, the details, proper memorization, specificity of dynamics are very important in music. So, I have two adult students who work very hard on achieving the high level of expression in the pieces of Chopin, Bach, and Mozart. And recently, they were able to perform those pieces with just almost perfect expressivity. It made me very happy.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Try to make sure you have a piano or keyboard at home. It is always better to have a real piano.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Just do it! Don't think. Start. And start practicing:)