Pangloss Music Studio

Music improves our lives and make us happier, more connected, and able to think more rationally and creatively. It activates almost all the brain's processing centers, plus the emotional centers in the amygdala and hippocampus, and more. It challenges us, makes us smarter, helps us to better solve problems, and connects us to one another and the world. Music helps us enjoy life more fully and it makes us better people.

I believe musicians and music students have a common goal: to play beautiful music beautifully, in whatever styles we prefer. From your very first lesson, I'll help you navigate the large body of Western music literature from many countries, eras, and styles, from Classical to Pop to Rock and (to a point) Jazz. You/your child will learn the best techniques and practices handed down to us by the great composers, pedagogues, and performers, past and present. My students learn not just technique, but also music theory, form, style, history, and ear training. This enables students to play many different types of music.

I believe in the healing powers of music and the science of how learning an instrument positively affects the brain.

In fact, I was very interested in this in graduate school, did a major project and various papers on it, and have made it a personal and ongoing study ever since. I am not trained specifically for teaching exceptional learners, but because of my experience and interest, I was given all the exceptional students during my time teaching in the NAU Suzuki teacher training program and in the university’s prep school where I also taught.

You should hire me because, whatever your musical goals, I tailor lessons, assignments, and selection of music to each individual's learning style and strategies. I teach in the way each student learns best, from the youngest to the less-young students, ages 3 to 80+.

Plus, I LOVE teaching! It's more rewarding than anything I've done or imagined doing. I endeavor in every lesson to teach with patience, empathy, and joy, while teaching you how to practice effectively, make consistent and meaningful progress, and to have fun doing it!

To do all that, it takes the trained "ear" and individual expertise, evaluation, advice, and counseling of a sensitive and astute teacher. The presence of a trained "third ear" changes and enhances how we hear. This element can’t be acquired solely from online videos and randomly selected methods and books. So, if you've tried this on your won and now you're stuck...well, contact me!!

My experience and training have taught me that many approaches to teaching and learning can lead to the same results: excellence in playing, good musicianship, a solid knowledge of music theory, history, and literature. My music students also increase their concentration, focus, and self-discipline skills. Most find this rewarding and enjoyable. So, I don't push everyone into one favorite method. Instead, I develop individualized programs depending on the student's age, goals, experience, learning styles, strategies, strengths, and needs. I choose from several different method series and books and create tailored individual assignments and resources that best fit and "speak" to each student.

As my student, you or your child can trust me to:

1. Have a good “ear" and excellent musical sensibilities

2. Have a thorough knowledge of music history, theory, form, and style.

3. Evaluate your playing and guide your musical and technical development with clear and meaningful instructions.

4.Know and impart the correct techniques for playing anything with ease and without tension.

5. Assure that you make constant improvement without developing playing injuries.

6. Teach you how to practice effectively and efficiently -- the key to everything.

7. Develop the right plan for progress and choose the right pieces and exercises to ensure you'll enjoy your practice and become the best musician you can be at every step.

8. Teach you how to perform (if you desire to).

9. Keep up with and incorporate the latest science of music, learning, memory, performance, practice, comprehension, and more.

And,

10. Present all the above constructively, with patience, humor, and joy.

Studio Environment

Lessons are taught on my Yamaha G2 Studio Grand in a warm, inviting space surrounded by seven bookcases of resources — over 50 music theory treatises and textbooks, and as many composer biographies, and even more music period texts. I still have my library-within-a-library that is, the 15-volume International Library of Piano Music (1968), which I grew up using and that holds much of the standard teaching literature for piano by period and in graded levels.

I more recently purchased the complete 20-volume New Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980, ed. Stanley Sadie) in paperback, and the 5-volume 1947 3rd Edition Grove’s (with prefaces from the first two editions). I have years of Pianist, The Strad, Music Teacher, and Music magazines, and The Great Courses’ How to Listen to Great Music and How to Listen to and Understand Opera. Of course there are multiple language dictionaries, and much more. My collections of piano and violin literature are robust and also include most of the technique and etude volumes every student of music must at least attempt to conquer in the long course of their studies. Much of my music still contains the penciled directions and markings of many of my teachers. To me, that’s priceless.

Students learn in an inspiring environment that is also filled with art, antiques, objets d’art, de nature, et de curiosité  (objects of art, nature, and curiosities), along with all the teaching materials and props I use to teach—all of which encourage creativity.

[NOTE: I teach from my home. I'm phasing out travel and no longer teach online. If you're contacting me from Las Vegas, Moriarty, Socorro, Los Lunas, Belen, Corrales, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Placitas, Los Ranchos, the West Side, The Communities, East Mountains, or elsewhere out of the Metroplex, be sure you consider travel time. I have students from all these areas because having THE RIGHT teacher is always worth the travel. And I guarantee that you will always receive more than your money's worth.

I appreciate your consideration and promise you won't be disappointed!