Pisano Piano Studio

With beginning piano students I focus first on getting physically acquainted with the keyboard itself and basic body alignment, in order to establish habits of efficient, tension-free movement from the outset. We also address positive mindset--briefly, but continually from the very beginning--because of its enormous impact on the body-mind connection, skill development, and the overall quality of the student's experience. In the very first lesson students begin working on a simple tune that they already recognize by ear, so that they leave able to play something they couldn't play when they got there. In some cases I send home a printed version of the tune in a very simplified, intuitive pre-notation to practice with. Within a couple of weeks we begin with adult method books like the Alfred Adult Beginner book. Unlike the method books, however, in order to habituate students to covering a lot of "territory" early on I like to begin two-octave major scales as soon as possible. Adult beginning students seem better equipped than children both to take on this challenge and to perceive the benefits of it. As soon as students are able we incorporate ear training, sight singing, and theory, using the same pieces that they're learning to play. I also devote a lot of time to demonstrating practice techniques that, while requiring patience and concentration, develop highly economical usage of the physical mechanism and ultimately accelerate both the process of mastering performance pieces and the development of overall technique.

B.M. Music/Piano Performance, Utah State Univ. M.M./D.M.A., College-Conservatory of Music, Univ. of Cincinnati Faculty positions at Kenyon College, Iowa State Univ., Univ. of Utah

$45/45 min., $60/hr. --DISCOUNTS for monthly prepayment: $40/45 min., $50/hr. --Students are "grandfathered in" at initial rates. Rate increases do not affect existing students.

As an undergraduate piano major through the USU Youth Conservatory (pedagogy lab).