I have played piano for most of my life.  I grew up in a home where I was taught to love music, and found that I loved figuring out how music worked through piano lessons. I decided to become a piano teacher so I could share the pleasure of learning an instrument with others, and to show how one can use these skills to make music they  love.  Fifteen years into my teaching career, the pandemic changed how I teach.  I had no choice but to continue teaching piano online, and I was pleasantly surprised at the new opportunities it brought.  I now have students in multiple states, students and families from all over the world come together at Zoom recitals and lessons online have sparked new creativity in the activities I include in lessons.

 

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Minnesota at Duluth, and a master's degree in the same from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  I have always known I wanted to teach, and have been lucky to enrich my life and career with a lot of education on the topic.  After my studies in piano pedagogy, I earned Master of Arts in the Study of the Beatles, Popular Music and Society from Liverpool Hope University.  Although I am a mostly classically trained pianist, popular music has always been a central inspiration in my own pursuits.  My time studying in Liverpool enhanced my passion for the importance of popular music in all of our lives, and it gave me a new perspective on music education.

 

My goal as a piano teacher is to help my students develop the benefits of confidence, self-discipline and finding a means of expression; but most of all I want to see them enjoy their piano lessons. I strive to provide the student with a balance of technique, ear training and music theory through a variety of activities and repertoire. I also feel it is important for students to explore creativity through improvisation and composition.  I strive to maintain this balance with each of my students by staying in touch with their goals and doing whatever I can to help the student achieve them. I hope to create independent musicians in each of my students, so they may develop a skill that brings a lifetime of enjoyment!