Upper Hutt
Piano Lessons | Keyboard Lessons | Artist development, Theory Lessons, Composition Lessons, Jazz Improvisation Lessons, NCEA Music Tutoring
Bio
Kia ora, I have been teaching piano casually for the past 4 years, while studying in Dunedin. I really enjoyed it, so since moving back to Upper Hutt, I’m looking to get more involved in teaching.
I have been playing the piano for longer than I remember thanks to my mum! I was trained classically, and achieved my Trinity grade 8 certificate with distinction. During my time at college I became very interested in jazz, so after I moved to Dunedin to study at Otago, I started taking jazz piano lessons, and got involved in the local jazz scene.
I started the Otago University Jazz Club, and hosted a weekly jazz jam in town for other young jazz musicians to give things a go and listen to some cool live music in a safe environment. I also started teaching piano lessons while I wasn’t studying (it was an excuse not to study, let’s be honest). Playing the piano is a big part of my life, and I’d really like to spread the joy to others!
Teaching Info
If you’re interested in taking exams, I’m happy to teach you through that process, but I usually wouldn’t start by focusing on exams. I think the most important step of learning music is finding what you’re really interested in. Sometimes that can take a while, but once a student finds a real passion for something, I find the student “takes off” and I have to hardly do anything.
Once someone is passionate about their music, I help guide them through how something is played, teach them the technical skills (which is surprisingly easy once the passion is there), and provide them with new material at the right level to push them further.
Some students find the pressure of deadlines and exams really helpful to get them to practice, others find it a waste of time, so I tailor how I teach to each student. Either way my main goal is to find where the passion lies, so practicing becomes a hobby, not a chore!