Teaching and Me

 

I’m a native-Italian pianist, based in the NY-NJ area since 1993. My teaching background consists, predominantly, of Classical and Jazz piano. Teaching is the vehicle in which I have chosen to engage with the world in a meaningful way.  Outside of the act of creating music itself, teaching is my life. 

 

It was in Italy, at the age of seventeen, where I took on my first student-- a seven-year-old, beginner. That was the beginning of a process that became the lens through which I see myself in others; through which their success becomes my success. 

 

For over 30 years, I have had the great privilege of educating a vast number of individuals—from ‘the basics’ to 'complex music analysis and performance.’ From the 4-year-old, unable to read words yet capable of mustering the necessary skill to begin reading music; to the teenager, fired-up by fearless, creative enthusiasm; to the middle-aged professionals, whose dream was to play the piano but never quite got to it; or to the retiree, realizing it’s never too late to revive the flame of a musical life previously interrupted-- I have helped a multitude of diverse music lovers begin and/or improve their relationship to the piano. I have introduced the wonders and joy of creative piano playing to many individuals who had never before dared to produce a single note of their own.  My younger students tend to develop an appreciation for music that carries into their adult lives—some of them continue on to be music professionals, others simply realize that life is better with music. 

 

To me there is no greater gift than to be the facilitator of this process.

 

 About Skype lessons

 

Being of the world we live in, I recognize that there are circumstances that make in-person lessons difficult--even impossible. Fortunately the world we live in is also a world of advanced technology, allowing for high-quality exchanges of information over a distance. This high-quality exchange makes it possible to learn a musical instrument remotely—so why not use it?

 

Are Skype lessons for everyone?

 

In my opinion, skype lessons are not suitable for very young beginners.  Young beginners require close monitoring and physical instruction for their hands to perform efficiently. Remote lessons can not do that. 

But…if you’ve crossed that first hump, you’re on board!

 

What do I need?

 

• You need a piano, of course. Acoustic or digital, or If you haven’t yet committed to a piano a small 61-key keyboard can do the trick for a while.
• You will also need a computer, iPad or even a quality smart phone. The more you add to your set up the smoother things will go. However, while some of my students have a somewhat professional set up, some just use their phone.
• Last, you will need a stable Internet connection. Wi-fi connections can be tricky because even if your signal is strong it can fluctuate causing interruptions.  If you have a chance to hook your device to an ethernet cable that can give the connection stability even if the signal isn’t that strong. A weak Internet connection can slow things down too much, making the lesson lack coherence (though that happens rarely these days). A strong Internet connection and  some gear (a webcam and an external mic) will make you forget you’re even on-line.

 

To maximize quality I use an external mic and two cameras (side and top) but you don’t have to.

 

 Pros and Cons of Skype lessons 

The cons -

• The warmth and the physical components of an in-person exchange, between teacher-and-student, are diminished--and there is no denying said value.
• Internet connections can get fuzzy here and there, but never in a way that ultimately impedes the flow of the lesson. I have mostly clear images and audio.

The pros - 

• You can be literally anywhere in the world and get a piano lesson.
• You don’t have leave the house.  No commuting or getting stuck in traffic. 
• You can get a real-time video record of your lesson to keep as an aid to practice…and trust me it helps.
• It allows for a more flexible schedule. Because we both don’t have to travel to a location it’s easier to move lessons up and down the day or even to reschedule if necessary.
• No switching places at the piano when a demonstration is needed. This improves flow and concentration on the task at hand.
• Last but no least: it’s cheaper. If you live in or around a big metropolitan area you know that quality piano lessons cost upward of $80/hr and a half hr will cost you more than half the price.

 

If all this sounds interesting to you the next thing you’d want to know is how much these lessons will cost...

 

Rates

 

30 min. lessons: $30/hr

45 min. lessons: 45/hr

60 min. lessons: 60/hr

First lesson FREE.

 

What do I do next?

 

You contact me for a first FREE lesson/consultation and then decide if it’s for you. After that you can simply click on any of the three options on the side, and we can start!