Piano

Piano is perhaps the most intuitive instrument I teach. Unlike stringed instruments that have many repeating pitches and initially unclear musical intervals, the piano is very linear. There is only one place to find each note and notes proceed up chromatically from left to right. Also unlike stringed instruments, the piano does not require any initial struggle to produce a clear sound. Just depress a key with your finger and there it is! For these reasons, I often recommend piano lessons for younger students who may struggle with the physical demands of a stringed instrument and also to music students seeking a better understanding of music theory. However, I think that Piano can be rewarding and fun for any student or musician! Because of its long written tradition, I often stress reading music more than I do with some of the other instruments I teach. By working through piano method books together with students, we will learn familiar melodies while also developing fundamental skills in technique, Rhythm, Harmony and Sight Reading. In addition, I encourage students to bring in popular music that they have interest in to potentially work into our lessons along with the more traditional written repertoire. I am currently offering lessons to Beginner students of all ages!

Evan’s experience learning the piano:

I began studying piano in 2013 with noted Detroit jazz and classical pianist Mick Dobday. I studied with Mick for about two years before going to college to pursue my jazz guitar degree. While in school I further expanded my knowledge by taking two semesters of jazz piano with Ann Arbor jazz pianist Professor Ellen Rowe, as well as two semesters of beginning classical piano required for all music majors.  I performed almost all the piano and keys tracks on my debut solo record Don’t Cry, one of my first times playing piano in a professional setting. Since then I have also contributed some piano to studio recordings by Little Champion. This broad background has given me the skills and knowledge necessary to begin giving budding musicians their start on piano.