About Me:
My teaching philosophy includes the standard answer of most music instructors... building strong technique, theory, rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic understanding, and a strong musical repertoire. My first priority is to instill a love and enjoyment of music. Lessons and music should be fun, yes hard work, but fun. I want a half hour, or an hour or 45 minutes to go by and the student to not even realize it. I think there is a musician in everyone. We all have musical ability it's just a matter of tapping into it.

Styles:
Rock, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Folk, Heavy Metal, Classical, Musical Theatre, Pop, R&B, Celtic, Latin

Subjects:
Harmony, Theory, Ear Training, Songwriting, Arranging, Orchestration, Jazz Music History, Music Technology, Classical Music History, Rock Music History

Ages:
Elementary School, Pre-teen, Teenage, Adult

Availability:
I will teach in all of Manhattan, but generally teach in the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Hells Kitchen, Clinton, Chelsea, Grammercy, and The Lower East Side.

Major Influences:
My major influences range from Bach and Mozart to Chopin and Debussy, from Gershwin and Jelly Roll Morton to Chick Corea and Amahad Jamal, from James Taylor, Billy Joel, and Carol King to The Spinners, Bill Withers, & P. Funk, from The Beatles, The Who and Led Zepplin to U2, Hedwig and Outkast. As a musician and more importantly as a composer, I think it is vital to continue to listen and let music influence you.

Experience:

• The Browning School for Boys Encore Program, After School Music Faculty, Piano [2004 - Present]
• Brainwright teaching service, Piano, Voice, and Music technology instruction [2004 - 2005]
• Electronic Music Foundation, Music Technology and Music Composition instruction [2003 - 2003]
• Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Piano Instruction [1997 - 2000]
• Piano Academy, Piano and Music Composition Instruction [1997 - 2000]
• Private Teaching of Piano, Music Technology, Music Composition, Music Theory, and Audio Engineering [1993 - Present]

Education:

• Bachelor of Music Technology w/Concentration in Composition (BM ), Duquesne University School of Music [1995]

Studied With:

• Lorenzo Malfatti (Voice) [1992 - 2000]
• David Budway (Jazz and Classical Pianist) [1993 - 1999]

Awards:

• Sound Designer for Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmakers Award Winner "Being Reel" - Coca-Cola [2004]
• Innovative Theatre Award Nomanee for Best Production of a Musical - Innovative Theatre Awards [2004]

Recent Performances:

• Music Direction of Off b-way Musical "Expatriate" [July, 2008]
• Composition/Sound Design of Play "The Coffee Trees" [October, 2007]
• Composition/Sound Design/Music Direction of Play with music "Mail Order Bride" [April, 2006]

Discography:

• Cast Recording Demo - "The Paperback Musical" [2005]
• Xavier and Me (children's story CD) - "Xavier and Me: One and Three and Three and Three" [1996]

Scholarships:

• N.E.E.D. foundation Academic Scholarship [1991 - 1995]
• Duquesne University Academic Scholarship [1991 - 1995]