The singing piano teacher?
Yes, I sing during piano lessons! Voice is our first instrument and one I regularly use in my teaching. I sing when a student is playing a song with lyrics, but I also sing to convey musical ideas. I sing along to show the importance of holding a steady tempo. I also sing to demonstrate musical concepts such as dynamics, articulation, or to indicate a note that needs correcting. For me, singing is a direct way to express musical ideas to students at the piano.
The very beginning
I have always loved making music! I remember teaching myself to play songs from a children's beginning piano book well before I began to study piano with a teacher. As a Kindergartener, I won a blue ribbon singing in an elementary school talent show, and I learned to sing rounds from a children's TV show on PBS. My mother taught me my first songs to play on the piano.
Music in my youth - ballet to Boston
I studied piano and voice throughout my youth, and my interest and skills grew. As a teenager, I arranged and composed songs for piano. I engaged with music through a decade of dance instruction (ballet, tap, and jazz). I learned to play multiple instruments through my school's band program, and I served as drum major of my high school marching band. I sang lead roles in musical theater productions (high school and college). At the University of Tennessee, I directed a choir of peers at the Wesley Foundation, played trombone in the marching band, and sang professionally as lead singer of a jazz combo. As an adult living in the Boston area, I sang with several acclaimed choirs (including Cantata Singers and Tanglewood Festival Chorus), and I completed a bachelor's degree in vocal performance at UMass, Lowell.
Becoming a music teacher
In 1998, after moving to Charlottesville with my husband and our 3-month old baby, I began singing with the Virginia Consort and studying piano with Pat Davis. In 2010, I became a licensed music teacher (choral/general, K-12) after completing coursework at Mary Baldwin College and student teaching at Baker-Butler Elementary and Monticello HS. I taught elementary music and middle school choir at the Charlottesville Waldorf School for the next seven years. I also served two years as piano accompanist for the Village School choir. My professional development includes Orff-Schulwerk Levels I and II and workshops through the James River Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
A musical mom
I have a son and daughter (now grown) who studied music and were involved in Charlottesville music organizations. I was my children's first piano teacher, then Ruth Barolsky (retired piano instructor at UVA) taught them for many years. My son played percussion in the Charlottesville High School (CHS) band and my daughter played violin in CHS's award-winning string ensemble. Both participated in All-State level music ensembles, CHS choir, student-led a cappella groups, and YOCVA (Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia), my daughter serving as concertmaster her final year. In addition to being involved in my children's activities (musical and otherwise), I volunteered to lead children's activities with Children Youth and Family Services (now ReadyKids), at C-Street cooperative preschool, at church, and as a cub scout leader.
Current music study and practice
I enjoy singing and playing piano regularly. I study piano with Kelly Gross (UVA piano faculty) and gave my first solo piano recital for friends in September 2019. I sing in the choir at Westminster Presbyterian Church and occasionally sing solos/duets for church and the Wednesday Music Club. In August 2019, I had the privilege of singing in Oxford England at Christ Church Cathedral with Zephyrus, a Charlottesville early music vocal ensemble serving as "choir in residence" for a week.
Music administration
I am involved with the administration of several music organizations in Charlottesville. I have served multiple terms on the boards of the Wednesday Music Club (past-president) and the Westminster Organ Concert Series (past-president), and I currently serve on the board of Early Music Access Project (as president). I am also an active member of the Charlottesville Music Teachers Association. I served the UVA Music Department as Volunteer Coordinator September 2017 - April 2019 and was employed by the Charlottesville Symphony from February - July 2019 to provide temporary administrative assistance.
Add it all up
So, the bottom line is that I bring a lifetime of experience with music and children to my piano teaching studio, and I am well-connected to other musicians in the Charlottesville community. I am delighted to journey with my students as they pursue their own musical path. I have been teaching elementary-level piano lessons for about 15 years, and I truly love it! It gives me great pleasure to the plant seeds of musicianship that I know will grow and blossom for years to come.