About me
My background
The first half of my life was spent in California. I grew up in Ceres, part of the Central Valley region of Northern California. My childhood piano teacher, Patricia Hambric, was an Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) member and enrolled me in the Certificate of Merit exams and community piano recitals held at Modesto Junior College.
I went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts from UC San Diego in 2004, studying with Stefani Walens. I then obtained a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Northwestern University, studying with Dr. Marcia Bosits, the former director of Piano Pedagogy.
Since graduating with my graduate degree, I have resided in the Chicago area where I teach private piano lessons at Northwestern Music Academy as well as my small private home studio. I’m a former faculty member at the Music Institute of Chicago (2006-2023).
I remain active in administrative roles with the North Shore chapter of the Music Teachers National Association (NSMTA) as well as Northwestern Music Academy as their registration and billing administrator.
I currently live in Glenview, Illinois with my husband, Jason and two kids (Simone and Derek). We are city transplants, having lived in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago for about 15 years before moving to the suburbs during the pandemic. My kids also take piano lessons, though with different teachers, not with me :)
Experience
With over 25 years of teaching experience, I have had the privilege of working with students of all ages, from early childhood (Kindermusik) to adult learners. This extensive background has allowed me to develop a versatile teaching style that adapts to students’ diverse learning needs.
Over the years, I have made deep connections with my students, often working with them starting at a very young age and seeing them graduate high school (always a bittersweet goodbye). Some have returned to lessons with me, even while in college/graduate school!
My teaching approach
My approach centers on fostering a positive learning environment and helping the student develop a strong connection to music. Understanding individual strengths and areas for growth enables me to tailor instruction that meets each learner's unique needs.
I encourage hard work and long term goals; and I work closely with my students to get them across the finish line.
Teaching curriculum
I am a Classically trained pianist; therefore, my teaching focus is centered around the traditional method of note reading. In my studio, we usually begin with the Faber Piano Adventures series and eventually work our way into supplementing the method books with Classical works. We also incorporate workbooks, flashcards, music theory apps, and any other modalities that ensure that the students are actively engaged in the learning process.
As students approach their 2nd year and beyond, we start to supplement the method books with Classical books, spanning repertoire from the major historical periods and prominent composers.
Each year, I enroll all my students in Achievement in Music exams. AIM is a state assessment program written by the Illinois State Music teachers Association, designed to develop students’ theory, performance and technical skills. There are 12 levels each with advancing difficulty, and students take one level per year. At the exam, students are adjudicated by a teacher other than myself. The AIM curriculum is directly integrated into our lessons.
Performance opportunities
Recitals are a valuable part of the lesson experience, as they give students goals to work towards and challenges students to perform in front of an audience. I hold two studio recitals per year; one in Dec/Jan and the other in May/June. My students have had the opportunity to perform at notable venues such as Nichols Hall on the Music Institute of Chicago Evanston campus, Dickinson Hall on the Music Institute of Chicago, Lake Forest campus, and most recently Lutkin hall, on the Northwestern University campus.
Students also have opportunities to compete in the annual NSMTA Sonata-Sonatina Festival, among other festivals and competitions (if interested).
I always encourage my piano students to perform at their schools and to participate in collaborative piano (whether duets or chamber music) whenever possible. Because I also played clarinet through high school and college, I also highly encourage students to pick up a secondary instrument and take band or orchestra to even further enhance their music education.