I am a NYS certified Music teacher who has been teaching in the school system for over 25 years. I hold both my BM and MA degree in Music Education, and Jazz guitar was my major instrument in college. My focus is to teach techniques, skills and concepts for life-long learning. I am currently available to teach Guitar, Music Theory and Beginner Piano. Aside from teaching private guitar and piano lessons and teaching General music and Chorus in school, I perform and accompany singers as a guitarist in churches on Long Island. For your added security, I've been VIRTUS trained with the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre and fingerprinted with the NYS Education department. My system of guitar training includes: * Right hand and Left hand technical exercises geared towards developing coordination and confidence; *work in music reading of standard music notation and TAB; * Fretboard navigation, pick-control and fingerstyle techniques. * Song repertoire knowledge and memorization *Solo guitar interpretation of popular songs as well as accompaniment styles appropriate for backing your or another's voice; *Ear-training and Music theory is incorporated into each lesson. NYSSMA preparation is available for both Classical and Jazz auditions. Piano lessons are available with concentration in proper hand mechanics and technique, theory, ear-training and music reading. NYSSMA preparation up through level 4 is available. *** Lesson Details *** My guitar lessons follow a structured format. I begin with technical exercises for both the picking/strumming hand and the fretting hand, leading to good sound production. As students learn to achieve well-balanced tones, they learn to apply that to the written page using standard music notation and the TAB system. From single notes, students learn to build harmony, (chords), from 2 notes, to 3, and thereafter, 4. Song repertoire is built from a variety of sources including published method books. Memorization of song repertoire is stressed. After the student has learned the notes and scales in the first position as well as the associated chords, he/she can learn songs of his/her choosing from the Folk, Pop, Classical and Jazz repertoire that is appropriate to his/her current level. Piano method books used include the Dozen-A-Day and Hanon technique exercises as well as the Schaum and Michael Aaron method book series'. NYSSMA training/coaching is available for both piano and guitar with suitable training beginning a least a year before the NYSSMA audition is to take place. The Guitar student should have a good quality guitar, (steel strings, nylon strings, or steel-string electric) professionally set-up with light-gauged strings (for the beginners), a strap, a music stand, and time and space in the home in order to encourage a daily routine of practice. The Piano student should have daily access to a piano or keyboard instrument with weighted keys in order to be able to practice lesson material daily. For young students, a practice chart is given where a student is to mark his/her practice time in order for progress to be made. *** Studio Equipment *** I have a dedicated room in my home that is set up for private practice and teaching. It has an electronic piano, folding chairs, a music stand and guitar amplifiers and cables. *** Travel Equipment *** I bring an acoustic guitar with me to all out-going lessons so that I can play along with the student and demonstrate techniques as necessary. I bring extra blank sheets of music writing paper, fret board diagrams, and study sheets, as well as extra copies of the books I use most frequently. I can purchase books/materials for the student, with the student's or parent/guardian's reimbursement, or the student may purchase materials on their own. *** Specialties *** Pick-style and finger-style guitar, both acoustic and electric; music reading, music theory; re-harmonization and arrangement techniques to make a song your own!