I’ve always had a deep interest in music. I began to study percussion and the drum set in elementary school and continued through college.  In middle school and high school, I played the drums in the marching band, jazz band, and concert bands. I also began to learn piano, guitar, and music theory through taking music classes.

As an undergraduate at Boston University, I studied piano, music theory, music history, ear training, and sight singing.  I also participated in various jazz ensembles.

After graduating from college in 2001, I continued to play and study music.  I played with various ensembles, practiced a lot, and took private lessons.  I also studied music theory and conducting at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

As I went deeper into music, I became captivated by the piano — I took private lessons in jazz and classical piano and in composition; I learned about piano tuning, repair, and design; and I studied various approaches to piano technique.

After taking piano lessons for a few years from a number of different teachers, I was very fortunate to meet and begin to study with world-class pianist and teacher Seymour Bernstein in New York City.

Seymour is a professor at New York University. He is the author of numerous music-related and teaching materials, including With Your Own Two Hands (1981) and 20 Lessons in Keyboard Choreography (1991). He is also the subject of the critically acclaimed 2014 documentary directed by Ethan Hawke, Seymour: An Introduction.

I have been studying with Seymour for about 10 years now.  I have learned so much from him about piano technique, the classical repertoire, interpreting written music, and piano playing in general. It’s always gratifying to pass along what I’ve learned from Seymour and my other teachers.

Additionally, I’m currently a member of the Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA), and an article I wrote about piano pedagogy was recently published by topmusic.co. The article can be found here: How to Include Jazz Modes in Beginning Piano Lessons.

If you’re interested in piano lessons in Westchester County, Beacon, or the surrounding areas, get in touch.