Getting to Know You
“Getting to Know You”
Ah, the King and I. Its iconic song, “Getting to Know You”, serves as the perfect title to my first “official” blog post. I want you to get to know me – my history, my philosophy, my influences. Music has always been part of my family. My paternal grandfather played guitar and sang in a folk group called the Lite Side. My maternal grandmother played the piano and organ and my maternal grandfather played the tuba. My mom played the flute and my dad played guitar and sang. As a family, we were always singing, whether it was in the car or around the table. Music was life.
When I was seven years old, my grandparents bought our family a piano. This gift continued the family legacy. I took piano lessons from second grade up to my 1st semester in college. Because of piano lessons, I had the opportunity to serve as accompanists for individuals, choirs, and church services. My brother and sister were also set on a musical journey. My brother’s led him to orchestras, marching band, and leads in the high school musicals. My sister was prolific in her piano playing. She was (and is) an in-demand accompanist, elementary music teacher, piano teacher, and award winning performer.
Not only did I enjoy playing the piano, but I loved a variety of musical expressions. I sang in church choirs, church musicals, school choirs, county choirs, show choirs, touring choirs and high school musicals. I started voice lessons in middle school and then in high school, I was blessed with the opportunity to take lessons with a nationally recognized voice teacher. I, along with my parents, joined a hand bell choir with members of the USMA Army band. For four years in college, I participated in the percussion section of the concert band. While I focused mostly on the tuned percussion instruments (vibraphone, marimba, chimes, etc.), I was exposed to the non-tuned instruments (snare, bass, cymbals, etc.). Dance also became a passion. Along with lessons, I danced my way through show choirs, musicals, dance troupes, worship dance teams, and a kickline in marching band. I started swing dancing in college and it was through swing dancing that I met my husband (married now for 10 years).
As an Army brat, I moved around a lot as a child, so I had the opportunity to learn from a wide variety of piano teachers, I had 6 piano teachers, in fact. While changing piano teachers every 2 to 3 years has some disadvantages (mainly the disruption of a sequential and consistent order to my progression), it has provided a lot of advantages as well, learning things I want to do and things I want to avoid. Other than the actual piano playing and note reading, it was the love of music and the warmth of the teacher during the lesson that most shaped me as a student and now as a teacher.
In high school, I had the privilege of taking private voice lessons for 2 years with Joan Boytim, a nationally recognized American expert in training the young voice. Most of my vocal studio content and sequence of skills was learned from her. I almost exclusively use her books in my studio as well.
I began teaching private voice lessons in 2009. I took on my first voice student a few years after that. I have taught a wide range of ages and levels – beginners, youth and adults, intermediate and advanced. I have also worked with students with special needs, including ADHD and blindness.
Especially compared to my siblings, I would not be considered “successful” in the world of music. I never won much in terms of competitions or got a degree in music. But rather, I achieved confidence, community, a specific skill set, discipline, an outlet, and the ability to express myself in a wide variety of ways.
It is due to all these influences; my family legacy, my personal history, my teachers, and my experiences and opportunities that I want pass on those experiences and disciplines to other students.
Thus, it is my goal and desire
1. That every student, young and old, has access to a quality music education (A quality education includes a strong foundation of skills, developing strong habits of discipline and hard work, and trying hard things like memorizing and performing in front of people)
2. That every student feels safe to learn, explore, make mistakes, and fall in love with music.
3. To help families give the gift of music to their children, creating or continuing a musical legacy
4. To build a community that enjoys live music together and supports each other in their musical journey and growth
