Sarah Marie

When it comes to teaching piano I first establish wether the student has any prior background and knowledge in the instrument and during our first meeting we take a few minutes to set up some tangible goals together. 

For beginner students I love using the Faber Piano Adventures books and sometimes the Bastien books too depending on what the student seems to like better and their learning style. I typically use the Lesson books as well as the Theory books from this series but for very fast learners I also supplement this with pieces from the Performance books in each corresponding level. For children who are starting off their piano journey I would start with the books from the Primer level. For teens and young adults who are just beginning or who have some basic music knowledge I like to use the Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures series which has a quicker pace and is tailored for this type of student. For Adult learners I like to use the Faber Adult Piano Adventures books or Alfred's All In One Adult Piano book. As the student progresses I like to supplement with exercises and pieces from Hannon, pop/ movie songs, classical pieces and other things that the student has interest in. 

For Intermediate and advanced students the structure of the lesson is very flexible. Some students like to work on reading chord symbols and lead sheet charts for pop or jazz or movie soundtrack songs while others prefer working on classical pieces. All are welcome in the classroom. For the more contemporary piano player I like to go beyond just reading charts, in which case we can work on improvisation techniques, chord structures and inversion techniques supplemented with technical exercises as well as contemporary music theory and ear training. 

When it comes to teaching voice I first establish weather the student has any prior background and knowledge in singing and during our first meeting we take a few minutes to set up some tangible goals together. My lesson structure typically consists of three main sections, although this is also flexible depending on the student's needs and goals. We first start off with breathing exercises that are tailored specifically for vocalists. Proper breathing technique is 50% of what makes a great singer and with the right breath control and support a lot can be achieved and unlocked. After this we move on to vocal warm ups which include several different exercises that target different areas within our voice. This section of the lesson is very specifically tailored for each student since every voice is different. We can work on opening up the vowels, annunciating, placement and much more. Following this we work on repertoire where we workshop at least one song and delve into aspects of interpretation, intonation, expression and delivery of a song. This section of the lesson brings everything together and it is where one can really see the results from breath work and tailored warm ups and technical exercises. Each student is encouraged to explore a repertoire that is meaningful to them. I work with singers of all levels and stylistic preferences. Although my personal vocal background is in Jazz and Contemporary music I also have experience working with singers who explore rock, country, Broadway and musical theatre singing. You get to choose your own path and I cannot wait to be there with you on this journey. 
 

When it comes to teaching ear training I use a variety of techniques through the Berklee College of Music method and resources. These exercises include interval and chord recognition, melodic and rhythmic sight reading, training in movable Do solfege that is also then used to identify notes in melodies and chords, transcription exercises and more. I also welcome questions and explorations in harmony and harmonic analysis along the way and I always make sure that we set the pace together so we can start from a place that is comfortable for you and move on step by step from there. For beginner ear training sessions we will start off by going deep into Major tonalities and the relationships that make music in major keys. For more intermediate - advanced students we also delve into minor and modal music as well that can also lead to atonal ear training for the very advanced student. These skills can be applied to any style of music and are especially useful for contemporary and jazz musicians. These lessons are also suitable for students of any age and instrumental level and the delivery of these concepts will be tailored to each individual's strengths, curiosities and needs. 

For other topics such as music theory, composition, music production, Sibelius and more I also tailor specific methodology according to the students's interests and needs, while using specific professional resources along the way. Please feel free to ask more about this during a free 15 min meeting with me.

I believe that in the music studio, both mentor and mentee have an equal role. I truly value what every individual can bring into the classroom and I love learning from my students and finding new ways of teaching and relating. I strive to create a flexible environment with inclusivity at its core, in which there is a space for everyone, irrelevant of social, racial, economic and personal background.