Michael Shiragawa

     My musical journey began in 4th grade when my school took a trip to hear the Seattle Symphony perform Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." I remember the excitement of getting dressed up to go sit in Beneroya Hall. Even though we were in the back of the balcony, I hung on to every single note that was performed. "Peter and the Wolf" allows for each instrument and family to shine while the narrator tells the charming story of a boy named Peter, the friends he makes, and his search for a big bad wolf. From that moment on, I wanted to learn everything that I could about music and share it with the world. 

     Following that experience, I began playing the clarinet in band. While I enjoyed the clarinet, in sixth grade I began learning the piano in order to help out in my church. I set the clarinet aside temporarily to dive head first into my piano studies. I enjoyed the piano so much more that I began pursuing it with a voracious appetite. Throughout high school, I began teaching myself different woodwind instruments and began to explore string instruments as well. 

          After completing high school, it was made clear that music was meant to be my career. I received my undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.S.) degrees in Music Education (keyboard emphasis) from Pensacola Christian College in 2013 and 2015, respectively. After teaching in a school for a few of years, I realized how much more there was still to learn about music and music education. In August of 2020, I completed my Masters of Music Education degree (M.M.E.) from Bob Jones University.

I have been freelancing as a private teacher and accompanist for over 15 years. I have played at many weddings, evening events, and church functions. I have also taught over 200 private music lessons to a variety of ages and skill levels. I adapt each lesson to the student's individual needs. Each student's goals are taken into account as well.