Candace Leigh Miller

I am a professional piano and voice teacher with over 25 years of performance, teaching, and cultivating musical capability in students of all ages. I currently teach privately and online and guide students in establishing good technique, musicality, and confidence—regardless of whether students study music solely for personal enjoyment or to qualify them for auditions, performance, and professional careers. I am a customized, patient, and motivating pedagogue who incorporates systematic musical training and creativity and practical performance experience from real-word performance situations.

My musical life started early in life with me learning piano in the fifth grade and voice at age eight. Thereafter, I earned my Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 2005 from Coker University where I was also continuously on the Dean's List and in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. At Coker, I had the opportunity to sing and tour extensively with the Coker Singers and was part of some unforgettable events in New York City, such as Carnegie Hall, Washington D.C. at the U.S. Capitol building, New Orleans, Louisiana, Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Charleston, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Aside from my college degree, I also gained performance experience singing during festivals, weddings, pageants, reunions, and religious events in professional and volunteer capacities within communities. I have also performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus and with the Charleston Barbershop Singers and have played piano in a few local churches. I have also taught under the umbrella of various arts and music organizations, including the Marion School of Music, and privately and through online teaching. In a few instances, I have traveled to students or convened in other locations in an effort to make learning convenient. My teaching philosophy centers on assisting each student to realize that distinctive musical voice that comes from a combined and appropriate blending of proper technique, theory, and interpretation. I aim to create lessons both educational and inspirational and enjoyable, in the hopes that students may then have the confidence to share with others.

I organize teaching to meet the unique needs of each individual through an awareness of learning style, physical characteristics, attention span, personality, age, experience, and aims. I also begin consultation before commencement of teaching to gain an insight into your background, achievements, and areas to be improved. My teaching is characterized by encouragement, support, and enjoyment to assist students to gain confidence, creativity, and musical expression.

I also consult voice majors on proper stance, breathing, body warm-ups, vocalizations, articulation, pronunciation, enunciation, and stage performance techniques. I also instruct on performance anxiety management and audition/recital performance.

For my piano students, I aim to establish proper technique and strong basics, but also make lessons fun by introducing repertoire the student enjoys. I stress proper technique, rhythm, ear training, and sight-reading, always adjusted to the individual's level and learning capabilities.

Regardless of whether I teach beginners or more advanced students, I aim to provide an encouraging and inspiring atmosphere where each student can improve musically, communicate confidently, and find the learning process enjoyable.