I have been teaching music professionally in my home studio since 1991. It is not greed, luck, or trickery which has maintained a steady flow of students for so long with only word-of-mouth advertising. I am doing what I love, and I love what I do. As an instructor and as a performing artist, I have followed a similar path to that of the Romantic Era pianist, Frederic Chopin. Chopin, one of my personal musical heroes, was extremely devoted to his own self-improvement as a musician while remaining equally devoted to his students. He continually worked at ways to better impart the art form of music to them. Chopin abhorred grandiose public performances, preferring the intimacy of smaller settings, and even the company of his students to that of any large audience. I have all of this in common with Chopin, and it directly affects the approach I take towards my students.
My lesson rates are affordable so that everyone who is interested can receive quality music lessons for as long as they care to study. My students range from young beginners, to the most serious-minded musicians of all ages, to adults simply looking for recreation and relaxation. I view my students as I view myself. We are living works of art to be cultivated, nurtured, supported, and offered to the world for its betterment and beauty. I honestly receive more personal satisfaction seeing my students leave a lesson filled with joy, and the knowledge that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to, than any personal compliment or round of applause could ever bring me.
Don't misunderstand me. I love to perform live, and I love going into the studio with new projects. Our goal as musicians is of course, to create music that will uplift and, at the very least, stir people's souls. As musicians, we are definitely called to share our gifts with the world. We are not, however, called to ladder-climb and compete for personal glory. The artist must strive to achieve personal greatness, and that greatness is measured differently in each individual person.
