It has been my privilege to teach hundreds of students to learn to play the piano and to explore the rich and emotionally satisfying world of music. Music nourishes the deeper parts of our souls and studying the piano is a wonderful access to music and discovering the thrill of “expressing music with your own two hands.” Many scientific studies confirm what we music teachers have observed for many years which is that the study of music develops the brain in ways that other disciplines do not. Studying the piano combines motor skills, reasoning skills, emotional development, and memorization skills to name but a few. In my studio students will find a safe, supportive and challenging environment where they will be able to learn and develop their skills and interests. I am a classically trained pianist, thus my first love, so to speak, is the classical repertoire and I am excited to introduce and challenge students with this amazing body of literature. However, I also realize that there is more than just the art music of Western Europe. I love teaching jazz pieces, rag time, blues and other more popular styles. I think the key to incorporating these styles into a student’s musical diet is to find pieces that are written in these different styles but are still well-crafted and of good musical quality. We are fortunate in this era to have such a wealth of material available and I spend time finding music that will excite and motivate each student.

I hold a Masters Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Redlands, CA where I studied under Louanne Fuchs Long.  Since then I  have continued my musical growth through the ongoing study with master teachers such as Roy Bogas, Mack McCray, Hans Boepple, and William Wellborn. I am a member of the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC), the National Music Teachers Association (MTNA), the Berkeley Piano Club, and the Performing Arts Society. I perform regularly in both the Berkeley Piano Club and Performing Arts Society and students in my studio are given many opportunities for performance in both competitive and non-competitive environments. These include Certificate of Merit, Royal Conservatory of Music, Sonata Contest, Baroque Festival and playing at Senior Centers. My students are competitive in these events, regularly placing in the top positions.

For information on how to reach me, please see my contact page.