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GENERAL
INFORMATION
Our
teachers who teach one-on-one private lessons are private contractors.
We refer students to them, and they rent teaching space from us.
They all manage their own rates and schedules. When you call or
visit the music school office for a teacher referral, we will give
you one or two names and phone numbers. If the first teacher(s)
don't work out for scheduling or any other reasons, please ask us
again, as we have a number of instructors.
Most
lessons are given in our studios at the Piedmont Piano Company,
at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road. Some
of our teachers also teach at another location certain days.
If
you would like to be referred to one of the teachers you see here,
or you have questions, please call 510-652-1222 or email
oaklandharmonyroad@yahoo.com.
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PIANO
TEACHERS
(alphabetical order)
Julay
Brandenburg
Julay is a performing musician with experience in both classical
and traditional country music. Her background includes
24 years of classical piano training, short-term study of viola
da gamba, fiddle, and harpsichord, and several years of study
and performance as a country singer and guitarist. She
received her BA in music from Sarah Lawrence College. As a
teacher, Julay draws upon all aspects of her musical experience
to help her students develop into well-grounded, expressive musicians.
Lessons will include theory, ear training, technique, musicality,
and performance coaching for recitals. Tutorials are available
for those who wish to focus specifically on ear training or theory.
Julay offers guitar lessons as well. Visit her website at www.julaybrandenburgpianostudio.com.
MaryClare
Brzytwa
MaryClare Brzytwa is a flutist/composer/teacher
currently living in Oakland Ca. Her work explores the microtonal
sound structure of the flute and other wind objects and concentrates
on extending technique though, electronics, and vocalization. As
a teacher, Mary Clare's focus is to instill the fundamentals of
music and playing through extended techniques and improvisation
as well as traditional methods of solfege, rhythm training, and
notation. Ms. Brzytwa specializes in preschool musical development
by utilizing a multi instrumental approach to musical exploration
and preparation. Most important to her teaching is fostering a sense
of confidence and creative freedom in students of all ages. In addition
to her Music Composition BA studies at Mills College, MaryClare
also had 4 years of Psychology study at Cleveland State University.
Elisabeth
Commanday
Elisabeth
Commanday's warm soprano and generous stage presence have graced
stages from Parma, Italy to her native Oakland, CA. She recently
moved to Berkeley from New York City, where she earned an MA in
music from Hunter College. Operatic roles at Hunter ranged from
Monteverdi's Poppea to Anna Maurrant in Kurt Weill's Street Scene. She
sang the national anthem in Radio City Music Hall at Hunter's 2005
commencement exercises, upon invitation from the college president. In
demand for her expressive interpretation of new music, Commanday
has premiered works by Eric Moe, Bettina Sheppard, and Alan Smith.
Last year she helped to create Sheppard's score for the collaborative
musical Trumnovela at New York City's Barrow Street Theatre. She
recently debuted with the new music chamber ensemble Volti. Commanday
holds a BA in Comparative Literature from Swarthmore College, and
maintains a growing voice and piano studio in Berkeley. Visit Elisabeth's
website.
Kurt
Erickson
Kurt Erickson teaches students of all ages and abilities. Playing
the piano since age 6, his education includes a master’s degree
in piano performance from The University of Notre Dame. An active
composer, Kurt has written works for orchestra, ballet, choral ensembles,
plus works for film and television. He is currently serving as the
Composer in Residence at the National Shrine of Saint Francis of
Assissi.
Bruce
Fischer
Bruce has an M.M. degree with a major in piano and organ from the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has performed as
a soloist and in chamber ensembles. He taught piano and solfege
at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music (preparatory division) for
seven years. As a teacher, he encourages the abilities and inclinations
of individual students and emphasizes a well-rounded musical education.
Bruce offers instruction for Certificate of Merit.
Lisa
Goulder
A published songwriter, keyboardist, and vocalist, Lisa began her
musical training in classical piano. She majored in arranging and
composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston and later taught
for many years at The Blue Bear School of American Music. She has
performed as a keyboardist and vocalist all over the Bay Area in
jazz and rock bands including Dreamland and The Lisa Goulder Trio.
Lisa teaches private lessons in piano in classical & popular
styles, voice, theory, and songwriting. She also teaches rock workshops
and pop harmony vocal classes.
Kaye
Griffin
Kaye
began piano lessons at age 4 and studied classical piano throughout
her school years, competing at the state level while still in high
school. After earning her MA degree from University of Wisconsin,
she taught French, working with children of all ages and integrating
music into her curriculum at every opportunity. In recent years,
she also taught Montessori preschool and kindergarten classes, again
integrating music into the curriculum as often as possible. She
expended her own music studies to include violin, organ, classical
guitar and voice. She
also performed for many years with the Harmony Bay Sweet Adelines
Chorus. Since completing the basic and advanced Harmony Road teacher
training courses, she has taught Harmony Road music classes in addition
to offering private piano lessons for beginning students of all
ages. Kaye provides a well-rounded program of study that at the
same time encourages artistry and creativity in every student.
Marielle
V. Jakobsons
Completed Graduate studies from Mills College.
Ms. Jakobsons has performed music all but the first four years of
her life, studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music (Cleveland,
Ohio), and the Centre Creation Musicale Iannis Xenakis (Paris, France).
She has over seven years of experience teaching the violin and piano
to students of all ages. Her sound-based approach focuses on cultivating
creative interpretation and musical expression. This is complemented
by a technical study core designed towards the mastery of tone,
facility, and general musicianship. Repertory is flexible, and may
range from classical-based to more improvisatory musics as per our
common goals and you or your child's interests.
Dora
Jibitskaya
Dora began playing the piano at age five. She attended the St. Petersburg
Conservatory of Music, the Conservatory Music College and the Main
Conservatory in Russia. She graduated in 1972 with a diploma in
four categories: Soloist, Ensemble Play-ing, Teaching, and Accompanying.
Dora has given professional recitals as a soloist and has taught
master classes in Europe and America. She teaches students of all
ages in classical music.
Mary
Jean Kelsey
A graduate of Butler University, Mary Jean received degrees in piano
performance and music education. She earned her Masters of Music
from Northwestern University with a double emphasis on piano performance
and group teaching. An active recitalist, she was a member of Northwestern’s
Contemporary Touring Ensemble. She has taught on the piano faculties
of University of Michigan and UC Santa Cruz. She chaired the piano
pedegogy department at East Carolina University. Mary Jean teaches
beginning and intermediate classes as well as advanced private lessons
and concert preparation. Having studied the Dorothy Taubman pianistic
approach for the past 13 years, she specializes in avoidance and
corrective instruction of repetitive motion injury.
Jack
Krouscup
Jack has been playing professionally and teaching jazz and popular
piano styles for over 25 years. Jack graduated from and later taught
at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and currently teaches music
theory at Patten College in Oakland. Jack’s teaching style
allows the student with an understanding of basic musical concepts
(scales, chords, rhythms) to improvise immediately. His curriculum
is individually tailored.
Annie
Lewandowski
Annie
Lewandowski is a teacher/performer/composer with backgrounds in
classical, improvised and popular music. She recently moved to Oakland
from Seattle, where she created an after school music program for
elementary age youths that included ensemble playing, improvisation,
technique, solfege, rhythm training, music listening, solo reading,
composition, and performance practice. As a teacher, Annie encourages
exploration in all of these areas, all the while keeping lessons
fun and friendly. Lessons are designed to appeal to each student’s
creativity and desire to learn. Annie holds a BA degree in Piano
Performance and Pedagogy from the College of St. Catherine, and
has been the recipient of grants for performance and recording,
including the Artist Trust GAP grant and the Jack Straw Artist Support
Program grant.
Jan
Nichols
Jan Nichols is a pianist and vocalist with 35 years performing and
teaching experience. She studied piano at the Chicago Conservatory
and De Paul University and has performed throughout the US, Canada,
Mexico, and Asia. Jan has worked in a variety of musical styles
including jazz, swing and big band, and pop. She toured with Brazilian
performer Walten Wanderly and was in the Executives, the backup
band for the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in the late ‘60’s.
Her philosophy is to encourage individual creativity within a framework
of theory, technique, and musicianship while always encouraging
artistry and fun. She specializes in beginners and intermediates.
Sarah
Pun-Richardson
Sarah has been teaching piano since 1995. She is a multi faceted
arts educator; singer, choral director, dance teacher, and choreographer.
Sarah enjoys teaching piano and believes in providing her students
with a well rounded musical education in a fun environment, so that
her students can perform with confidence and will enjoy making music.
Laura
Sherman
Laura Sherman has been teaching piano for over 20 years. In the
past 5 years she has been teaching music that includes percussion,
singing, movement, and chorus in preschools and elementary schools
around the Bay Area. Laura plays many styles of piano including
jazz, clasical and popular styles. Her specialty is teaching beginning
and intermediate students of all ages both how to read music and
play by ear.
Erika
Lee Uribe
Erika has been involved in music since the age of four. She is equally
comfortable in the classical or popular music world. A former vocalist
and keyboardist for a local rock band, she received her Bachelor’s
of Music degree from San Francisco State University in classical
piano performance. Erika teaches private and group classes to students
of all ages. She fosters creative musicianship through an organized
curriculum that includes technique, ear-training, theory, and history.
Theresa
Wong
Theresa
Wong is a composer, improviser, visual artist, and designer whose
works explore the meeting point of these different fields. As an
improviser, her sound world embraces the vast acoustic possibilities
of the cello and voice as well as those of amplified bicycle and
electronics. In October of 2005, she presented a solo performance
of cello, amplified bicycle and video works at the Fondation Cartier
in Paris and has also had her video work shown in the Other Minds
Brink series in San Francisco. She has performed with many, diverse
artists including Meredith Monk, ROVA, Saxophone quartet, Joelle
Leandre, Gino Robair and, Florentine dance company Secondo Taglio.
Ms.Wong completed a B.S. in product design at Stanford University
and an MFA in music performance at Mills College.
Ben
Zadan
Ben received his BFA from the California Institute
of the Arts in 2002. He has performed on guitar and piano at many
venues in the Los Angeles area, including the Derby and the Temple
Bar. In addition to his training on guitar and piano, Ben has studied
world music styles from many renowned masters. He has performed
with the Burat Wangi Balinese Gamelan led by Pak Nyoman Wenten at
the Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Herbst Theatre, two performances
in Bali, as well as countless other shows throughout California.
In the spring of 2000 Ben built a classical guitar. In 2001, Ben
performed with Charlie Haden and The Liberation Jazz Ensemble. Ben
is a patient, dedicated, experienced teacher who enjoys sharing
the gift of music. He custom tailors his teaching technique to the
individual student, utilizing all of his training to make every
lesson extensive and enjoyable.
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