Once an SDPS student, always and SDPS student!
Piano lessons are such a wonderful thing for both the teachers and the students. We spend countless hours together at the piano learning new music and having lots of conversations.
I treasure the time I had with each of my piano teachers and hope to make them proud even to this day.
My students make me proud no matter what course their life takes. I joke with my students that I will take full credit for their future success and call them #thatsanotherpianolessonssuccessstory
Here are a few highlights that I have collected over the years. If you are a former SDPS student, please share your piano lesson success story!
Waylon
Waylon wasn’t as interested in playing the piano as his parents were interested in what the experience would teach him. Through his piano studies, Waylon learned to break a task down into smaller parts, and to face a challenge. I hope he also learned that I valued him as a person, no matter how much or how little he was able to practice the week before.
Waylon is now a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and photographer, which I certainly consider another piano lesson success story!
Meredith
Meredith took lessons with me for a couple of years in elementary/middle school.
A few years later, I learned that her first love was guitar and songwriting.
Meredith tours and concertizes all over Texas and surrounding states. We were able to snag this picture after a set she performed at a fundraising concert supporting local tornado victims.
Even though she spends most of her time playing guitar, Meredith still plays piano. I love this song she wrote and performed on piano.
Chelsye
Chelsye studied with me through high school graduation. She was always such a joy to work with every week.
After graduating from college and working as a band director for nine years, Chelsye now operates her own private teaching studio where she teaches both piano and woodwinds.
It was a joy to get this picture with Chelsye and my high school teacher, Karyn Heath at our Texas Music Teachers Conference in 2022.
Kalle
Kalle studied with me when he was a very young elementary student and then moved on to other outstanding teachers in the United States and Europe.
I once told his mom that the fact that he sits on the bench, rather than under it, is my contribution to his success. 🙂
You can hear Kalle on his YouTube channel here.
Janna
Janna studied with me through high school graduation. One of my favorite texts of all time was the one she sent me after her first semester of college music theory. She thanked me for making her study for all those TMTA theory exams!
Janna also plays saxophone and invited me to accompany her during her senior recital in college.
Janna is now a Music director and teacher in California.
