Hi! I’m Angela and it’s great to meet you! Let’s sit and chat so I can tell you a bit about myself. My goal for sharing these details is to help you gain a sense of my interest in discussing piano lessons.
Let’s start with the basics!
I have played piano for over 30 years and the flute for more than 25 years. It was my privilege to start learning piano at a young age, which is why I’m passionate about teaching piano to young children. This solid foundation allowed me to expand my training for many years. After completing beginner method books I started into the Royal Conservatory of Music system. By the time I graduated from university I had completed the requirements for several exams including:
- Piano Level 9 Certificate
- Flute Level 8 Certificate
- Harmony Level 9 Certificate
- History Level 9 Certificate.
My Training Experiences
During my formative years I had many opportunities to use what I learned. For as long as I can remember the local music festival was an annual part of my music training. Every time I competed I placed in my specific class and several times won first place. My personal success in the music festival included:
- performing at the highlights night for the festival
- competing for the highest award at the senior level (two times)
- receiving the “Sacred” trophy for piano (three times)
- earning the “Best Overall Senior Instrumentalist” scholarship for flute (twice).
From grades 8-12 I attended a Christian School convention where I played piano and flute each year. There we competed against a standard rather than against each other. This was a time to play in front of my peers and become more comfortable with being evaluated. I also played both piano and flute at my church on a regular basis.
Starting to Teach Piano
My private piano teaching career started over twenty years ago during high school. Along with practising for my own private lessons I usually had 1-2 students as a part-time job. This was a fantastic experience for me as it helped to solidify my own skills as a pianist as well as a flutist! Often when you have to explain to someone else exactly how to do something it becomes more clear to you too. My passion is to motivate students to play piano with excellence!
During my years in university I was able to continue teaching one or two students during breaks. This gave me an excellent opportunity to see them progress over the years. Some of my students have competed in the local music festival and placed well. They have even played at highlights night, competed for the highest level award, and received awards! My students have also completed exams with the Royal Conservatory of Music, scoring well, and have been accepted into Western University, receiving one of the top 5 scholarships in music.
Performance Opportunities
My flute skills have allowed me to perform with various ensembles and orchestras such as:
- the Bob Jones University Flute Choir (Greenville, SC)
- the Bob Jones University Woodwind Choir (Greenville, SC)
- the Faith Baptist Church Orchestra (Taylors, SC)
- the Majesty Musicollege Orchestra
- my studio recitals.
These performances have been a special treat!
What I’m Doing Now
In 2012, I quit my full-time job to pursue teaching private piano and flute students as a career. It was during this time that I taught an autistic student who motivated me to create an out-of-the-box method for teaching piano. To find out more about where that journey led me, check out our story page!
Currently I’m a wife to my husband and best friend, James, and I’m also creating the Joyfulnotes Piano for Beginners books and online piano course!
Now that you know about me, I’d like to hear about you! You can drop me a line at anytime! It would be great to hear from you!