TEACHING PHILOSOPHY | return to read more about Yvonne’s activities in the schools

“Establishing a good rapport with students is critical for me to create a positive and beneficial learning experience. My teaching engages each student by understanding what they are capable of, challenging and fulfilling them with varied repertoire tailored towards their unique needs. With students from a variety of backgrounds, I make sure all reach a solid foundation of piano-playing with an understanding of note-reading, technique, rhythm, and style. From this foundation I encourage students to find their own voices within music for self-expression while providing the framework of the music itself.

With the “total brain workout” we get when studying music, I am passionate about helping students discover and develop soft skills like communication, time management, resilience, troubleshooting problems, and giving feedback to one’s self and others with empathy. I have had experience navigating students through debilitating perfectionism, struggles in memorization, and performance anxiety. As a lifelong learner myself, I’m energized seeing the transformation of students as they try various methods for efficient practicing.

I also focus on helping students understand and apply concepts which are not only essential to their success in music, but will also be useful in all aspects of life. The commitment, self-accountability, and focus required for studying music and success in any field are all gained in my teaching. Students will leave with a newfound appreciation and understanding of music, developed life skills, and a solid foundation in piano-playing to continually build upon.

In my experience, performances are a great motivating tool and make good long-term goals for particularly younger students. I understand each student’s differences and accommodate the learning style and motivation of each student to ensure some sort of a final project, whether a public performance, private jury, or an audio/video recording project. Performing provides the student with positive feedback from others, a sense of ownership in their own creative talents, and a chance to share music with friends and family.”