All Roads Lead to Nashville

Music City USA is a thriving center that attracts enormously talented musicians from all over. Below are Nashville scenes and interviews with our local PrivateLessons.com Members.




















Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com Since 1996 USA/Canada

Dreams Do Come True in Music City

Jessica Ford moved from California’s Bay Area to pursue her passion in Nashville. Here she became a PrivateLessons.com Member and developed a thriving full-time studio as Nashville’s premiere vocal coach. We sat down with Jessica to talk about her recording career as a singer-songwriter and her work as a vocal coach.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

From Big Apple to Nashville

Dave Isaacs, a talented guitarist and singer-songwriter, was on a concert tour when we visited Nashville. In this PrivateLessons.com Member interview, we are catching up with Dave in a blog Q&A format to explore his passion for composing, performing and teaching, and making Nashville his hometown.


What brings you to Nashville?

Having lived most of my life in New York I was ready to make a change, and the cost of living in the New York metro area was becoming a greater and greater source of stress. My wife and I had visited Nashville numerous times exploring music industry opportunities and already had friends and contacts there; we also felt it might be a more hospitable environment for the music I make. The cost of living is far more manageable, and the high concentration of creative people in a relatively small town makes for a very stimulating environment.

You have released several albums, performing as a guitarist and singer; are the songs your original work?

For the most part. I've recorded a handful of cover songs but of the seven projects I've released I am the writer or co-writer of almost all the music.

As a songwriter, do you write both lyrics and music?

Yes, though music comes to me more easily. Since I've been living here in Nashville and doing more and more co-writing I'm finding the balance to be more equal. The prevailing view in Nashville is that songwriting requires a concrete set of skills which can be practiced and polished, and I've found this to be true in that the more I write the more ideas I have and the better my songs become.

Do you write songs for other artists?

I do write songs that don't necessarily fit my own style as an artist but could suit another, and while I have yet to have my first "cut" as they say here I am working towards that as one of my career goals.

As a teacher, how do you approach songwriting?

My focus in teaching songwriting falls primarily into two main areas: vocabulary and form. A wide musical and lyrical vocabulary gives the writer more expressive range both in terms of lyrical theme and musical genre, and a command of form and structure helps communicate the writers' message and intent to the listener. The greatest shortcoming I find most aspiring writers have is that they struggle with meter and don't always understand the rhythmic implications in a spoken or sung lyric, so rhythm work is a major component of what I do as a teacher.

How do you characterize your performance coaching?

My goal as a performance coach is to help each student identify and hone their own artistic voice and personality. This involves making stylistic decisions based upon their musical tastes and natural inclinations, and then working to build up the skills to reinforce that persona in any areas that might be lacking. This could mean focusing on the physicality of how they sing and play and working to make that more fluid and natural, or it might have more to do with training the ears so that the student is more musically aware and attuned. In most people these aspects are all wrapped up together, and so my role as a teacher and coach is to shine a light on each area and show the way all the elements are interconnected.

In addition to working as a busy solo guitarist and singer, what are your other performing collaborations?

I perform steadily with singer-songwriter Briana Hardyman in a duo we call Good Souls; we've just released a CD which is currently going out to radio nationwide and being pitched to labels on Music Row. I also work with a steady rhythm section, bassist Brook Sutton and drummer Robert Crawford, two fine jazz-trained musicians and teachers themselves. They back Good Souls on full band dates, and the three of us also perform as a trio playing my music, rock, and blues (as the DI Trio), playing free-improvisational jazz and experimental music (as Chupacabra), and as a rhythm section for hire backing other artists onstage or in the studio.

How does life in Nashville influence you as an artist?

Nashville is a magnet for talented people from all over, but it's a small enough place that the concentration is tremendously high and nearly everyone you meet is involved in music either directly or indirectly. So there's a lot of synergy being created by people working together in various ways, and while mainstream country music is the dominant style there is a large and healthy underground rock scene as well as a strong jazz community. In terms of the direct influence on my work, I am far more prolific and am writing a greater variety of music because of the amount of collaboration I'm doing with a variety of people, all of whom bring their own experience and perspective to the table.

Give us a glimpse into your upcoming book and DVD on songwriting.

I've been offering workshops in conjunction with the Nashville Songwriters Association for five years now, and over the course of that time have developed a curriculum that addresses the most common issues I find in aspiring writer/performers. So while the project is aimed at songwriters it's most specifically focused upon how to help them most effectively communicate what they have to say, rather than addressing the writing process specifically. The areas I look at include rhythm skills and the ability to create and experiment with different feels and grooves, ways to unlock more options on their chosen instrument, and ways to identify and remove and physical or technical blocks that might be limiting their playing or singing. Overall the goal is for these ideas to be transformative....to offer tools and solutions that can impact the students work from that point forward.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

When Blues is in the Blood

On our visit to Nashville, we met with PrivateLessons.com Member singer-songwriter Terri Brinegar, now a Nashville resident. Terri shares a fascinating story of growing up in a family of performing Bluegrass musicians, of studying classical voice in North Texas State University and of being accepted at the Juilliard School in New York City. But now, following the call of her heart, Terri is back to the music of her roots.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Managing Performance Anxiety

Educated at the Boston Conservatory where she earned a Masters Degree in Voice Performance, soprano Sharon Stohrer became a PrivateLessons.com member while still living in the Philadelphia area. Upon family related move to Columbus Ohio area, she quickly and successfully rebuilt her voice studio. Sharon travels widely and speaks on the subject of performance anxiety. In our interview she touches on a few points that could help performers overcome stage fright.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Teaching Voice Students Whose Second Language is English

We first met Renee Saxon in New Orleans, that was four years ago. She has been an enthusiastic PrivateLessons.com member ever since. Living in Chandler Arizona, Renee teaches voice exclusively in her private studio. In this PrivateLessons.com Soundbites interview, Renee talks about working with voice students whose second language is English.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Daron Hagen on Composing Contemporary Opera

In this PrivateLessons.com member interview with a prolific American composer Daron Hagen we take a look at composing operas. Hagen is a versatile composer who receives commissions from soloists, chambers groups and orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. His operas include Shining Brow, Vera of Las Vegas, Bandanna, Broken Pieces and The Antient Concert. His latest opera is Amelia, commissioned by the Seattle Opera.


Q. How do you select a subject for an opera?

A. The themes of the opera must reflect the core issues I am working through at the time I am composing the work. The characters must be worth caring about; the through-story that carries the themes must be strong enough to motivate an audience member to remain engaged.


Q. What is the secret to a successful working relationship with a librettist?

A. The librettist must understand that the composer is the pilot.


Q. Do you have specific singers in mind when you develop roles?

A. Yes.


Q. Do you compose at a piano or a desk with a pencil and manuscript paper, or do you now use computer composition tools?

A. I compose the vocal score at the piano; once the first draft is done in pencil, I engrave it using Sibelius; subsequent edits are transferred from my print of the engraved vocal score into the Sibelius file by an assistant; I then orchestrate directly into Sibelius, using the vocal score as a template and transferring it to the larger, full score file.

Shining Brow, Chicago Opera Theater
Chicago, Illinois (Photo: Dan Rest)

Q. Sets, chorus and orchestra size are all serious economic considerations for any production. In this context, how do you achieve the initial vision so that the final product makes you happy?

A. I do not think about how much sets will cost, or what they will look like. Scenic and lighting designers can create enormous magic on a shoe-string, and they know their job better than me. If a scene description says, "In the middle of the desert, in mid-air, holding a lily" a talented designer will find a beautiful way to do it within budget. Size of the orchestra is agreed upon before a contract is reached, so that is in the realm of building with the bricks you are given. Whether or not to use a chorus is a valid cost concern, but not for major companies. One must decide at the beginning whether one is willing to forgo performances by a number of smaller, more financially-challenged companies; if you're okay with that, add chorus!

Vera of Las Vegas, Center for Contemporary Opera
New York City (Photo: Mel Rosenthal)

Q. Do you compose at designated times of day or only when inspired?

A. Inspiration is mainly discussed by amateurs; professionals rarely think about it. I compose in the early morning, when it is most quiet, and when my son is asleep. When he is awake, I would rather be with him.


Q. On average, how long does it take to complete an opera?

A. About four years. A little longer, if I am working on two at the same time.


Q. Describe the feeling when you see a run through of your opera for the first time.

A. Ecstatic / terrified.


Q. How does teaching influence your personal growth as a composer?

A. Teaching is a passion for me. My teaching essentially consists of doing for my students' works what I do for the second and third drafts of my own pieces: target the weak points and strengthen them; determine what was really being said, and help try to say it more clearly; don't change what works; understand that learning is not offered so much as it is seized.


Q. What is your next project?

A. I am currently orchestrating AMELIA, a two act opera for the Seattle Opera, and beginning a new opera for UCLA based on an original libretto.

Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Summertime

Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Season Finale with Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta

I am now back to working full-time after massive overtime coaching the production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta for The Curtis Opera Theatre season finale.

It is so nice for a change to turn over a production to the conductor, sit back in the audience and look glamorous :)

Below are a few snapshots of rehearsals and a performance at the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia.


Rossen Milanov conducts The Curtis Symphony Orchestra during Iolanta rehearsal.









The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and cast in rehearsal.


Iolanta cast (5/11/08) in rehearsal.


Iolanta cast (5/09/08) in concert.

Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

PrivateLessons.com Members in Concert

Lately my concert-going activities seem to be limited to supporting performances of my students. This season, however, I was quite happy to catch a few performances by our Philadelphia-area PrivateLessons.com members.

Husband and wife Tim and Rebecca Ribchester performed at the Kimmel Center as part of a classic Astor Piazzolla quintet. Outstanding! If you find them on future season schedules, make it a point to hear them.

Rebecca Ribchester



Tim Ribchester




Last summer pianist Robert Durso ask if I knew a violinist that would be interested to perform Brahms sonatas. I suggested violinist Stephanie Jeong who just graduated from The Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Aaron Rosand.



Just about a week ago I attended their concert at the Ethical Society in Philadelphia where the duo played sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms. In addition, some of Bob’s students performed on the same concert. In a pleasant surprise, our member pianist Brenna Berman was on the program performing Debussy selections.



Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Brenna Berman, a Philadelphia-based PrivateLessons.com Member, recently made her piano solo debut in Carnegie Hall. She combines a passion for teaching piano privately and performing piano recitals in public, and is doing both successfully. In our interview, Brenna talks about suffering from tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, typical injuries for many professional pianists. After some research, she specifically moved to Philadelphia to pursue piano lessons with Bob Durso, a long-time PrivateLessons.com Member who is a master teacher in the Taubman approach to piano playing. Her road to healthy playing and a successful music career is an inspiration.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

The Accordion Story and Its Exotic Sounds

In Denver, we recently visited with PrivateLessons.com member Boris Kaplanskiy who was kind enough to demonstrate his Italian made accordion. Originally from the former USSR, Boris is a busy piano teacher in the Denver area. He also helps his students learn electronic keyboards as well as music software to help with musical arrangements. Trained as a classical pianist, Boris enjoys recording his own Jazz arrangements.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Fusing Photography with a Piano Recital Program

We caught up with PrivateLessons.com member Valerie Mishek in her hometown of Denver, CO. Valerie is a professional pianist who adds to her credits advanced music degrees and study in Vienna, Austria as a Fulbright Scholar. She is a busy private piano teacher who is energized by her talented students. In this interview, Valerie talks about her upcoming work on a new Spanish music visual piano recital program that incorporates her own photography of life and landscapes of Spain.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Writing Songs in Mile High City

Educated at U.C. Berkeley with degree in music composition and at U.C.L.A. in songwriting, PrivateLessons.com member David Ross relocated from Los Angeles to his new home in Denver, CO. David works in musical theater as an arranger and music director. His original song writing style is quite unique and in this interview he delves into some detail. David is busy piano teacher and is enthusiastic about building a new recording studio for teaching and recording activities.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

A perfect picture of a happy and full musical life

PrivateLessons.com Denver member Nancy Harris is a perfect picture of a happy and full musical life. We caught up in Denver just before her appearance in the Fiddler on the Roof production. Nancy is a voice teacher, a vocologist, who impresses upon her students the importance of understanding the vocal instrument. Currently her private class consists of 42 students. Recently, Nancy recorded her first Jazz CD and is already hard at work on her next album.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Denver Street Scenes

Denver is a cool town. While I was shooting PrivateLessons.com Soundbites this weekend with our local members, I took a few snapshots of Denver’s street art and entertainment.


Art or a creative parking solution?
You decide.





Free to roam.





Refreshing.





Percussion section.





Who said that?















Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Do you do as you teach?

I do. Don’t you?

Since PrivateLessons.com is my full-time job (plus major overtime), I feel very fortunate that I also get to work with students at Curtis and AVA. Without a doubt, they are ALL pros. In my studio they get a major kick when I say that ‘I am the easiest guy to work with. I expect only great music-making and other than that I don’t care.’ They get it. It’s just an ice breaker.

I also teach only two private music students that learn just for fun. Recently, it occurred to me that I teach them absolutely the same way as I teach the pros. I share the same advanced musical concepts that I refine in my own daily practicing. They get it, they have fun with the process, and they grow. Finally, I take what I’ve learned by giving lessons and experiment further on my own. It’s all worth it.


Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Making Music Studio Recitals Fun

Performing should be a fun experience for both kids and adults. Private music teachers make it a point to work with students toward a recital goal. Music recitals come in many forms: formal concerts, performances in retirement communities, open mic nights, and informal parties that put student performers at ease.

Here is a look at PrivateLessons.com members’ recital ideas:

The best way to amp up a recital is to hire a band to play with the students. I teach a lot of jazz, and having students play with professionals really gets them excited. You can also do workshops with the band members and have many students play.

- Rob Mullins, Jazz Pianist

Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

All my students are my teachers

"Everyone learns differently," maintains PrivateLessons.com Member and bass guitar teacher, Buddy Booker. Born in Harlem, Buddy received a rich cultural heritage from family members who were musicians, artists and medical professionals. He is an active performer. His work ranges from R&B, Hip-Hop and Reggae albums to commercial music for Oprah Winfrey's cable channel Oxygen. Living in New York gives Buddy the opportunity to work with musicians playing in the Soul, Jazz, Funk and Gospel genres. A dedicated teacher, Buddy Booker credits his students with a daily dose of musical inspiration.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Feeling at home with Classical, Jazz, Show Tunes & Rock

A loyal PrivateLessons.com member Janellen Farmer is one of the busiest singing artists. Graduated from The Curtis Institute of Music as an operatic singer, Janellen is equally at home in the pop, jazz and rock genres. As a result of a jazz concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall, she released "Lazy Afternoon," her first jazz CD. A dedicated private voice teacher, Janellen maintained a full teaching studio in the Valley Forge Pennsylvania area.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Lucky New York Philharmonic

I met Alan Gilbert when he was a conducting student at Curtis. We worked on a Tchaikovsky opera and from the first few seconds of our conversation it was evident the guy is brilliant.

If you are in New York today, go and hear Alan conduct his alma mater The Curtis Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. They were superb last night at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

Collectively, the Curtis orchestra looks like a sweet sixteen party. They are so young. It is without a doubt a world class orchestra with enviable chops and youthful fire.

When the concert ended, Alan was so proud of his young colleagues that he went out of his way to shake hands with all the principals. If he had another hour to spare he would have gone on shaking hands with each player. It was real. It was an honest appreciation for the ensemble that helps him make great music. He stepped back for a bow, blending into the orchestra as one of the players.

Last June Alan Gilbert was named the music director of the New York Philharmonic, effective 2009-10 season.

Lucky New York Philharmonic!



Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Never Say Never

Before I get to the never part, I am very excited to hear Alan Gilbet conducting his alma mater The Curtis Symphony Orchestra, today at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and tomorrow in New York at Carnegie Hall.

Alan is a newly appointed music director of The New York Philharmonic. Talented, young and American born. He attended Harvard and Curtis. This is reminiscent of Leonard Bernstein who was and did all of the above.

As a student at Curtis I once ran into a sour experience with an established contemporary composer. I vowed to never work with living composers again.

But … then came Leonard Bernstein.

I was still a student at Curtis assigned to accompany the preparation of Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms”, which he was to conduct. Again, I prepared to be crushed, but he proved me totally wrong.

Working with Bernstein was human and fun. He was brilliant yet didn’t seem to wear it on his sleeve. Every time someone did a good job playing a solo, he exclaimed hired as he continued to conduct. That’s music making at it’s best.



Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Twin Piano Students

Recently, during the traditional Wednesday afternoon tea at Curtis, I met identical twin sisters. Both are piano students with the same teacher.

A practical joke of twins switching classes in school is common, but when both are talented pianists … I had to ask two questions.

1. As a practical joke, did you ever switch places for a private piano lesson?
2. How tired are you of hearing the first question?

They just smiled.


Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

... from music capital of San Jose, CA

Angela shares this message:

I want to say thank you for PrivateLessons.com, it
has been a great resource for me as a vocal instructor.

- Angela Arana

Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

It Must Be Magic

When children discover music their enthusiasm is unstoppable. Music must have some powers.

I recently helped a woman find a music teacher for her daughter. This mother had never played a musical instrument but clearly understood the importance of music learning for her child. Her heartfelt story was reminiscent of the time when I was five playing air piano and fantasizing of a real piano in my room. My parents had no musical experience yet supported me unconditionally. Parents simply know.

I frequently think back to a Carnegie Hall recital my piano teacher gave when he was about 100. Remarkable. How does one even control a 100-year-old body and perform brilliantly at the same time? It must be a magical power.


Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

Helping Students Discover Joy of Singing and Executives Improve Public Speaking

Jacquelyn Familant began her singing career at the Stattsoper Stuttgart in Germany. Upon returning to New York she joined PrivateLessons.com and quickly developed a thriving private voice studio. Passionate about teaching, Jacquelyn already produced a voice competition winner and even helps corporate executives with public speaking skills. A prolific recitalist, Jacquelyn spoke of her involvement in the upcoming Visual Recital programs.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada

From Tokyo to Boston to New York in Pursuit of Jazz Piano Career

We visited with PrivateLessons.com member Hiromi Kasuga at a lively Café Mozart in New York City. Inspired by the movie “Round Midnight” she chose to pursue a career as a jazz pianist. Hiromi moved from her native Japan to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and now, based in New York, she has a successful private teaching studio and performs with her jazz trio around the city.





Ghena

Join PrivateLessons.com | Since 1996 | USA/Canada