Kevin C.

  -What instruments do you play and teach / what level can you teach I am experienced with piano by using the Spectrum AIL 498 keyboard in my childhood. Then, I went to college at Full Sail University through online classes, and received a LaunchKey Pro keyboard, where I have learned to play piano for 3 years. I played the guitar for 4 years, from the acoustic to the electric guitar. However, all I know is how to understand chords, playing basic melodies, and how to translate melody progressions within a key scale progression from the piano to the guitar. Recently, I have taught myself how to play the drums at least through GarageBand, plus I was able to read sheet music for drums while I attended Full Sail. But furthermore, I have the technology and the resources to write original scores like Sibelius to create the sheet music and Logic Pro to create the score itself. I can teach students how a score is written if they need to learn how to create an original score. From performing in local orchestras to finding opportunities to create music for pop culture, I can teach students how to achieve that through the skills of writing original scores.       -Why do you love music/ experience as a musician When I was growing up, music has always made me feel safe and listened to. Whether if someone was singing, or the music itself needs no words, music has always been the thing in life that makes sense to me. Even seeing other musicians accomplish that amazes me. So, I wanted to understand how music would operate, understand what makes music the only language to understand, except learn how to express it in that language. So the more I learned about music for the past 5 years, the more I saw the world so differently. So new and exciting, which was something I never felt before. It’s like a door was closed for me the whole time, and all I needed to do was find the key to open it. But now I’m wondering how many steps it takes after getting through the door. Despite that, I want to keep going. I would hear better music, I would often transcribe music I love, test my music hearing abilities to experiment on certain chord progressions or replicating the tempo to add the right rhythm. I’m inspired to understanding how music works by what I hear, and how I can translate certain music to become a greater and more experienced musician, but more.       -What are your influences? (favorite genres, bands, musicians etc.) I’ve enjoyed The Weeknd, Daft Punk, Tame Impala, Childish Gambino, Kaytranada, and many other influences under electronic, art pop, and soul music genres. As a composer, Hanz Zimmer, Ludwig Göransson, Joe Hisaishi, John Williams, and many other composers inspired me to thrive as a composer.       -Your approach to teaching I would start with asking students about their goals (classical pieces, pop songs, reading music, playing by ear), then learn their age, learning style, and their attention span to further understand how I can teach students more effectively. Then, I would set up short-terms goals like learning basic music formulas and scale progressions in music theory, and then long-term goals for sight-reading, learning different music techniques, and learning how to play music more naturally.       -Specific teaching experience (camps, private lessons, public schools, volunteer work etc.) I’ve been teaching my roommate Sergio how to play the piano, and I have taught a little bit of guitar a couple years ago.       -Specific methods or materials you use (Suzuki, traditional etc.) In my experience in learning the piano, the Suzuki method is my personal favorite teaching method because of how useful it can be to recognize certain keys and chords by hearing. Many musicians from back in the day would have that skill other than reading sheet music to play. This method helps me recognize music in many instruments. Plus, I have technology that provides training simulations related to key progressions and chord progressions, and I have resources that provide information related to music composition and theory.       -How many years you have played/taught I have played the piano for 3 years, and the guitar for 5 years. I have also played the ukulele for 3 years, and I am experienced with writing original compositions for 2 years.