AGC Piano - Concert Pianist/Professor

Serves South Gate, CA

35244

Hired 8 times

1 employee

10 years in business

Not yet available

4.8

This pro accepts payments via Cash, Check, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.

Next Service

Credentials

Background Check

Anthony Cardella
Completed on 3/2/2020

Introduction

•Steinway Teaching & Education Partner •Assistant Professor of Music at Occidental College (Recently redesigned and updated the entire piano curriculum at Oxy to better fit the modern music industry, including classical, pop, composition and improvisation) •Instructor at USC •Instructor at Colburn •Award winning performer - national and international piano competitions •Christmas Concerts! -Live background Christmas music for your party. -Formal, in-home concerts featuring virtuoso classical music and Christmas songs mixed together. -Virtual, live-stream interactive concerts live from a beautiful concert hall in LA. Perfect for office parties or spaces that don’t have a piano. •Teaching: -Private lessons: Classical, Pop, Composition, Song-Writing, Music Theory, and Improvisation. Hello! My name is Anthony Cardella, and I am a concert pianist and piano pedagogue. I have won many competitions on, the regional, national and international levels and have performed all over the country as well as in Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Turkey, and Serbia just this year alone! I have a Bachelors Degree in piano performance and pedagogy from one of the top undergraduate conservatories in the country (Lawrence Conservatory of Music), a masters degree in performance at the USC Thornton School of Music, and a Doctorate from USC in piano performance, piano pedagogy, and musicology. The thing that is special about my training is that I was not only trained to play on an extremely high level and win competitions, but I was also taught how to teach in pedagogy programs, which is something many teachers with performance degrees from top schools are missing! I have done pedagogy programs that have taught pedagogy theory, shaped my teaching skills, developed my understanding of students, and have given me the opportunity to put that into practice through practicum, internships, and paid positions at universities! I have done a lot of research on piano technique including injury prevention, Taubman Technique and ergonomic piano playing, and I have been brought up studying the Russian and French schools of technique. I have also done cognitive psychology research and have presented on its implications in piano teaching and playing at national piano conferences. As a performer, I play Classically, as well as in the music and film industry in LA, and I also teach in both areas as well. I have students who are pop music producers, commercial music producers, pop artists, singer songwriters, and advanced classical pianists. Whatever style of music you’d like to play, it is important to get set up properly at the piano with good technique from the start. Many piano teachers without formal teaching training don’t know how to teach technique, and I often eventually receive transfer students who have plateaued because of this. It is harder to unlearn bad habits or relearn piano technique down the road! Below is my teaching philosophy: “I believe that being a good teacher is similar to being a good psychologist. One must have the ability to read a student - to understand them in the moment and to effectively gauge many aspects of their personality, as well as their strengths, weaknesses, and disposition. One glove does not fit all when it comes to teaching. There are many methods and approaches, and the best one is the one that will be most effective for each specific student. This method can change and grow, but can only do so with a teacher who is aware and flexible enough to understand the student and allow the student to guide and influence their teaching accordingly. In understanding that each student is different, I can begin to understand the goals, personality, background, likes/dislikes, and ideas of each student, and use these to shape my pedagogy, and the student’s artistry. Through effective communication, I can use my expertise to make music relevant and enjoyable to each student, and open up a door for the student to express themselves artistically while learning and improving. I believe that music is a birthright - we are all musical beings and have the capability to enjoy music and express ourselves through it. To effectively provide a student with the tools to do so, my music instruction includes the following components: Whether you are just starting out as a beginner and want a strong foundation, or have been playing for years and want to take your playing to the next level, improve your technique, play with less pain/tension, win competitions, or prepare for college auditions, I am confident that I can help you make wonderful progress while inspiring a life-long love for music! **I offer zoom lessons as well lessons in my studio, and in-home lessons**

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

My pricing is $100/hour, with half hour lessons recommended for beginner students.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

I typically schedule a trial lesson where I will work with the student on the pieces they currently have in their fingers, if any. I will asses their prior training (if applicable), as well as the current state of their technique and propose my plan for proceeding. During this first lesson I also like to play a piece for the student/family because I think it is very important that students see their teacher playing/performing and that the teacher be an active performer in order to be an active teacher.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

—Bachelor of Music Degree Cum Laude majoring in piano performance and minoring in pedagogy from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. This was a special program in that, not only was it a very high level and competitive performance program where I performed a lot, competed across the country, and really crafted my sound, technique, and artistry at the piano, but also added on a minor in pedagogy. This intensive minor gave me the tools to be a successful teacher - something that many great performers don’t have! Through pedagogy courses, supervised teaching, practicum, research, and hands-on experience, I learned how to be an effective teacher who can understand the needs of any student and shape my teaching to cater to them. —Master of Music Degree with emphasis on pedagogy at Thornton School of Music At USC I have continued my studies in piano literature and performance at the masters level with some of the most amazing and respected pianists in the world. In addition to this, I continued my pedagogy research and have proven to be qualified in both avenues. In addition to my education, my other teaching experience and training is as follows: -TA/Tutor at Lawrence University -President of the MTNA chapter at Lawrence -Private Piano Teaching position at the Lawrence Academy of Music -Private Instructor for many years -Pedagogy presenter at MTNA State Conference in Wisconsin -Pedagogy Research Presentation at Thornton School of Music - "Godden and Baddeley's Study of Context Dependent Memory: Implications for Effective Memorization at the Piano" -Research in injury prevention and correction including Taubman Technique

How did you get started doing this type of work?

My mother took me to see a concert pianist when I was three years old. At the end of the performance she asked me if I enjoyed it to which I responded: “that is what I will do when I grow up.” I was a stubborn kid and never changed my mind! She bought me a keyboard and some books/CDs and I began learning melodies to Mozart Symphonies and Sonatas by ear. Two years later (at age 5) I began my formal lessons with a wonderful Russian-trained teacher and two months in I won my first competition. I’ll never forget that very first performance on stage! I was very young, (I was even too small to move the bench on my own and needed assistance on stage), but I loved every second that I was sharing my music. After 18 years of training, and two college degrees, nothing has changed. I still have the same passion and love for sharing music and I think there is nothing more thrilling than inspiring that same passion in the lives of my own students.

What types of customers have you worked with?

I have worked with many students from very young to adult. These students have ranged from compete beginners who are having their very first lesson at the piano, to undergraduate piano majors in college who are playing at a very advanced level!

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

I have recently been recording daily piano performance videos that are part of a series that I designed to bring music, art, hope, and connection to people around the country during this time of social distancing. The pieces I perform are either pieces that I want to share, or pieces that have been requested from those who have viewed my performances. In doing requested videos, I hope to forge personal connections through music with people around the world who may be feeling very alone right now, and provide comfort and hope through music.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

When hiring a piano teacher, ask them specifically about their pedagogy training. They may have graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelor’s of Music and have never taken a single pedagogy course (the study of teaching). These teachers might be wonderful pianists, but without training on how to teach, they likely won’t be effective and may not have the correct language, skills, and temperament to build your child’s musical foundation or really inspire the love for music inside of them. Simply having students and knowing how to play the piano does not make a great piano teacher.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

What is the student’s goal in learning how to play the piano? What is my goal for my son/daughter in learning how to play the piano?