Composition, Piano and Theory Teacher

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Erica Seguine • Montclair, NJ • $45 per hour

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Are you a composer who is looking for more insight into the compositional process? Have you always wondered how the theoretical aspects of music work? Are you a jazz or classical pianist looking to expand your horizons? Are you interested in beginning the substantial and rewarding journey of music?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions above, you may want to consider my services as a private teacher.

As a teacher, I believe in well-rounded musicianship. I believe that training the ear is as important, or perhaps even more important, than training the technique. Many performances happen today where the performer may play the notes on the page correctly, but isn't really listening. As a teacher, I would have you analyze the works you are performing or composing, as well as singing inner lines, conducting, etc. I believe that these methods enhance the expression of pieces, and add another dimension to performance and composition.

For composers, I recommend a wide variety of listening to works, and stress getting hold of scores and figuring out what your favorite composers write. A wide variety of listening, as well as careful analysis, will lead to a stronger, mature compositional voice.

As a composer, my works have been performed by the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, the Eastman Studio Orchestra, the Zurich Jazz Orchestra, the Weapons of Jazz Destruction, high school band and jazz ensembles, as well as my own ensembles.

As a pianist, I have worked as an accompanist for several local shows, and have been a musical director for SYFI's production of Footloose and an assistant musical director for Our Own Production's production of Sweeney Todd. I have also done some classical accompanying, including collaborating with flutist and YouTube Symphony Orchestra finalist Caryn Freitag, and saxophonist Ryan Salisbury. I have also worked as a jazz pianist in various combos, including a stint with the Nick Venti Quartet.

I received my bachelor's degree in jazz studies and contemporary media-writing concentration (composition concentration) at the renowned Eastman School of Music. While there, I've studied jazz and classical composition, and jazz and classical piano, in addition to theory and music history.

I have won several awards, including 1st place in the 2009 Zurich Jazz Orchestra Composer Competition, Honorable Mention in the 2009 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards, and was selected for the 2004 Young Composers Honors Concert held at the NYSSMA Winter Conference.

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Question and answer

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. In addition to teaching private lessons (most of the students are piano, but I also teach theory and composition), I:

Accompany- Probably the most common job I get. I accompany for a student theater day camp every summer, and I've accompanied/played piano in/musical directed several shows, ranging from "Sweeney Todd" to "Hairspray" to "Peter Pan" to "Annie Get Your Gun," and many more.

I've also accompanied in the chamber setting a lot. I've accompanied on various recitals and performances with instrumentalists, including a couple with flutist Caryn Freitag (YouTube Symphony Orchestra Finalist) for a Philadelphia Orchestra reception.

Composer/Arranger- I have done everything from writing original big band charts, to writing/arranging custom pieces with strings for various performers' recitals, to doing updated piano/vocal arrangements of standards. My works have won awards such as 1st Place in the 1st International Zurich Jazz Orchestra Composer Competition and Honorable Mention in the 2009 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards.

Copyist- I have done transcribing/copying/orchestrating work for Casey Filiaci and Vinnie Meli's "Plagued- A Love Story" for the 2009 NYMF and some horn part transcribing for Raymond Blood.

Freelance Jazz Pianist- I have gigged as a solo pianist and with groups such as the Nick Venti Quartet.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. I would like to know why the student wishes to study music. Are there any goals that would like to be accomplished? What kind of music does the musician like? What is his/her experience both as a practicing musician and as a LISTENER (What music is listened to? What does the musician like about a particular piece? What does he/she look for in an inspiring piece?)

Has the student ever read music? Has the student ever learned music by ear? Knowing the answers to these questions will help me figure out what areas may need work, and what path the both of us will take.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I believe in wholesome music education, not just mastery over the instrument, theory, etc. I believe that both training a musician to read music and to audiate what he/she is performing are very important. A well-rounded, complete musician should be able to treat music as a language, and to fluently read, write (compose), speak (improvise), and comprehend (listen).

When I teach students music, I ask them questions about its place. For example, I would ask a beginning piano student whether a phrase he/she just played was like a question, period, comma, or exclamation point in the english language, and why. I would ask a student where the overall line of a piece goes, or ask if multiple voices are in play in a seemingly single line.

Depending on the student, I may ask for the student to transcribe, improvise variations on a melody or piece, compose a short piece with certain parameters, or dive into music of a different genre.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love seeing the progress made with students. I am always in awe of the improvement a student makes over time. I especially love students that are eager to learn and try new things; those students are the most inspiring to me.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I gained a particular brand new piano student via accompanying for a summer theatre camp. She was a late elementary student and got up one day to conduct just for fun. She told me later that she wanted to start playing the piano, so I started to give her lessons.

Every lesson that we had she would take home with her and apply it to her daily life. For example, after doing a couple of singing and conducting exercises during one lesson, she went to a concert, and the next lesson commented on how the conductor approached his beats. I was in awe; this happened only a couple of lessons in the study.

She was always eager to learn, and would create her own pieces every week. Her ear improved over time as well and could begin to pick up pieces aurally.

It is for students like these that I teach music. These musicians always teach me something new, and in turn make me a better musician and person.

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Erica Seguine

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