Introduction: Hi there! Welcome to my profile. My name is Juan Carlos, and I'm a pianist and a piano teacher with 20 years of teaching experience working with adults and youth.
I teach one-on-one piano lessons and offer you the space to play piano in a non-judgmental and engaging environment. I strive to facilitate a lesson and practice strategies that work specifically for you, based on our mutual observations and discoveries.
I assess where you are at and guide you to develop your skills based on what we realize is needed. Beginners learn to read music while developing their body awareness and ear to develop technique and musicality. For students who are proficient readers, I support them in improving their playing technique to achieve greater ease and precision in their movement as well as the sensibility to play with musicality and artistry.
I teach primarily Western classical music, occasionally adding contemporary music to the repertoire if the student desires.
I studied music at San Diego State University and, later, at the University of California, Berkeley. While at UC Berkeley, I served as a vocal coach and co-director at the Cal Opera Company. I also received the David and Diana Menn Memorial Prize in the Performing Arts as well as the Mary Nuñes Souza Award, prizes awarded every year for outstanding achievement in the arts. Lastly, I have attended seminars and symposiums at the Golandsky Institute and Alexander Technique, which continuously informs my teaching approach.
In addition to my musical background, I hold a master's degree in Counseling Psychology and a professional certification in Gestalt Therapy. I have a broader and deeper understanding of human development, learning styles, and bodymind integration, which helps me attune to more aspects of the student to transmit further paths to musical development and expression.
