Otha Lewis
Discover classical piano through personalized lessons that emphasize musical nuance and sound technique.
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Otha Lewis
Diploma degree
Enroll after the free trial
Each lesson is 55 min
50 lessons
20% off
/ lesson
30 lessons
15% off
/ lesson
20 lessons
10% off
/ lesson
10 lessons
5% off
/ lesson
5 lessons
-
/ lesson
1 lessons
-
/ lesson
Otha - Your piano teacher
My name is Otha Lewis, an American piano teacher of 7 years teaching students in both in personal and remote capacities. I hold an Associate's Degree in Piano Performance, soon graduating with a Bachelor's from California State University - Northridge. My approach to teaching ensures that students are an active participant in their learning not just at home in the practice room or executing the performance of a piece, but understanding and critically thinking about their intent, musicality, and process. I have learned that progress happens best when a student of any level has a well-rounded understanding of multiple musical facets: history, theory, ear training, rote, technique, creativity. Every student requires a unique approach, simultaneously tuned to their strengths and improving their weaknesses. Come join me in exploring the world of music! Let's grow together as musicians!
Otha graduated from Fresno City College
Your piano teacher skills
Performance Skills
Rhythm and Timing
Scales and Arpeggios
Piano Repertoire
Music theory
Pedaling Techniques
Piano Technique
Types of learners for piano lessons
Piano for Adults
Piano for Beginners
Piano for Advanced
Piano for Intermediate
Piano for Kids
Piano lessons at a glance
Anyone can read a method book and attempt to apply it. I did so for 17 years before I ever sat in front of a piano teacher, internalizing the good and the bad that comes without a guide or professional direction. Of the good comes my approach to teaching, relating back to the steps I took to learn by repetition and rote, and further developing upon such a foundation with the invaluable information and practice I continue to received in my college education. Not only must a student graduate from levels of piano playing through any number of methods to evaluate progress, they must do so with a thorough comfort in multiple levels of execution. Here, I separate my approach from other teachers, favoring constructive methods of the 19th century to supplement the modern pedagogical practice. My curriculum has served over 50 students, tailored to suit students of all levels and ages, and aims to remain as open as a possible to develop supplementary material as needed, composing exercises for a specific need if warranted.
Different types of piano lessons
Piano
Grand Piano
Digital Piano
Upright Piano
Classical Piano
Flexible Scheduling
Allows 1h early scheduling
Allows 1h early rescheduling
Can wait for 20 mins after joining
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10 day Refund
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Free Tutor Swap
Piano concepts taught by Otha
The tutor and student worked on improving piano technique, focusing on fingering, articulation, and gestures within specific musical pieces. They analyzed and adjusted fingerings for efficiency and practiced techniques to achieve lighter, more controlled playing, with plans to continue this focus.
Fingering for Fluidity
The 'Bouncing' Touch
Wrist and Arm Independence
Understanding Edition Variations
The Tutor and Student reviewed the student's progress on a piano piece, focusing on improving practice strategies and rhythmic accuracy. They worked on identifying musical themes, practicing through mistakes, and developing a consistent tempo using rhythmic exercises and metronome application. The Student was assigned practice on the left-hand part of the B section of their piece with a metronome.
Understanding Musical Motives and Themes
Positional Playing in Piano Technique
Rhythm Training with Food Analogies and Metronomes
Metronome Settings and Interpretation
Playing Through Mistakes
The student and tutor reviewed Hanon exercises, focusing on staccato technique and chord inversions. They then explored music theory concepts including accidentals, half steps, whole steps, and enharmonic equivalence, applying these to understand the construction of major scales and tetrachords using specific interval patterns. The student is assigned to continue practicing these concepts and work on Unit Six.
Major Scale Construction: The Tetrachord
Accidentals: Sharps
Flats
and Naturals
Intervals: Steps and Skips
Whole and Half Steps
Chord Inversions: Understanding the Structure
Hannon Exercise 2: Playing Techniques
The Tutor and Student worked extensively on rhythmic subdivisions, particularly 16th notes and dotted eighth notes, using vocalizations like "watermelon" for practice. They also explored the concept of syncopation and worked through exercises involving rhythmic notation and sight-reading. The lesson concluded with a review of student's written work and a discussion of upcoming review units.
Rhythmic Subdivision and Syllabic Application
Syncopation: Emphasizing the Weak
Invertible Counterpoint
Rhythmic Notation and Clarity
The Tutor and Student reviewed musicology in relation to piano teaching and then focused on practical application. They worked through workbook exercises on accidentals and triads, followed by a detailed exploration of chord inversions and the construction of major scales using tetrachords and step patterns. The session concluded with an introduction to key signatures, with plans to cover minor keys in the following week.
Musical Manuscript vs. Published Editions
Accidentals and Major Scale Relationships
Triad Inversions: Reshuffling the Notes
Tetracords and Major Scale Construction
Key Signatures: Visualizing Scales on Paper
The Tutor and Student worked on a piece by Cherney, focusing on phrasing, dynamics, and rhythmic precision to enhance the musicality of the performance. The Student received specific feedback on hand and arm movements, tempo control, and voicing within chords. The Tutor plans to provide a recording of the piece with the discussed phrasing techniques as a reference for the Student's practice.
Metronome Interpretation: Single Beat vs. Whole Beat
Evenness of Spacing and Continuity
Incorporating Upward Velocity
Phrasing: Nuance in Repetitive Motives
Phrasing and Breath Mimicry
Climactic Buildup and Hesitation
Chord Voicing and Melodic Emphasis
Approach & tools used in piano classes
Ear Training Software
Chord & Scale Reference Apps
Virtual Piano Apps
PDF Sheet Music Libraries
Metronome Apps
Interactive piano lessons
Parent feedback
Open Q&A
Note taking
Weekend lessons
Chat for quick help
Piano teachers on Wiingy are vetted for quality
Every tutor is interviewed and selected for subject expertise and teaching skill.