Otha Lewis
Discover classical piano through personalized lessons that emphasize musical nuance and sound technique.
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Piano lessons - Otha Lewis
Diploma degree
/ 30 min
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
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.
Your piano teacher skills
Chord Theory
Sight Reading
Performance Skills
Finger Placement & Hand Position
Ear training
Music theory
Piano Repertoire
Piano concept taught by Otha
The student and tutor worked on rhythm exercises to address timing issues in the minuet, specifically the tendency to add extra time between measures. They also worked on the Bergmuller piece, focusing on technique to relieve arm and shoulder tension. Homework includes practicing the minuet, the Bergmuller exercise, and experimenting with the metronome app.
Left Hand Dexterity
Addressing Rhythmic Inconsistencies
Metronome Misconceptions and Usage
Subdivision of the Beat: Longs and Shorts
Feeling the Longness of the Short (Note Durations)
The Student and Tutor discussed key signatures, the circle of fifths, and the difference between major and minor scales, focusing on the natural minor scale. The student worked on identifying the tonic and dominant of various keys and practiced identifying major and minor triads. Homework includes completing exercises on identifying major and minor scales, triads, and practicing piano pieces.
Natural Minor Scale Construction
Diatonic Pitches and Names
Modifying Diatonic Pitches in Keys
Tonic and Dominant Scale Degrees (1 and 5)
Circle of Fifths
Perfect Fifth Interval
Major and Minor Triad Notation
Voice Balancing and Dynamic Contrast
Identifying Sections in Music
Periods: Parallel vs. Contrasting
Elision and Interpolation
Taming and Toning Learned Music
Pedaling Techniques in Dense Passages
The session covered piano techniques, focusing on balancing the hands, phrasing, and hand position. The student worked on "All Holy Night" and a new piece in G major, experimenting with different articulations and dynamics. The student was assigned to practice the new piece with a focus on lightness and exploring different phrasing options.
Independence of Hands
Hand Position and Technique
Historical Context and Editorial Discretion
Voice Balancing in Music
Phrasing and Articulation
The Student and Tutor reviewed piano theory concepts, focusing on scales, whole and half steps, and pentascales. The Student also practiced piano technique, working on wrist rotation and finger independence exercises. Homework includes completing exercises on major pentascales and triads in the fundamentals book, as well as continued practice on Opus 802.
Whole Steps and Half Steps
Major Pentascale Structure
Scale Degrees: Tonic and Dominant
Circle of Fifths
Wrist Rotation and Finger Independence
Finger and Hand Position
The student and tutor reviewed chord inversions and fingering techniques in a piano piece, and practiced five-finger patterns for major scales. They also briefly touched upon non-chord tones. The student was assigned to complete pages in the fundamentals of piano theory book, finish the current piece, and choose a piece from the first ten in the book to work on.
Major Scale Five-Finger Patterns
Triad Identification from Five-Finger Patterns
Non-Chord Tones: Passing Tones and Neighbor Tones
Chord Inversions and Fingerings
Dominant Seventh Chords and Dissonance
Separating Hands in Piano Performance
Different types of piano lessons
Piano
Grand Piano
Digital Piano
Upright Piano
Classical Piano
Types of learners for piano lessons
Piano for Intermediate
Piano for Kids
Piano for Advanced
Piano for Beginners
Piano for Adults
Interactive piano lessons
Note taking
Weekend lessons
Chat for quick help
Parent feedback
Open Q&A
Approach & tools used in piano classes
Metronome Apps
PDF Sheet Music Libraries
Virtual Piano Apps
Chord & Scale Reference Apps
Ear Training Software
Piano teachers on Wiingy are vetted for quality
Every tutor is interviewed and selected for subject expertise and teaching skill.
