James Cortright

Piano lessons for all, with a focus on accessibility and fun, but also excellence through music

4.6(157)

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James Cortright

Bachelors degree

/ 55 min

James - Your piano teacher

I've dedicated my life to teaching music, while constantly improving my abilities as a teacher and musician. For over 15 years of work experience I've taught lessons and ensembles, learned from some of the best teachers, and remained a life-long student of music pedagogy. My education includes a 4 year Bachelor's degree in music, and a 2 year certificate in audio technology. I've won first place as a performing member and a teacher with ensembles in world class international competitions, and received perfect scores in competitions as a soloist. Through all of this, I've learned that each student is a unique and special musical mind that requires adaptability from a teacher who has mastered their craft, but still has the ability to make the material understandable to a complete beginner. Thank you for reading this and considering taking lessons with me!

Your piano teacher skills

Improvisation icon

Improvisation

Pedaling Techniques icon

Pedaling Techniques

Scales and Arpeggios icon

Scales and Arpeggios

Finger Placement & Hand Position icon

Finger Placement & Hand Position

Music theory icon

Music theory

Performance Skills icon

Performance Skills

Chord Theory icon

Chord Theory

Piano Technique icon

Piano Technique

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AI modules

Summary

Podcast

Quiz

Learnings

Flashcard

Spotlight

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Types of learners for piano lessons

Piano for beginners icon

Piano for beginners

Piano for kids icon

Piano for kids

Piano for intermediate icon

Piano for intermediate

Piano for adults icon

Piano for adults

Piano for advanced icon

Piano for advanced

Piano lessons at a glance

My teaching methodology is based on a combination of studying a variety of music education techniques such as Orff, Kodaly, and Suzuki, while also learning from first hand experience teaching thousands of students. I believe that there is no one right way to teach music, but instead it is best to have a large tool kit and extensive background of knowledge to draw from based on the needs of any individual student. From beginners to advanced, from elementary age to adults, there will always be some creativity and flexibility involved in how I go about conveying the information that will help a student learn about music and improve their abilities on their instrument. I incorporate lessons from all areas of the subject of music including music theory, history, and ear training, while drawing from a variety of styles including classical, jazz, and folk.

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Trusted piano teacher for real results

88% students feel more skilled, confident, and ready to perform

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Piano lessons that truly engage students

Parents report their children look forward to every class

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Step-by-step piano lessons structure

Lessons break down complex pieces into manageable parts

Different types of piano lessons

Piano

Piano

Grand Piano

Grand Piano

Digital Piano

Digital Piano

Upright Piano

Upright Piano

Jazz Piano

Jazz Piano

Classical Piano

Classical Piano

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Piano concepts taught by James

Student learned 5 days ago

Student and Tutor practiced various piano scales, focusing on fingerings and black note keys. They reviewed music theory concepts including major and minor chords, chord identification, and inversions. The Student also practiced three repertoire pieces: the Bach Minuet, Wind in the Willows, and Moonlight Sonata, receiving guidance on performance consistency, musicality, and navigating specific technical and theoretical challenges. The Tutor advised on deliberate practice, mental preparation, and utilizing reference materials for continued improvement.

Developing Aural Recognition and Musical Phrasing

Optimizing Hand Positions and Fingering for Complex Passages

Achieving Performance Readiness: Mental & Physical Strategies

Triads and Inversions: Identification & Application

Comprehensive Piano Scales: Fingering & Practice Strategies

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Student learned 12 days ago

The Student and Tutor reviewed and practiced piano scales, arpeggios, and chord progressions from the Circle of Fifths (C-E major, B major) and introduced the Circle of Fourths (F major). They also worked on repertoire pieces including the Bach Minuet in G, "Wind in the Willows," and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, focusing on refining technique, musicality, and strategic practice methods. The Tutor discussed providing materials for two-octave scales and encouraged independent practice of identified challenging musical segments.

Mastering Major Scales: Circle of Fifths & Fourths

Chord Analysis & Inversions in Repertoire

Deconstructing Music into Voices

Efficient Repertoire Practice Strategies

Advanced Notation & Fingering Principles

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Student learned 19 days ago

The Student and Tutor reviewed three piano pieces: Bach's Minuet in G, "Wind in the Willows," and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, discussing dynamics, stylistic interpretation, and effective practice strategies. They also practiced fundamental scale, arpeggio, and chord progression exercises in C major and G major, with the Tutor introducing the Circle of Fifths for transposition. The Student's homework is to practice the first five keys of the Circle of Fifths for the fundamental exercises.

Effective Practice & Handling Mistakes

The Circle of Fifths and Fourths

Fundamentals: Major Scales

Arpeggios

and Cadences

Chord Analysis for Memorization and Understanding

Dynamics and Articulation Across Musical Eras

Repertoire Management & Performance Confidence

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Student learned 26 days ago

Student and Tutor had an introductory piano session where they discussed the Student's background, goals to strengthen music theory, and overall piano technique. They practiced major scales, arpeggios, and chords, delving into the theoretical construction of scales and chords, including inversions and a chord progression. The Tutor suggested practicing these fundamental exercises in all twelve keys as a future learning objective and offered to share materials.

Rebuilding Music Fundamentals

Major Scales: Construction & Fingering

Arpeggios & Basic Triads

Major and Minor Triads: Construction & Sound

Chord Inversions & Slash Notation

Cadences and Chord Progressions

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Student learned about 1 month ago

Student and Tutor engaged in a comprehensive piano lesson focusing on jazz improvisation and theory. They reviewed the student's performance of a Debussy piece, discussing musicality and rhythmic density. The session also covered essential jazz concepts such as scale-chord relationships, 2-5-1 voicings and licks, and the structure of jazz performances, with follow-up recommendations for ear training apps and learning songs by ear.

Jazz Scales & Their Characteristics

Ear Training for Jazz Musicians

2-5-1 Chord Voicings & Licks

Standard Jazz Form & Improvisation

Flexible Chord Voicing for Smoothness

Solo Piano Arranging Techniques

Jazz Solo Piano Musicality & Flow

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Student learned about 2 months ago

Student and Tutor reviewed a new song composition, focusing on refining its rhythm, notation, and chord placement using music software. They corrected several rhythmic and lyrical misalignments, experimented with notation techniques like fermatas and triplets, and discussed best practices for musical phrasing. Educational follow-up included the Student continuing to compose new songs and exploring alternative digital music tools for their iPad.

Rhythmic Precision and Chord-Melody Alignment

Song Structure and Varied Repetition

Streamlining Musical Notation for Readability

Expressive Timing with Time Signatures and Fermata

Introducing Triplets for Rhythmic Nuance

Optimizing Music Workflow with Digital Notation Software

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Approach & tools used in piano classes

Looping Software image

Looping Software

Piano Tuner Apps image

Piano Tuner Apps

DAWs image

DAWs

Backing Track Libraries image

Backing Track Libraries

Metronome Apps image

Metronome Apps

Virtual Piano Apps image

Virtual Piano Apps

Interactive piano lessons

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Parent feedback

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Mobile joining

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Chat for quick help

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Weekend lessons

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Record lessons

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