In-person or Online Piano Lessons

Experienced Instruction

​Each piano lesson is tailored to the learner and conducted in a relaxed and professional environment, with a healthy dose of joy, fun, and creativity! I teach beginner, intermediate, and early advanced piano lessons to students of any age.

Flexible Location

You can have your piano lesson in the comfort of your home (East Village Residents), come to our home, or have your lesson online via Zoom!

Joel has been my daughter Myra’s piano teacher since January 2020. Myra was growing disinterested in piano lessons after spending six months with a teacher who was not sparking any musical joy. When Myra began taking lessons with Joel, her enthusiasm for learning and practicing the piano increased exponentially. That excitement has not waned even as we moved to online lessons. Joel truly knows how to teach and engage a child. His instructions and feedback are calibrated perfectly to my 8-year-old daughter’s sensibility. Even when we moved out of NYC, a month ago, we decided to keep Myra connected with Joel. We doubt if we can find any other teacher who is as good as him. I could not recommend Joel more highly. - Priya S.

 

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Student Portal

Active students, sign in below! This is your hub for the schedule/calendar, assignments, links, music, and everything you need for your next lesson and beyond!

​I've been studying with Joel for about about 4 months and it has been such a pleasure. He has an awesome set up for digital lessons so he can demonstrate and observe technique. He is a supportive and encouraging teacher that understands the needs of an adult beginner student. I would highly recommend Joel to anyone who is interested in beginning piano lessons in a low pressure atmosphere. - Maggie D. 

Teaching Philosophy

• I believe first and foremost that learning can be a fun imaginative adventure. I believe that the joy and enthusiasm of learning and progress can be transmitted from teacher to student, and that it's reciprocal. I also believe that fun and games are not mutually exclusive with rigor and mastery.
• I believe that when we engage the imaginative capabilities of a student as part of the learning process, it can enhance motivation and accelerate progress.
• ​I believe in the importance of finding modern and relevant approaches to teaching without completely disregarding older or traditional models of music education.

Student Outcomes

• Students will learn the fundamentals of playing the piano, including safe and healthy physical technique, reading music, ear-training, music theory and music history and appreciation by exploring the roots of western music history and notation, and then expanding beyond boundaries of music to study different musical genres and cultures, and traditions.
• Students will learn practice strategies along with performance preparation and execution.
• Students will learn how to conceptualize and monitor their progress in key aspects of the instrument and be proactive in their approach to achieving their goals.
• Students will learn collaboration and community building through group lessons, paired lessons, and special events (recitals, un-recitals, etc.) - currently in development for upcoming semesters.

Joel is a kind teacher who keeps the lessons fun. He introduces games and role plays that help me learn better. I especially like his idea of a feedback sandwich where he sandwiches ‘the need to improve’ feedback between two positive feedbacks. I love that he is always jolly and upbeat and very generous. I really like Joel as my piano teacher.  - Myra S. (8 yrs old)

Background

I studied classical music privately for over a decade and have been playing for many more. I combine my joy of creating music, the imaginative and creative skills gleaned from years as a professional actor, and my love and expertise in teaching.

I've created music education programming at a summer camp for New York City youth and most recently held a guest teaching artist position in the Arts Department at Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, NY.

​I currently study with John Bloomfield, co-founder, senior director and faculty chair of the Golandsky Institute, the preeminent center for teaching the Taubman Approach. When I'm not teaching, I spend much of my time working as a professional actor on stages in and out of New York City. I currently teach from my home in Stuyvesant Town in the East Village and online anywhere in the world!

Joel is such a great pianist and piano teacher. I always would be so excited whenever he came over, and even virtually! He is always happy and one of the sweetest teachers I've ever met!!! I've learned so much from Joel! - Abby G. (10 yrs ​old)