Grade 7 Theory

I have been teaching music theory and composition since I began my graduate education in 1999. While studying for my MA in Music Composition at the University of Pennsylvania, I started teaching music theory to Penn undergraduates. I have since taught music theory and composition at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, Plymouth University (UK), Dartington College of Arts (UK), and in my own studio at home. I own and operate the Totnes School of Piano.

I entered my undergraduate studies completely focussed on studying piano performance, but I quickly found that studying music theory improved my sight-reading and my ability to memorise music; it heightened my musical expression and understanding at the piano; and it eventually led me to composing music.

I hold dual undergraduate degrees in piano performance and music theory, an MA and PhD in composition from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and two MFAs in performance (improvisation emphasis) and electronic music and recording media from Mills College in California, where I won the Flora Boyd Piano Performance Prize in 2011.

But most importantly, I have a passion for teaching music theory. I believe it is the key that unlocks all musical treasures. It can be engaging in its own right, but music theory, for me, is best viewed as a means toward greater musical expression and creativity.