Online Piano Lessons from Hebron, Hebron, CT
Learn Piano with David Dion
“I specialize in Beginning And Intermediate Piano, Music Theory, and Composition”
About Me
Hello, my name is David Dion and I have been teaching music for 30 years. I have taught high school band, orchestra, and jazz for 20 years, adjunct faculty at 2 universities for 15 years, and elementary school instrumental music for 10 years.
Though my full time positions have involved all instrumental groups (brass, woodwinds, percussion, and strings), my specialty is teaching piano and percussion private lessons. I am particularly adept with young & beginning musicians as well as teaching music theory, composition, and jazz improvisation to teens and adults.
My teaching philsophy is to meet students where they are musically and focus on the music that is meaningful to them. While there are many texts that I use for teaching material, I prefer to focus on the style/repertoire/artists that students are passionate about - I have found that when a student follows their own individual musical interests and tastes they are infinitely more motivated and more likely to see rapid, satisfying improvement. For all students I seek out or transcribe music that they request and teach performance skills through those songs, be it popular music, gaming music, cinematic, jazz, blues, or classical. I also regularly integrate music improvisation and composition into lessons and place a high value on creating music to augment their music reading and performance skills.
I hold a bachelors degree in jazz performance and a masters degree in music composition and have been composing and arranging music for various groups for as long as I have been teaching. Presently, I produce music for media and am adept at music production through DAW's (digital audio workstations).
While most instruments are taught best in person, online piano lessons are unique in that technology allows for a better overview of technique and more comfortable and effective lessons on their own instrument - piano or electric keyboard.
Above all I am patient, kind, positive, and understanding - studying music should be FUN! I am eager to speak with you about your musical interests and goals and planning lessons that cater to these.
Best, David
Qualifications
6th Year Degree - Educational Leadership
Sacred Heart University
December 2022
Master of Music - Jazz Composition and Arranging
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
May 1996
Professional Educator Certificate
Connecticut State Department of Education
May 1996
Bachelor of Arts - Music Performance
Western Connecticut State University
May 1990
Lesson Details
Teaching Experience
30 years
Students I Teach
Young Children (3-5 years), Children (6-12 years), Teens (13-17 years), Adults (18-65 years), Seniors (65+ years)
Music Styles
Classical, Jazz, Blues
Where I Teach
I Also Teach
Drums
Pricing
30 Minutes
$50
per lesson
45 Minutes
$70
per lesson
60 Minutes
$90
per lesson
Student Reviews
1 review
Gaby D
“Our homeschool student has been participating in remote piano instruction with David for nearly 2 years now, and continues to look forward to her lesson every week! He is always encouraging and very good at engaging and maintaining interest and motivation. He listens to the student and adjusts the lessons according to her level of progress and preferences in musical genre. She has progressed from being a complete beginner to truly enjoying playing increasingly complex, impressive pieces. We couldn’t be happier with the instructor! ”
7 days ago
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much are piano lessons?
Piano lessons are $50 for a 30 minute lesson (recommended for students aged 3-12), $70 for a 45 minute lesson (recommended for teenage students), and $90 for a 60 minute lesson (recommended for music theory & composition students).
What age is appropriate to begin piano lessons?
Piano lessons help develop fine motor skills, concentration, and learning skills. Many students can begin piano lessons at age 3 or 4 and studies show that this can help to make all aspects of their education more effective.
Where do your lessons take place?
I teach onliine lessons from my studio in Connecticut which is on Eastern Standard Time. (I have some flexibility in the times that I teach and can often accomodate students from other time zones.) This allows you to stay in your own home and use your own piano/keyboard. For piano lessons, online is the most effective - through the use of various camera angles students can observe technique and fingerings without a teacher reaching in front of them.
What do we need to have in terms of technology to make online lessons effective?
Lessons are most effective if you have an acoustic or electric piano/keyboard with a sustain pedal, a laptop or tablet with a webcam (often built-in), and high speed internet. Headphones or earbuds are helpful but not necessary. Using a phone can work as well, though the small screen can present challenges for the student.
Can we choose the style of music we would like to learn?
Absolutely! Students are always more motivated when they are learning music that speaks to their interests. I will find or transcribe music that you would like to learn and teach technical skills through that material.