Los Angeles Piano Lessons

Red Pelican Teachers have music degrees from top conservatories and universities. In addition, they are working professionals who play in rock bands, orchestras, and compose music for film and video games.

Do you remember that strict, humorless piano teacher you had as a kid? We didn’t hire him. Our teachers tend to be young and cool…if not in age, at heart. While our approach is modern, it is also comprehensive.

A typical piano lesson will involve three things: technique, traditional studies, and a song project – often coming right off the student’s iPod!

Piano Teachers

Brad

Classical and Pop Piano, Singer-Songwriters

Brad absolutely loves teaching music.  A classical pianist for most of his life, Brad is also a songwriter and recording artist (and a terrific singer).   His songs have appeared in many TV shows and films.  Recently, he wrote and performed the closing song of ”Salmon Fishing In The Yemen” with Ewen McGregor and Emily Blunt.

As a teacher, Brad balances teaching the fundamentals with diving into the interests of the student.  He enjoys working with students of all ages, from complete beginners, to those who want to brush off that dusty piano book and jump back on the ivories.   Brad’s favorite artists include:  Coldplay, Blur, Debussy, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

*Brad’s songs have been on American Idol, ABC Family’s “The Lying Game”, and most importantly for us kids, on multiple Cartoon Network programs ;-)

STYLES:  Rock, Pop, Classical

SPECIALTIES:  Singer-songwriters, classical piano

AGES & SKILL LEVEL:  Pop/Rock/Songwriting - all levels.  Classical piano- beginning/intermediate.  All Ages

SOFTWARE EXPERTISE:  Pro Tools!

STUDIO LOCATION:  Sherman Oaks

IN-HOME LESSONS:  West Los Angeles, and Sherman Oaks

WEB-CAM LESSONS:  Skype

LANGUAGES:  English

Cassie

Pop, Rock and Gospel - Combining Piano and Voice

Cassie has a sunny, enthusiastic personality – she loves teaching piano students of all ages – particularly those who like to sing and play, since she is also one of our voice instructors.  Cassie’s stylistic specialities are R&B, Pop, Rock and Gospel.  She also enjoys working with beginning classical students.

Cassie grew up in Massachusetts, and began performing at the age of eight.  She studied Jazz at the New England Conservatory, and graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music.  Cassie  brings a lot of real-world experience to the table, as a bandleader, songwriter, touring musician, and studio musician.    Her favorite artists include, Mariah Carey, Sara Bareilles, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, and the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin.

*If you’d like to get on Cassie’s good side, word on the street is that she especially appreciates pistachio flavored confectioneries from Yogurtland. . . 

What Red Pelican Music students are saying about piano lessons with Cassie:

My experience with red Pelican has been absolutely wonderful. I was looking for piano lessons for my 6-year old who had taken some play-based group lessons back in Chicago. The interactions with the office are very easy, they answer quickly on the phone or by e-mail. I was recommended one teacher, Cassie, based on location and my son’s needs. I couldn’t be happier. Cassie has been a great teacher. She has really connected with my son with a playful attitude but she’s been able to introduce more discipline and focus. He’s improving, happy to go and happy to practice. Two thumbs up!-Laure

(Google)

STYLES

Pop, R&B, Gospel, Rock
Combining Piano and Voice

AGES & SKILL LEVEL
All Ages - Beginning to Intermediate Piano, and Advanced Voice

LOCATIONS:

STUDIO:  West Los Angeles

IN-HOME LESSONS:   Culver City, Cheviot Hills, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Bel Air, Brentwood

Anthony

Piano, voice, songwriting

Anthony grew up in the small mountain town of Evergreen, CO where he starting blowing audiences away his musical abilities at the young age of 7. His talents took him to national piano competitions year after year and also to arts magnet school, Denver School of the Arts where he began composing and writing songs. Anthony was awarded a full scholarship to the Berklee summer program in 2005 and won their annual songwriting competition that year. He later graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from CalArts where he focused on contemporary voice and keyboard, songwriting, and composition.

Currently Anthony writes both commercial and classical music, performs regularly in pop, rock, and R&B bands and is a founding member of the hip east-side choral group, ‘The Silver Lake Chorus’. Anthony has musical directing credits on the stage also and collaborators both on the stage and in the studio include ‘The Swingle Singers’, ‘Ben Lee’, ‘James’, Ellis Hall of ‘Tower of Power’, and pop sensation ‘Akon’.

*Some fun Anthony trivia:  He will always order a burger and fries over anything else, no matter how fancy the alternative :-)

What are people saying about lessons with Anthony:

“It is my pleasure to recommend Anthony.  He has taught my two sons, ages 8 and 6, on a weekly basis.  His style is fun and easy.  He is engaging, challenging and knowledgeable. The boys have truly looked forward to their lessons which, given their ages, says a great deal.  Anthony plays the piano for the boys who get to hear many different styles, sing with him, and explore their own improvisational pieces. He utilizes both traditional/classic approaches as well as a more playful approach,  allowing them to choose songs they want to learn.”

- B. Leslie

STYLES
Classical, Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz

AGES
All ages – children and adults

SKILL LEVELS
All Levels - Beginners and Advanced Students

STUDIO:   Downtown Los Angeles

IN-HOME LESSONS:   Los Angeles

LANGUAGES
English

Ulf

Piano Lessons , Music Theory & Composition, Sequencing & Recording (Logic)

Ulf studied classical piano in Germany before studying jazz piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He completed his BM in Contemporary Writing and Production in 2006 and is the recipient of ASCAP’s Henry Mancini Scholarship, and Berklee’s Contemporary Writing and Production Award.

Ulf has a real passion for teaching piano, and enjoys working with students of all ages and experience levels – from giving a first piano lesson to teaching advanced software recording techniques.

Ulf is an accomplished concert pianist who performs frequently in Europe and the United States, and is the accompanist to UCLA’s choir. Upcoming performances include Handel’s Messiah at Royce Hall.

In addition, Ulf has written music for film and television. Most recently, “Oceans Away,” a 14-part documentary for CCTV

What are Red Pelican Music customers saying about lessons with Ulf:

“I shopped around a lot while deciding where to begin taking private piano lessons.  I’ve been a musician for 16 years but I never really progressed beyond an intermediate skill level so I knew it was time for some guided training.  I didn’t want to just learn from the cheapest instructor who could tell me how to read notes, I wanted professional training from a musical expert.

I’ve been taking piano/theory lessons with Ulf for almost 6 months now and the experience has been awesome!  I’ve learned so much in such a short time.  In addition to piano training, Ulf is giving me a real music education.  He’s teaching me the rules, practices, and the workings of music and composition.  He has allowed me to tailor our lessons to my specific goals so that I really get what I want from them.  This way, it never becomes a chore.  Ulf is rapidly demystifying music for me and that is very exciting!  He’s also opened my eyes to the world of computer recording/production of music in ways I never knew were possible and I am now producing music that could almost pass for professional quality.  I have a ways to go yet.

Ulf is a true master of his trade and I never cease to be inspired by his skill and knowledge.  I look forward to improving more and more as my training continues.”

STYLES
Classical, Jazz, Rock, Blues, Ragtime, Country, and R&B Piano Lessons

AGES
All ages - especially adults

SKILL LEVELS
All skill levels - beginners, intermediate students, and especially advanced students

LOCATION:

STUDIO LESSONS (PREFERRED):  Westwood

IN-HOME LESSONS:  West LA area, Westwood, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Cheviot Hills, etc.

LANGUAGES
English, German

RECCOMMENDED BOOKS
& MATERIALS

Piano Manuscript Paper

Piano Book for Jazz Students

Piano Book for Beginning Students