Connie Wilkins, Denver – Piano instruction, Individual, Virtual

How/when did you start learning piano and why did it interest you?

My interest in music began around 4 years old. My grandfather played the piano and guitar. His old guitar is one of my prized possessions. Formal lessons began at 12 years old and I studied for six years with Concert Pianist, Claudette Valentine; Professor Claude Mullen, at Univ. Of Nebraska; West Germany Concert Pianist Daphne Rebaud, and Professor Kevin Kennedy, both at Arapahoe College in Littleton.

What is your teaching style like?

I learned to teach the basics while focusing on what each student displays a passion and an aptitude for.

How long have you been teaching piano?

I’ve taught Piano and Theory for over 30 years.

What is your favorite genre of music?

I enjoy all genres of music. Classical music is my favorite. I believe if you can play Classical music you can play all genres!

Tetyana Paniotova Guthrie, Littleton – Piano instruction (In-Studio)

Tetyana Paniotova Guthrie has been studying the piano since the age of five in the Ukraine and has participated in multiple competitions as a soloist and as part of collaborative ensembles with violinists, cellists and vocalists.  Over the course of her career she has been trained by many outstanding pianists, but especially Dr. Mykola Suk, a distinguished and highly acclaimed Ukrainian-American pianist who is currently teaching at UNLV.  After completing her graduate studies at Denver University’s Lamont School of Music, under the direction of Stephanie Cheng, she served as a graduate teacher assistant during those graduate studies.  While at the University of Denver, she was teaching students at many levels and with a variety of skills based on her classical training, both in private lessons and group classes.

Timothy Horton, Littleton - Guitar Instruction (In-Studio & In-Home)

“As a guitarist, Timothy is prepared to teach a variety of skills, including alternate picking, finger-picking, scales, chord vocabulary, music theory, and ear training. All taught in a way that applies to many genres and real-world playing scenarios.

Timothy’s influences range from jazz to classical, Spanish romance, rock, R&B, indie acoustic, and folk. His playing and teaching reflect his personal fusion of these styles. 

He believes meeting students where they are is the best way to have a productive learning experience. His main goal is to equip them with the foundational tools that will carry them through their musical journey.”

Lisa Seigler, Littleton - Piano, violin, viola, guitar and ukulele instruction (In Studio)

Lisa hails originally from Chicago IL and later from San Jose CA, and now lives in Conifer. She gives private piano lessons as well as teaching the “Learn to Play the Piano in 8 Weeks” group lesson series at Piano Pathways.

Lisa is a second-generation piano teacher: her mother taught piano. But Lisa’s love of the piano wasn’t from the start. She started at 5 years old taking lessons from family and friends, but admits that it was “awful! I was bored to death.” This was because of the prevailing teaching methods of the time.

When Lisa started college at San Jose State she majored in Psychology.  She wanted to be a forensic psychologist or an FBI investigator.  But she decided to start teaching piano to cover her school expenses, and it was then and because of her past that she decided she didn’t want any of her students to experience what she had gone through–she wanted the piano to be fun!  And now all of her students agree that she has succeeded in this.

Lisa has now been teaching children and adults for over 20 years and loves and teaches a wide variety of musical genres and styles, including classical, pops, and show tunes.  She likes to teach students of all ages and musical tastes and says she prefers  “anybody who likes to learn.”  Her goal is to instill a love of music, to share the enjoyment of learning, and above all to have fun!  Lisa tailors her lessons to fit each student’s needs, incorporating music theory and technique using traditional teaching methods as well as the Quick Chord method.

Greg Watkins, Littleton - Piano & Voice Instruction, individual (in-Studio)

Greg teaches piano in three areas: 1) beginning, 2) jazz, and 3) blues. Beginning piano covers the basics regardless of style, building skills in ear training, finger technique, music notation, scales, and introductory music theory. Greg’s jazz study focuses on lead sheets, where a specific song is analyzed, practiced, and improvised over. Blues piano is mainly improvising and “playing by ear.” Greg emphasizes building techniques with specific blues exercises along with some moderate music theory and studying classic songs in the blues tradition.

Greg teaches very young students utilizing the Suzuki method, where children practice hearing and repeating melodies with a minimum of theory.

Alyssa Alexander, Evergreen - Suzuki Piano Teacher

Alyssa Alexander is a passionate musician and Suzuki teacher with over 25 years of experience as a pianist. She believes that everyone has the ability to learn the piano, no matter what age or background, and seeks to nurture and develop that ability in her students. With a willingness to learn, hard work, and dedication, all students can develop musical ability. 

Alyssa holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance with a concentration in Classical Piano from MSU Denver, where she studied under the exceptional Dr. Jooeun Pak. She is also an active member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), and the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lessons are available at her studio in Evergreen.