I grew up in a small town in Utah, and started taking piano lessons when I was 6 years old. My neighbor, Karma Spackman, taught piano, so I was able to walk next door to my lessons. I LOVED it! I remember clearly when I was 7-years old and I had to make the choice between piano and dance lessons. What a big life-changing decision to make at such a young age! Happily, I feel that I made the right choice. I took from Mrs. Spackman through 6th grade.
When I turned 12 I started taking lessons in Logan at the Utah State University Youth Conservatory program. I learned a great deal from my teacher, Penny Eads, who was a piano major there. I was in the program for 3 years, until I became too busy as a high school athlete to make the weekly trip to Logan. I continued taking lessons from local teachers throughout my high school years, and took lessons through my 2nd year of college. I also started teaching my first students while in college.
In August, 1991, I was crowned Miss Bear River Valley, playing Chopin's Revolutionary Etude for my talent. I then went on to compete in the Miss Utah pageant in June, 1992. My goal was to show the world that athletes can be poised, elegant, and musical, as well as tough.
In 1995 graduated from Utah State University in Physical Education, with a minor in Health. I taught Jr. High School Health for 5 years and loved it. We moved in 2000, and I quit teaching school and switched to teaching piano. I wanted to have more training in piano as I made this switch, and I took classes in the Suzuki Piano Method, eventually being trained to teach through Book 4. I taught at Lee Music for about 5 years, and then started teaching from my home studio in 2006.
I currently keep a full studio teaching Suzuki, traditional, and Simply Music students. I'm a member of Utah Music Teachers Association (UMTA), Music Teachers National Association (MTMA), and the Suzuki Association of Utah (SAU). I am an active member of the Heber Valley UMTA chapter, and am very involved with the Heber Valley Piano Festival, held each March.
I am constantly striving to learn as much as I can to create well rounded students. Suzuki says it best: "Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens, noble human beings. If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth, and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart."
I teach beginners through early advanced.