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Learn More About Kathea's Experience:

general music General Music: In the area of general music, I have several experiences that qualify me. From my education to my experience outside the classroom, I have the knowledge to tutor in general music. My degrees from the University of Washington are a BA in Music and a BM in Education. This coursework prepared me to teach general music K-12, orchestra, choir and band K-12. Student teaching, and my first 2 years in the public schools, involved the teaching of general music to K-6 aged students. The fundamentals of music are vital to whatever music avenue you’d like to pursue – regardless the style, instrument or venue. Being a singer, I have encountered the student who thinks it unnecessary to read music to be a singer. I strongly disagree and work at showing them why. Music is a language and, just like with reading English, knowing how to read it empowers the musician to understand, participate and create! I have a strong and vast knowledge of music theory. My vast experience teaching in schools, as well as privately, along with my performance experience with the Esoterics, the Seattle Opera, youth symphonies, and many churches, lends itself to the utilization of all general music concepts. I am very adept at conveying concepts and finding new ways to help each student really understand the fundamentals of music. piano In the area of beginning piano I have several experiences that qualify me. Ranging over the last 25 years, I believe that what I have practiced and taught make me eligible. I began taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old. These lessons continued until I was 15 when I began focusing more heavily on academics and voice. I took piano courses again at the University of Washington as I studied music education. While I received formal instruction only as a youth, and a refresher in college, I continued to play for myself outside of the need for academia. I personally love piano and the creativity that can be shown with it. A personal interest in what you teach is crucial. In my coursework to become a music teacher, there were requirements to become proficient in piano. To teach general music, choir and voice takes a good level of piano skill. While teaching classrooms of music students, playing the piano to accompany, assist ear training and teach theory skills was needed daily and kept me in good practice. I also used the piano keyboard as a tool for all my students to learn music theory. This resulted in several students being interested in learning to play the piano from me as well. I believe that part of learning any instrument, especially piano, is the understanding of basic music theory. Incorporating all the necessary skills, knowledge and fun into a lesson is a key to success. My knowledge of student learning styles, lesson planning and time management, while conveying my own excitement for music, lend themselves to effective individual instruction. While piano performance is not my primary performance instrument, my love of piano, my constant playing for personal enjoyment, my use of piano skills in the classroom and my passion for teaching make me qualified to begin students on their journey to learn piano skills and performance. voice (music) In the area of voice or vocal performance, I have many things that qualify me. Not only is there my experience of teaching voice, but my personal, genuine passion for singing. I began singing very early and started in choirs at the age 4. Beginning piano lessons at age 5, I learned quickly how to read music. I sang in the church choir from age four through high school. My first experience of singing a solo was at church. The praise received during this opportunity encouraged me to continue to study music. When I was old enough for school choir, I joined. I sang some solos beginning in middle school. This is the time where I was introduced to jazz and began to learn intricacies of harmonic structure. My music instructors really encouraged me to keep building my skill. The avenue of learning jazz and having the teacher encouragement helped my passion blossom. I decided that singing was something I could pursue in my sophomore year of high school. I had always sung and loved it, but my notions were that learning instruments was more impressive. Then, the beloved choir teacher decided to leave and a new, very different one arrived in her place. Mr. Mikelson turned the choir system inside out and my view of singing on its head. With Mr. Mikelson’s changes, we were introduced to how much more we were capable of. From there on, I was a section leader, I sang solos and was coached in classical singing. This guidance led to competing in our state’s Solo and Ensemble competition. I was the Mezzo-Soprano winner in my region. Considering I had no private instruction, and that I was unaware of the voice type Mezzo-Soprano just a couple years earlier, this was a great accomplishment. At the University of Washington I was in choirs and took music courses. In my second year I became the youngest member of the chamber ensemble and was a music ed major. I studied under several teachers including Geoffrey Boers, Valerie Yocky and Tom Harper. I learned multitudes technically and emotionally about my music just from being in their studios and amongst other fine singers. While doing all of the work and study to become a good music teacher, I studied voice, participated in all the university’s choirs, did solo work for master’s recitals and sang in the opera choruses. Upon graduation I started teaching music in the public schools. My first position was itinerant and I taught at a total of six schools. As I settled into the subsequent years, I was able to teach what I loved – choir and orchestra – at one school. I was able to dig in and reach out to an inner city population; they had no chance not to see my passion. I am proud to say that I vitalized that music program and inspired several students to go beyond what they were doing in school with music. In 2003 I joined the Seattle choir The Esoterics. Eric Banks brought me into the group and opened a whole new world of modern choral music. The theory and ear training alone that have learned and refined while participating in this choir is astonishing. I consider Eric Banks to be one of my teachers. In 2004 I decided to focus on my personal vocal achievement as well as my students. I began studying voice with Steve Wall. I had a goal to become a member of the Seattle opera chorus. I am quite young by opera singing standards, but despite that, and the enormous pool of opera talent in the Pacific Northwest, I was hired to the supplemental Seattle Opera Chorus 2007. I continue to work toward being a regular Seattle opera chorister as well as seek roles. I have also sung with the Bellevue opera chorus and as a church musician. While I pursue performance and teaching opportunities, I hope my love of music and teaching will touch others as well. I teach the knowledge, technique and confidence individually to each student, while making sure they enjoy it too! Anyone can sing, but it takes hard work and practice to do it well!