Partnering with Local Schools – La Salle Academy
La Salle Academy: Expanding our Teaching Partnerships
One of the core mission statements at Philly Music Lessons is that everyone deserves a chance to learn music. It drives us to make lessons available to many communities and families with varying income levels and schedules. That is why we offer the convenience of in-home lessons, as well as local studio lessons in Fishtown and South Philly, and why we offer financial aid discounts to low-income families.
To further expand opportunities for kids to learn music, we’ve started to partner with local schools, offering discounted private and group lessons during after school hours. Because our lessons are made available at an affordable rate, right on the school premises, it is much easier for kids to begin the process of learning music!
Engaging Students at La Salle through Music Performances and Presentations
We recently traveled down the road from our Fishtown studio to La Salle Academy, located in Kensington on North 2nd Street. Our teachers gave presentations to grades 3-8, showing them the basics of piano, guitar, violin and drums. Starting with the principles of technique and theory, our two multi-instrumentalist teachers, Sean Conlon and Emily Stewart, were able to give the kids a sense of what the beginning portion of learning an instrument really looks like. Our teachers performed solo pieces on each instrument, and followed with group performances to show how different instruments can come together to create unique styles and sounds. It was very inspiring for students to see professional musicians performing at an advanced level. We feel this experience gives them a sense of the hard work and dedication that goes into attaining such a level of musicianship.
With our presentations, children are better able to gauge their general level of interest in music. They may also be able to better determine which instrument they’d like to learn. We feel that starting a child off with an instrument that really inspires them is the best way to form a positive and lasting relationship with music. We hope these kinds of experiences at an early age will stick with them for the rest of their lives!
New Music Education Partnerships
Philly Music Lessons will be working to maintain and expand relationships with other schools in the city of Philadelphia throughout the 2018 school year. We feel our teachers have a lot to offer in terms of supplementing standard music education classes and providing individualized lessons to students who may not have access to them otherwise. As most educators know, there is no substitute for a great teacher.
Joseph Primavera
I teach Guitar, Bass, Piano and Ukulele. I am a music educator, performer, composer and producer with over 15 years of experience. Since obtaining my Bachelor’s of Music in Performance from Temple University in 2007, I have been teaching private music lessons in the greater Philadelphia area to students of all ages and skill levels. My teaching style focuses equally on technique, theory and improvisation. I like to tailor the lessons to each individual student's goals and interests, all while focusing on the music that they find interesting and inspiring. In 2002, I was one of only two guitar players in Pennsylvania chosen for the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. In 2010, I recorded the music for a full length documentary called “Libertopia". In 2011, I co-lead the launch of a recording program at The Hill School in Pottstown, PA. Since graduating with my degree in jazz performance, I have been featured as a guitarist performing in a variety of genres, and have contributed guitar to multiple recordings, including works recorded at Miner Street Recordings in Fishtown. In addition to guitar and music in general, I have been teaching audio engineering, production and mixing. I have also had a key role in the production and engineering for the albums of many local bands, including Juston Stens (former drummer for Dr. Dog), TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, Grubby Little Hands, and The Looks of It (my personal project). In 2009 I founded Philly Music Lessons to bring a unique form of music education to my own neighborhood and to Philadelphia at large. Whether you are just starting out and want to learn some of your favorite songs or preparing for a college audition, I have the tools and experience to help you achieve your musical aspirations. Schedule a Lesson
