Piano and Voice
Mikayla Manke
My name is Mikayla and I’m a songwriter, pianist, and singer. Music has always been my favorite creative outlet and form of expression. I grew up in Buffalo and started on piano at 11, and during high school I learned a lot about music theory and began playing music by ear. I fell in love with composing and songwriting and currently I perform and record original songs with my band Spiria. In 2024, I graduated from Buffalo State University with a degree in Music and a minor in Digital Music Production. My formal training has helped me develop a strong foundation in note reading and technique, and I use these skills to better teach my students!
My first significant performance experience was in high school where I performed two original piano pieces at an outdoor school event, and since then I have been in love with performing! I have always had a deep love for music and this sparked my passion for teaching. I had awesome experiences with my music instructors and wanted to provide the same thing to new people. There are so many different ways to connect with music, and I want to help my students meet whatever goal they have!
When did you begin playing Piano, and why?
I began playing piano at the age of 11 with a private teacher. I always loved music from taking dance classes as a child, and I knew I wanted to be able to play and create music myself. I had a small keyboard in my house and learned on that for the first few years.
What other instruments do you play, and what is your experience with them?
I was always singing and doing choir as a young child. As a teenager, I started to get into songwriting and wanted to be able to sing my own songs, so at 16 I decided to start taking formal voice lessons.
What are your personal goals as a musician?
I want to keep music in my life for as long as I can because it’s something that brings me immense joy and keeps my mind active. I love writing and recording my own music because creativity and expression are very important to me. I always want to be working on my skills and learning other instruments. Currently the guitar and drums are what I’m working on!
Do you have a memory of a time when a musical concept or technique really clicked? Something you’ll remember forever?
I remember the first time in a voice lesson I really felt my voice shift. I was able to project a higher note at full volume without any discomfort, and my teacher actually cheered for me and the next week she signed me up for an open mic and it completely changed the direction of my life.
What is your favorite piece of advice from one of your past (or current) teachers?
teacher told me “playing for five minutes every day is better than playing for an hour once a week”. Consistency matters!
What was your most challenging moment learning an instrument?
In college, I had to prepare a 30 minute piano recital of memorized classical music. It was extremely challenging to perfect several pieces in only a few short months, but I proved to myself that it was
possible through hard work. I practiced every day and never gave up even when my hardest piece felt impossible at times.
What is your biggest musical achievement?
My band Spiria has released 2 albums so far and we’ve been performing as much as possible. It’s really rewarding to hear our own music that we spent so long working on.
Favorite thing about teaching?
I love when a student has a breakthrough moment, and what they experience afterwards is pure bliss and excitement. Everyone deserves to have something to make them proud of themselves!
What is a piece of advice you would like to share with anyone learning music?
Be patient with yourself. It took me several years to make the progress I wanted, but every moment was worth it! Don’t forget to have a ton of fun, and know that if you’re making mistakes it means you’re heading in the right direction!
Personal music projects:
My band Spiria has 2 albums out: “Where the Pink Blossoms Resonate” and “Amateur’s Garden”. I also record and mix my own solo music as a side project, and it can be found on Bandcamp and YouTube under my name!