Matt Elias Piano
Lewis Capaldi - Someone I Loved - Old Town Square
A Teacher First
Every story has to start somewhere. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in telling mine is that I didn’t know what my story was going to be while I was living it. It was through passion, humility, paying attention, and the gift of having incredible people be part of my life that lets me look back now and be so appreciative of the story I can tell at this point.
The thing I want to do most now is to motivate, to help, to explain the “why.” To be a good teacher. To be kind, gentle, and supportive, yet honest and creative. To push a little when needed, because performing can be difficult, but then to step back and watch someone shine.
I’ve learned that music lessons don’t have to be all study — there’s space for magic and fun and inspiration when learning, too. We tend to learn better when the environment around us is comfortable and warm, fun and inspiring. I’ve aimed at creating a space that is inviting and creative, yet flexible and open, where as a teacher I’m able to go to where the student is when they first walk through the door.
I want to help make your story amazing — help you pursue your dreams, answer your questions about how to take the next steps, and most of all, be that voice that tells you to keep going. To be there to support you and to remind you that you can’t see the whole story while you’re in it, but if you keep pushing, you can eventually look back with appreciation and amazement.
My Future, you ask?
Well, if I dare to take a glance ahead, I'm excited to pursue piano teaching full time and introducing music lessons to younger ages. This will be the first time in my life that I can truly dedicate myself to helping people understand music, and myself, to learn how to reach that goal in different and better ways.
I'm also excited to keep studying and growing in my own piano studies and as a musician. One thing I have learned from my past is that the act of teaching allows you to grow in it's own unique powerful way - so I look forward to growing right alongside my students.
Most importantly, I look forward to continuing to be a member of this amazing community. I've never felt so at home anywhere as I do here in Fort Collins. This town feels like a dream, and I honestly I have to keep pinching myself to remember it's in fact real. I'm excited to be able to share some of that wonder and amazement with others.
And lastly, as for my personal musical dreams: two arrangers, Francesco Parrino, and Riyandi Kusuma, have written the vast majority of arrangements I play, and I love their arranging styles. One of my regrets looking back is that I didn't study the artists who inspired me more deeply, so a personal goal of mine now is to study and understand what I love about their arranging styles - and then begin writing my own arrangements. I want to create arrangements that do justice to what I believe is the greatest genre of music ever, and the one that at the very least has inspired me to be the musician I am today.
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Boston Logan Airport
Arrangement by Francesco Parrino
Well, that's the story for now. I sincerely hope you enjoyed the journey, I sure did. And I hope you can find inspiration from my story, that it may push you to say "yes" that one time, that one moment for you that will be the start of something beautiful.
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