Teaching Philosophy: "My ultimate goal is to help every student become confident in their artistry, no matter where they are in their musical education. They know that I am on their team, that we work together to figure out the challenges in front of us, and that there are no stupid questions! I want every lesson to be filled with laughter and creativity, while always maintaining a well-balanced approach that includes music theory, technique, sight-reading, and games."
As an educator, Monica has music directed several musical theater productions at both Watertown Children's Theatre and Boston College High School, had taught group piano lessons for two years at Keys for Kids in Lexington, MA, and has over eight years of remote and in-person private piano lessons. She is experienced in teaching beginners of all ages, strives to inform and include parents in the learning process, and knows how to tailor her teaching for each student’s individual needs. She and her students work together to choose music that inspires, excites, and challenges them to grow.
Professionally, Monica is a collaborative pianist and opera coach based in Reading, MA. She joined Opera Columbus and Capital University's Resident Artist Program for the 2020-2021 season as a vocal coach for upcoming productions including A Tale of Two Cities, La Bohème, and The Marriage of Figaro. In the spring of 2020, she earned a Graduate Performance Diploma in Vocal Accompanying at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she was the rehearsal and performance pianist for productions including Leonard Bernstein's MASS conducted by Marin Alsop, Puccini's La Rondine and Il Trittico, and the world premiere of Kirke Mechem's opera Pride and Prejudice.
At Peabody, she was also awarded the InterPlay Teaching Artist Grant in collaboration with the University of Maryland Baltimore County, the Clara Ascherfeld Award in Piano Accompanying, and was a finalist with mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd in the 2019 London Song Festival’s British Art Song Master Class and Competition led by Roderick Williams. She also holds a Masters in Collaborative Piano from the Longy School of Music of Bard College and a Bachelors in Piano Performance from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Monica has been with Note-worthy Experiences since August 2020, and has been teaching since 2013.
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