Jazz Piano/Jazz Education - Debbie Poryes - Jazz Pianist, Composer, Teacher - Teaching/References

Learning Jazz Piano-My Teaching Philosophy. Read student letters below. SKYPE lessons available!

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

I always enjoy teaching my students. We work on melodic line and chord voicing vocabulary, functional harmony in all keys, play on tunes together with me playing basslines on the electric piano, and generally learn, laugh and have a good time. Even if you haven't practiced much or feel tired and uninspired, we will practice together and I guarantee that you'll go home feeling better and wanting to spend time at your piano. I consider inspiring my students to be part of my job. I help keep my students very organized so that they know how to use their practice time at home. I am extremely organized as well and prepare for every lesson in addition to keeping notes at the lesson so that I know what subjects we've covered each time. Students who have been studying with me for many years are always amazed that I can go back to a lesson date in my notebook from years ago, and see exactly what we did that day! I also help the students learn how do do their own transcribing of their favorite jazz musicians so that they develop their abilities to listen and understand what they are hearing. Learning to play jazz is, above all else, an incredible ear training. Certainly we constantly study to improve our theoretical knowledge, and become more and more aware of what we are doing within the language of music. But always, it's about listening and finding out what these sounds are, and connecting more and more deeply to our inner ear. And by listening more closely to these fabulous musicians (such as Bill Evans and Miles Davis), they become your teachers too, and their playing becomes more accessible to you. I am happy to teach people of all levels. My practice includes complete beginners as well as professional musicians and teachers. I also teach jazz vocabulary to other jazz instrumentalists, for example guitarists, horn players and singers. I taught for much of the 1980s in the jazz departments of two conservatories in The Netherlands, where I had small classes of the non-piano players to learn what was titled "Harmony on the Piano." So I've developed many skills to impart jazz vocabulary applied to instruments other than the piano. I also teach Jazz Piano and Harmony classes at the Berkeley Jazzschool. See their website and catalog for more information. The address is on my "Links" page. I am also available for one time workshops or presentations to, for example groups of classical teachers who would like to develop more jazz skills for their own teaching practices. "Introduction to Jazz Piano" is a one to two hour lecture/demonstration on the basics of learning a jazz tune from a jazz chart. I teach Jazz Piano Lessons in my home near Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Alameda, and Piedmont CA. I am involved with studying and teaching the "Taubman Approach" to piano technique. Briefly, this is an approach that emphasizes a more coordinated use of the fingers and arms, in order to make piano playing feel more natural and comfortable, and to avoid injury. See The Golandsky Institute website for more information. The address is on my "Links" page. Please feel free to call on the phone or email me if you are interested in lessons and you'd like to discuss more about my way of teaching. My email and phone are on my "contact" page. I am also now available for Skype lessons!

Private Student Reference - Deborah Murray

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

After years of struggling with playing jazz, I found Debbie Poryes. Thank goodness, because she has made previously complicated concepts simple for me, employing patience and humor. Debbie is a unique teacher in that she uses her own methods (and incredibly useful worksheets that she makes herself) and years of experience to impart her vast knowledge of jazz and the piano. Debbie unveils the "truth" behind the music- the sounds, the chords, the rhythms and why they work. As a piano teacher myself, I work with Debbie to explore new concepts, fresh ways of looking at things, and to better understand how to make my music sound the way I want it to. I came to Debbie for private instruction on the Taubman approach, and she has been able to articulate these concepts to me in a way that I can really use to improve my playing. I feel fortunate to have studied under her always encouraging direction. Debbie is a fabulous "musician's musician."

Deborah Murray
http://sites.google.com/site/murraypianostudio

Private Student Reference- Kelly Anne Kreutter

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Debbie understands students' needs as if someone gave her a memo, which she then teaches from with joy and humor. She flows with questions from left field, while keeping on track and linking it all together --- I have never left a lesson feeling anything but elated to return to my piano with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of patience, awe and wonder. Through her I've grown more musically curious and disciplined, qualities that improve my work with my own piano students.

Private Student Reference- Milt Bowerman

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

I was very fortunate to have discovered Debbie Poryes on her piano website. I have found her to be an outstanding jazz piano teacher who tailors her teaching to the students' needs and ability. After playing piano for over 40 years I find it very encouraging to be able to add new creative ideas to my playing. Debbie's personal interest in her students' success is very apparent as she presents gems of musical knowledge from lesson to lesson.

Milt Bowerman,
Former Director of Instrumental Music -Hayward School District
Current Jazz Director Castro Valley Adult School
Professional Jazz Pianist/Teacher
Assoc. Camp Director Hayward La Honda Music Camp

Private Student Reference- Tony Harris

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

"I am an adult beginner, who hasn't touched an instrument of any kind in years. Debbie's approach had me up and running in no time. Not only has she given me an understanding of the theory behind jazz composition and arrangements, she has increased my music appreciation by an order of magnitude! After only a few months I can pick up sheet music and actually play tunes. Her encouraging manner, her preparation, and customized curriculum have me looking forward to each session with anticipation and enthusiasm. I would recommend Debbie Poryes to anyone interested in jazz piano, from beginner to virtuoso. Tony Harris"

Private Student Reference- Marilyn Perry

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

"I am so happy I found Debbie. She is a bright, bright spot in my musical life. I'm a jazz beginner, coming back to music after a decades-long lapse, bringing a load of luggage with me (fear, bad habits, hand-health problems). Somehow, even though she's a brilliant, seasoned professional, whose knowledge will blow your mind, she knows what it's like to be in my place. Her empathy and patience, combined with her profound understanding of how music works, not to mention her love for her art make the word "lesson" a misnomer. It's more like a personal seminar."

Student Reference from Berkeley Jazzschool Class-Joyce Todd McBride

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

I highly recommend Debbie Poryes as a teacher at the Jazzschool. I took her Jazz Piano II Class and it was exactly what I needed! I have a strong piano and theory background, but at the time had not had much experience with Jazz. She is an excellent teacher, full of enthusiasm for her students and a wonderful player with lots of soul. I am a professional piano teacher myself, and I was impressed with the fact that Debbie was astoundingly well-prepared every week. She presents material in a clear and concise and creative way, with hand-outs, listening material and assignments. She is very positive and encouraging, and listens carefully and critically to each student. She offers excellent technical advice as well. Her approach is inspiring, and is ultimately about fostering creativity in the individual. Lastly, she is fun and funny! --Joyce Todd McBride

Private Student Reference-John Boe

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

I come from a musical family and have played piano for most of my life, but just had lessons for about a year in high school. I have only been having lessons with Debbie Poryes for a few months now, but they have improved my piano playing, my musicality, and my life. I am playing better, hearing music better, and enjoying music more. Debbie gives me a cd of each lesson, and the other day my wife listened to me listening to a lesson, and she commented, “You sure have a lot of fun at your piano lessons!” The lessons and the practicing are hard, but indeed they are fun. We do laugh as well as work! And every lesson has surprises, new tunes, new interesting exercises (hip voicings, neighboring note studies, new approaches to harmony, insights into music theory, study of solos and compositions by the jazz masters and more). I am learning how to handle and move my hands and fingers so much better, and by playing more relaxed I also amazingly can now play faster and more precisely. I have been learning how to improvise in more varied and interesting ways, especially in the rhythms of my improvised phrases. What I have been learning makes me want to practice more and more. I am working hard, but none of the lessons or practice feels like drudgery. I could write more, but honestly I need to go play the piano now!

Private Student Reference-Ted Sheridan

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Hi Debbie,
It's a been a while but I wanted to drop you a quick email. I've been living in New York for the past two years (still tutoring math), but have kept up piano, and studied with a piano player named Dave Frank. I reapplied to the Berklee College of Music, and got in this time! I start in the Fall, and my intended major is film scoring. So I just wanted to thank you for helping me start off on this path - I still listen to those recorded lessons on my Ipod every once in a while, haha. I hope I get the chance to study with you again sometime.

Wishing you continued success,

Ted Sheridan

Private Student Reference- Francesca Saveri

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

I love my lessons with Debbie. That simple.

Without a doubt, she has completely changed the way I approach, study and play the piano. I have never been so challenged, brain crushing at times, yet so warmly supported in my development as a musician.

As a classically raised pianist my approach and confidence became limited. My progress and musical interest stalled. After studying with Debbie, I have learned methods to maintain an on-going exploration and development in the “how” of practice and the “cool” of play. The fire is back!

Practice can include: 12 key work, functional analysis of tunes, fingering and hand position work using the Taubman Approach, transcription of bass or melodic lines, lesson review from the CD Debbie cuts at every lesson, or listening to the greats of jazz; and trying to play along. There are even days when I just look at the keyboard. Yes, this is practice too. Play? Public? We are working on that.

At the beginning of each session Debbie checks in with you and makes suggestions for the hour. She listens to what you want to get out of the lesson and can change course instantly. Others have written about Debbie’s extraordinary organization and preparation of lessons, depth of musical knowledge and brilliance of performance. I too now keep a diary of my daily practice and maintain various notebooks to record what is going on in this jazz.

But I want you to hear our voices. The following is an excerpt from one of our lessons:

Debbie: “Did you bring that bass line?”
Me: “I did. And this last harmony homework was figured bass. I think I just looked at the keyboard this whole past two weeks.”
Debbie: “Totally.”
Me: “Really, I just sat and looked.”
Debbie: Warm laugh. “That’s good”¦. I looked!” Deeper laugh. “I love that. This week I looked!”
Me: “Really, just looking and thinking. Looking and thinking.”
Debbie: “That’s right.”
Me: “That’s what it was.”
Debbie: “Well let me tell you, that is everything.”
Me: “In bed I am still looking and thinking but in my head.”
Debbie: “Beautiful.”

Totally.
Thanks Debbie.