Instructors
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Lori Payton, Piano Instructor
Lori Payton teaches private piano lessons at Steinway Piano Gallery with the goal of enriching the lives of those in the community through music. In addition to teaching, Lori also performs and accompanies at various venues around Michigan.
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Rick Moore, Piano Instructor
Rick Moore has been a teacher of piano, organ, and keyboard for the past forty-two years. He utilizes a customized approach to his teaching, based on the student’s goals and aspirations while providing variety and enjoyment in the learning process. Rick specializes in all styles of music from the beginner level to the college level.
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Lindsay Bochenek, Art Instructor
Miss Lindsay’s art room is a judgment-free place where children of all ages can express themselves creatively. Students create their own unique art work, receive inspiration, and share ideas.
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Peter Cartwright, Piano Instructor
Peter Cartwright is a private instructor and performer of piano and organ at The Arts Academy at Steinway Piano Gallery. Peter believes in a flexible and individual teaching approach toward his students and specializes in many styles of music, such as classical, jazz, pop, and boogie-woogie.
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Dianne Cragg, Piano Instructor
Dianne brings over 30 years of experience to The Arts Academy. She believes students are unique individuals, each with their own learning style and potential. Her teaching approach provides structured lessons with fun, encouraging interaction, and fostering development of fundamental skills.
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Emily Hoy, Voice Instructor
Under Emily’s guidance, students are encouraged to explore different genres of music and find and develop their vocal skills. Emily’s goal is to strengthen musical competency in all areas including rhythm, sightreading, and ear training, while evaluating the natural dynamic range of each student and enhancing their ability to express emotion through the qualities of tone that they can create.
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Ariel Mills, Piano Instructor & Performer
Ariel Mills has worked with hundreds of music students over the past ten years. In each lesson, her goal is to make the entire learning experience enjoyable. With this in mind, she selects works that will both challenge and inspire her students. She teaches note-reading, ear training, technique, theory and performance, customizing her curriculum to meet the student’s needs.
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Dr. Yalan Piao, Piano Instructor
Pianist Yalan Piao, originally from China, is an accomplished pianist who has performed as both a soloist and collaborative pianist in concert halls and churches across the United States, Italy, and China. Beyond her performances, Yalan is an avid educator and adjudicator for piano competitions and adjunct faculty member at Madonna University, where she teaches piano and works as a collaborative pianist.
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Suzanne Sommerville, Piano Instructor, Composer and Arranger
After graduating from college with a degree in elementary education and after teaching elementary school for 5 years, Suzanne realized that her true calling was to mentor and to teach young children and adults, not only to play the piano, but also to develop a deep appreciation for music. It is her desire to lead students to an understanding of what is truly at the heart of music. Suzanne teaches private and group lessons with a concentration in composition and improvisation. As an orchestra and band performer, she offers advanced instruction in solo piano performance and accompanying. She has extensive experience in orchestral arrangements and composition, also offering courses in Finale.
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Larisa Soboleva, Private & Group Piano Instructor
Larisa Soboleva has a D.M.A in Keyboard Performance and Pedagogy from University of Miami. She offers weekly group lessons for ages 5 through adult and incorporates note-reading, theory, technique, ear training, rhythm instruments, harmonization and performance into her curriculum. Larisa also utilizes music games to keep classes fun and engaging.
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Yuta Sugano, Private Piano Instructor
Yuta Sugano’s teaching experience ranges from young beginners to college piano majors and adult piano enthusiasts. He believes the piano is one of life’s joys that enrich all of us, and loves sharing it with others.
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Erika Thompson, Voice Instructor
Erika Thompson provides beginning, intermediate and advanced voice instruction to ages 10 and up. Erika offers a variety of musical styles, including classical, musical theatre, Disney, pop, rock, country, and liturgical.
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Paul Wilhelm, Private Piano Teacher, Composer & Performer
Paul Wilhelm has a passion for imparting the love of music to others through teaching them the art of playing piano. Learning piano enhances the mind and the spirit and brings joy to those who listen. As an accomplished pianist, Paul has composed music and recorded CD's and offers performances of almost any style or time period for weddings, funerals, dinner engagements, and nursing homes. Paul began teaching private piano lessons in the early 2000s and has over 30 years of experience performing and composing.
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"Taking lessons at the age of 56 can be done.. at times it seems so hard but the teacher reassured me to keep up with it and takes pieces piece by piece...Beautiful place to go to have this dream coming true." - Greta Gatzke-Evo