Blog
Meet the New Teacher: Eleni Volonakis
Tampa Bay Music Academy is pleased to welcome Eleni Volonakis to our piano faculty! Eleni is a native of Rhodes, Greece and has taught piano for 18 years, both privately and in a conservatory setting. At the age of 12, she began studying with Achilles Kolasis at the “Ecole Normale de Musique” in Luzerne, Switzerland. She went on to earn a degree in Piano from Corelli Conservatory as well as a degree in Music Theory and Harmony from the Music Academy Conservatory in Athens, Greece. In 2003, Eleni took her first job teaching piano and electric keyboard at Corelli Conservatory. In 2005, she transitioned to Rodion Pedia School in Rhodes, where she taught piano and music theory to elementary and high school students. It was during those early teaching years that Eleni discovered joy of sharing her passion for music with her students. “When I received my first music degree, I was confused about which direction I should follow,” said Eleni. “To a young lady, all of the glamour and spectacle...
Follow Us:
When Should My Child Begin Violin Lessons?
Most children begin to show an affinity for music at a very young age. Some children start showing an interest in musical instruments as young as three or four years old, and five is the age many piano teachers recommend beginning lessons. But stringed instruments are a slightly different story. A violin is more complicated than a piano. So what’s the best age to begin taking violin lessons, and how do you know if your child is ready? What’s the Right Age? Technically speaking, there’s no...
Meet the New Teacher: Marie Sorenson
Tampa Bay Music Academy is thrilled to welcome Marie Sorenson to our guitar faculty! Marie has experience in teaching lessons, playing freelance guitar gigs in the area, teaching theory and music technology, and composing. We know she’ll be an excellent addition to our team. Marie is working toward a Master of Arts degree in Digital Journalism and Design from the University of Florida St. Petersburg. She is an adjunct professor at St. Petersburg College where she teaches and develops...
Meet the New Teacher: Amanda Cappello
Tampa Bay Music Academy is pleased to welcome Amanda Cappello as the newest member of our teaching staff! Amanda will be our first string teacher, giving us the opportunity to serve the needs of violin students in addition to other concentrations. Amanda studied music at the University of South Florida where she received both a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in violin performance. She began teaching private lessons in 2006 and also has experience in directing music competitions and...
School Is Starting: Should My Child Start Music Lessons Now?
If you’ve stepped into Wal-Mart lately, you’ve seen first-hand that the back-to-school frenzy is in full swing. Kids are agonizing over whether to choose the messenger bag or the leather satchel, and parents are wavering between soccer or drama club for their youngsters. It seems logical to embark on your child’s music education at the beginning of the school year, but will it be adding too much to an already crowded schedule? Now Is The Time The short answer is: The beginning of the school...
Pictures from our Summer Recital
"The students of Tampa Bay Music Academy did an outstanding job performing for our summer recital on June 27" "We are so proud of our TBMA students. It was a great summer recital! Well done everyone!" From Summer Recital 2013, posted by Tampa Bay Music Academy, LLC on 7/01/2013 (109 items) Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher...
Choosing Your Child’s First Guitar
Is your child ready for guitar lessons? Are you planning to buy him a cheap one at Wal-mart to see if he sticks with it before you make a big investment? STOP!! Before you buy that flimsy one-size-fits all model consider this: Your child is much more likely to stick with his guitar lessons if you buy him a quality instrument that sounds good and is comfortable to play. Wouldn’t you be frustrated if you learned to drive in a car that stalled every mile or so, had no air conditioning or radio,...
Meet the New Teacher: Katie Bournival
Tampa Bay Music Academy warmly welcomes Katie Bournival to our teaching staff! Katie will be teaching voice and piano lessons with us and brings extensive experience in both fields to the table. Katie studied Music with concentrations in Voice Performance and Piano at Clearwater Christian College and Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Plymouth State University. After graduating in 2008, she taught private piano and voice lessons and served as the Theater/Musical Director for Northbay Christian...
Why TBMA Uses the Faber Piano Lesson Curriculum
At TBMA, our favorite method series for piano students is the Faber Piano Adventures method. We love this method because it promotes both good technique and musical artistry from the very beginning. In this post, we want to take a closer look at the Faber method, detailing what parents can expect as their children set out on their first musical journey. CLICK HERE to watch a demo video of the "My First Piano Adventure" curriculum used at TBMA with 5-6 year old students. Great Pianists...