Mike began teaching piano at the age of 14. As a teacher, he looks to instill in his students that same passion and excitement that he has for music. Developing a curiosity for sound and looking at the different ways a piece can be played and interpreted.

Music is a language. When learning any language, it’s important to learn not only how to read it but also write and speak. This means learning how to write an idea in musical notation and communicate that idea through sound.

Recording has played a big role in Mike’s musical development, as it has allowed him to experiment with musical ideas and to listen back to what he played. That is why he considers it such an important teaching tool.

A teacher may say to a student, “You’re rushing on page 2.” The student will reply, “I didn’t think I was.” Once they hear the recording, they can hear they were rushing.

Why does this happen? There are various reasons such as selective memory or not listening to what you are playing. Recording allows a student to hear what they played instead of relying solely on the words of the teacher.