What If You Could Restore Your Relationship With Music
In Less Than 30 Minutes a Day?
Yardbird Suite
The key to restoring your relationship with music comes from
learning to play piano in a new way.
Does One Of These Sound Like You?
Want to play piano now, but learned music on another instrument or sang in choral groups?
Want to play piano now, but learned music on another instrument or sang in choral groups?
Need a real piano teacher because you are ready to go beyond the apps and tutorials?
Do you have some musical background, love the piano, but have other concerns?
People have shared a new found appreciation for spending personal time playing the piano, because it allows them to make music by themselves in a satisfying way. With their prior background my students have applied what they knew and became comfortable on the piano very quickly.
Find out how you can too!
People who are returning to piano as adults want to have a sense of real progress and revitalized confidence. They are not interested in scales and exercises, nor learning from traditional methods.
Find out how taking piano lessons with me will shift the emphasis to suit YOUR learning style and goals,
and get you playing the music you love.
Apps and tutorials often leave people with a sense of frustration, even if they learn to play several songs. As learning progresses, greater complexity requires more demonstration and explanation. Students are often left with an inability to progress. The solution lies in working with the right one-on-one piano teacher.
Feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to even start? Worried about committing time and effort without knowing more? Don't worry! Schedule a call with me today. Together we'll figure it out. There's no obligation for this, and I'm happy to answer all your questions and offer helpful suggestions.
Diana has taught hundreds of students during the past 40+ years. Here's what some of them have to say:
Steve Emery-Biomedical & Electrical Engineer
Steve Emery-Biomedical & Electrical Engineer
Heya Zhao-PhD Candidate-Research Scientist
Heya Zhao-PhD Candidate-Research Scientist
Ken Taylor-IT Technologist
Ken Taylor-IT Technologist
Wendy Pachter
Choral Conductor, Performer, Educator
Wendy Pachter-Choral Conductor, Educator, Performer
Ananya Chatterjee-Financial Analyst, Banking Industry
Ananya Chatterjee-Financial Portfolio Manager
Paul Whelan-Software Engineer
Paul Whelan-Software Engineer
Self expression is a quality of life issue. It is a component of identity, improved mental, social, creative functioning, and well-being.
Unfortunately it doesn’t matter how advanced you were when you played in your youth or how much talent you have. Your life situation and our world today is very different than it used to be.
With so many online musical apps and tutorials out there, it’s hard to know where to begin. Even if you have some success following a pre-packaged lesson, you may find a creeping sense of dissatisfaction despite all efforts to improve. Going it alone is not the panacea it is made out to be. After all what you're really doing is learning a new language. You may need help with dealing with challenging material that could be simplified and explained by a professional one-on-one piano instructor.
Most piano teachers use the single-focus areas of teaching like all classical, all jazz or sequential method books. But a busy adult wanting to maximize your investment, you need someone with the knowledge and experience necessary to meet you where you are and help you reach YOUR individual musical goals. The right teacher will provide you with the structure, tools, guidance and accountability you need to do this.
My Journey
"The quest to increase my musical ability and knowledge by studying with an array of experts is a theme that drives my identity as a musical artist."
Diana Mascari
I came from a musical family, started playing professionally at age 16, and became a passionate jazz lover early on. But one of the most formative experiences that infused my life was being taken by friends and family, to hear the jazz greats perform live in New York City. As I became immersed in that incredible vibe and their degree of excellence, my naturally analytical mind set me on a journey to absorb and emulate the experience in my own playing.
By the time I was 20, and performing in the college scene throughout New England, I had jammed with jazz greats Lionel Hampton and organist Jimmy Smith, who recognized and validated my authentic feeling for music. Smith even encouraged me to compose jazz pieces. Inspired by this, I created a body of work that has been performed by my many jazz ensembles over 5 decades.
Jazz Organist Jimmy Smith
My educational journey led me to personal piano study with notable teachers Charlie Banacos, Joe Maneri, William Thomas McKinley, Charles Fussell, Marian C. Hanshaw, Marjorie Merryman and Lucas Foss, each one a specialist in his or her own area.
New England
Conservatory
of Music
Boston University
Lincoln Center's, Alice Tully Hall
I also completed two Masters of Music Degrees at New England Conservatory, one in Jazz Studies and one in Classical Composition. Following this, I pursued doctoral studies in Composition, Theory and Musicology at Boston University. While there I taught undergraduate piano music majors keyboard harmony. This teaching experience had a tremendous impact on the way I explain the concepts of music theory to my piano students.
"Students continue to benefit greatly from my ability to meet them where they are, as unique individuals each passionate about their own tastes and goals."
"The multifaceted musical theme extended to composing classical music which surfaced while I was in graduate school. During my 16-year composing career, I wrote works for orchestra, chorus, and a large variety of chamber ensembles. "
Boston University
College of Fine Arts
My works have been performed nationally in New York City at Carnegie Recital Hall and at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, and in Boston, Hartford, Washington, DC, as well as internationally in Czechoslovakia, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.
My friend and musical collaborator John Dougherty, (jazz guitarist, educator and author) once told me: "You have to form your own school of music." By that he meant a musician needs to synthesize everything she's learned into a personalized way of thinking that informs her teaching of music.
"The rich tradition of hymns and spirituals, the foundation of my church work, further expands my musical vocabulary."
Diana Mascari
Another component of my career has included 40 years as a church music director for a multi-cultural Presbyterian Church. During my tenure I have done many arrangements of hymns and spirituals. I also led several jazz worship services, one of which featured the sacred music of Duke Ellington. Out of this experience has come my series of contemplative worship musical arrangements which explore the soulful, evocative, and deeply emotional qualities of this sacred music.
What Weaves It All Together?
Transformational Approach to Piano (TAP System)
"Just the piano and me..."
Norwegian Wood
The hundreds of hours I spent performing as a solo jazz pianist enabled me to define my own style into an effective teaching method. TAP is a proven method of teaching piano which has evolved from my multi-faceted musical career. TAP makes it possible for me to help students reach their individual goals more quickly and successfully.
What's the cost of not following your heart?
Spending the rest of your life wishing you had!
When You Take Lessons With Diana, You'll Be Able To:
Practical Benefits
🎵radically enhance your playing through a completely new perspective on music theory.
🎵play your favorite pieces at performance level through my core principal of repertoire at every level.
🎵develop your hand independence more quickly by learning my system of using left hand accompaniment patterns effectively.
🎵develop the practice habits that will lead to consistent improvement.
Personal Benefits
🎵experience a shift from student mindset to that of a musician, making informed choices as your self-expression emerges.
🎵enjoy the deep satisfaction, rich and complete sound that solo piano playing provides.
Greater Quality of Life Benefits
🎵appreciate the added benefit of keeping your mind sharp, that playing the piano brings.
🎵create a sense of legacy, which remains in the hearts and memory of family, through musical connection and collaboration.
🎵infuse your life with aspects of balance, reflection, and mindful renewal, as you permit yourself time to tune out the rest of the world.
🎵experience a sense of expanding personal identity, which your musicianship will cultivate.
Who Is This For?
✔️ Students who took lessons before and have come to regret quitting and now want to resume.
✔️ Students who took piano lessons growing up or after college
✔️ Students who took music lessons on other instruments.
✔️ Students who sang in choruses, choirs vocal groups.
✔️ Students who grew up in musical families or explored musical ideas on their own.
✔️ Students willing to commit to consistent practice.
✔️ Students who realize that developing their musicianship is worth the time and effort it takes.
✔️ Students who understand that musicianship is a matter of quality of life and identity.
✔️ Students who are willing to prioritize attendance of their lesson appointments.
✔️Students who have a piano or digital piano with weighted keys.
✔️ Students who feel their life is not complete without music.
Who Is This NOT For?
✔️Students who have no musical background or experience.
✔️Students who are looking for a quick fix.
✔️Students who are too busy to commit to regular practice.
✔️Students who allow distractions within the home to interfere with their practicing.
✔️Students who’s schedule often interferes with their lesson appointments.
✔️ Students who self sabotage and don't believe it's possible to succeed.
Life is precious. Infuse it with music.