Piano Lessons with Mary M

I began my piano journey at age four when I started classically based lessons. As a teenager, I participated in local and state competitions, and won several statewide titles in Washington State and the Seattle area. As an undergraduate student, I completed two bachelor's degrees-- one in Hispanic Studies and the other in Piano Performance. I combined these two interests to explore how culture and heritage appears in classical piano music. I also put together a solo recital in my senior year, funded by the Mary Baker Russell Fellowship. Some of my favorite composers whose music I performed were Frederic Chopin, Isaac Albéniz, and John Adams.

I moved to Austin to complete my PhD in Latin American Studies, and I have taught here as a teaching assistant at UT and as a teacher for a school for students with neurodivergences. My teaching style that I bring to piano is to discover what brings my students joy. Therefore, I don't use a one-fits-all approach, but instead start with a framework that builds toward my students exploring their favorite musical styles, artists, and sounds. I believe that music is something that unites us all as people, and I want to help my students become part of our musical world.