Jonathan De.

In 2009, I graduated from West Texas A & M University with my Bachelor's of Music in Music Performance with an Emphasis in Piano.

Prior to attending WTAMU, I studied piano for eight years under various private teachers.

I've played all mannner of music for various church services both traditional and contemporary, both by myself and in a band, and played for numerous special events including weddings (both service and reception music), funerals, and such. Additionally, I have experience as a church music director. I was responsible for selecting service music, leading rehearsals with musicians, teaching new service music to the congregation, and creating my own arrangements of songs.
I have extensive experience outside of church as well. I've played for birthday parties and fundraising dinners, I played piano for a Suzuki violin group for several years, I've collaborated with many singers and instrumentalists (guitar, flute, bassoon, you name it), and I've played ensembles of all sizes and types. These include: praise and worship band, contradance band, piano duet/trio/quartet, and pit orchestra for productions like Charlie Chaplain's silent movie "City Lights" and Handel's opera "Alcina". I currently play for the voice department at WTAMU, where I am expected to perform everything from standard classical rep to show tunes and rock.
To do all of this I had to acquire skills that most classically-trained pianists don't have, such as the ability to play off of lead sheets, improvise chording and accompaniments, transpose songs into more convenient keys, sight-read, and pick out songs by ear.
And all that is just my piano experience. I have studied organ and played that for church services and I've studied viola and performed that with the WT symphony. A few years ago I studied accoustic and electric guitar and played everything from Metallica to Spanish flamenco, though I had to give it up to pursue my other instruments. Additionally I am employed as a singer by a local church.

I have taught both group and private piano lessons to students ages 5 through adult since I started teaching about 2-3 years ago. I taught most of my students at the Amarillo Piano Education Center until it's recent closure due to the economy. Since then most of my students have chosen to continue private lessons with me. I did study Piano Pedagogy at WTAMU under Dr. Choong-Ha Nam who said I had good instincts for teaching.