Meet Sharon Davis
Owner of Sharon Davis Music
What's the name of your teaching studio?
What inspired you to start Sharon Davis Music?
I’ve been a working musician for a long time, and I wanted to give back. I’ve received so much from music over the years, and I wanted to be able to share that with other people.
What instruments do you teach?
I teach Piano.
What ages do you teach?
Our group classes start from 4 years old, and we teach all the way up to adults.
Who's a favourite musician/band that's inspired you?
Too many to mention! I studied Jazz at the WA Conservatorium of music, where I got to go “under the hood” of the Great American songbook. I love how music can be interpreted in so many different ways. And it gave me a great understanding of how music is constructed – why particular combinations of notes make us feel the way they do. I play in bands and as a soloist in rock, pop, jazz and there are great musicians and songwriters in all of those fields.
How is Sharon Davis Music different to how you learned as a beginner?
So different! The lessons I had as a child were often rather dry and serious. I think the number one job of a music teacher at Sharon Davis Music is to help students LOVE music. So lessons include games, props and all sorts of different techniques to help teach concepts, but also to keep it fun!
What's something about your music school you're really proud of?
We recently launched a “Play it Forward” program where people can contribute to lessons for other students who might not be able to start or continue lessons. Our first student is now doing group lessons (The family had contacted us saying that they weren’t able to continue lessons for financial reasons.) I love that this has made everyone involved to happy! The people who contributed, and the student.
What advice do you give to parents looking for a great teacher for their child?
A music teacher I had once told me that you need a teacher that inspires you. We hope to do that for our students! Great teachers are great observers, and are good at figuring out what’s missing from a student’s understanding. They know when to push new ideas, and when to consolidate. They have multiple ways of approaching teaching, because students learn in different ways. Look for a teacher who is kind and encouraging, who your child can feel comfortable with.
What's something you see successful students doing that new students need to know? (E.g practicing, recording themselves, etc)
Our students who make the best progress usually have a home environment that is encouraging, and helps set good habits of practice being part of the routine of life. (That doesn’t necessarily mean that parents need to be able to play and instrument, just to encourage their child.) Regular, frequent practice means students are usually proud to perform what they’ve been working on, and this positive feeling encourages them to practice more.
What opportunities does Sharon Davis Music offer students beyond lessons?(e.g concerts, videos, workshops, bands, group classes, tutor jams with students etc)
We’re doing online lessons for regional and local students, and our Group Piano classes are going from strength to strength.
What's the big vision for Sharon Davis Music? Where are you headed in the next few years?
We’ll be expanding our Group Piano program. It’s a fantastic way to learn: every song has multiple difficulty levels so there’s always something that’s a perfect fit for everyone in the class. It gives students performance opportunities in class from day one, which helps in so many ways, both in music and in life! We will also be developing our music school community “family” though a number of different initiatives.
