My teaching philosophy focuses on unlocking the musical expression that exists within us all. Through teaching methods I’ve developed, and others I’ve borrowed from my teachers, I offer lessons where the goal is always to create beautiful music.
My students are of varying ages and abilities. I have students as young as 6 yrs and as old as 82. In my 20 yrs of piano teaching, I’ve prepared students for NYSSMA, Auditions for Arts High School (Laguardia, Frank Sinatra), College and Conservatory Auditions (Berklee, Manhattan School of Music) as well as those who are just beginning their musical exploration. I have worked with students on a variety of musical subjects, including improvisation, note reading, composition and song writing, music theory, gospel piano, chord formation, and classical repertoire.
I hold a degree in Jazz Piano Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and have recorded numerous albums as well as performed across the US, including NYC venues such as Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Jazz Club, The Jazz Standard, Smalls.
Contact:
manskidov@gmail.com
207-266-1578
Testimonials:
Thanks Dov! We are so pleased with our son’s progress. I can't believe it's been almost a year since he started lessons with you. He really enjoys his lessons with you!
-Daniel S.
“Thank you for the awesome lessons!”
Daniel L.
“First, I'd like to say that our daughter really enjoys lessons with you! She's much more motivated to practice. And she really enjoys playing the Star Wars songs for us!”
-Douglas A.
“I’m 3 or 4 weeks into my piano lessons with Dov and I am sooo happy I found him! He lets me learn/work on exactly what I want to learn, while still offering plenty of guidance and knowledge. His ability to just hear a song (any song!) and figure out the chord progressions amazes me immensely as does his knowledge of song writing and music theory. I went from thinking “I don’t hear melodies in my head so I’ll never write a song” to having multiple songs in my pipeline of construction in just a few weeks! Totally recommend to anyone looking to increase their musical abilities in whatever capacity!”
-Dalyce L.
“I have learned SO MUCH! Lessons are great!”
-Joel M.
“In a lot of ways, these lessons are the best part of the week! They are better than therapy!”
-Bill K.
“Dov - thanks! Really appreciate your time and guidance. Learning lots and having fun doing it!”
-Steve J.
"Our daughter is excited about piano lessons. She enjoys working with you a lot! Thanks!"
-Shefali T.
“Thank you so much! I am noticing the boys practicing more now, and gaining more musical confidence!
-Matt E.
“I’ve made incredible progress thanks to Dov’s help! I can’t express how grateful I am to be taking lessons with him.”
-Maher D.
“Our son LOVED the lesson. You were fantastic. He’s going on about how great you were and how you could read his mind on the questions he was asking. We will definitely be doing more lessons.”
-Jessica K.
“Dov is knowledgeable, encouraging, patient and kind. He has managed to establish in me a sense of trust and the feeling that “I can do this!” In 5 months I have regained much of the skills I had lost. I am so grateful. The online experience has worked well for me.”
-Cecile L.
“I have been studying the piano with Dov for the past two years. He has proven to be an excellent piano teacher, both because he knows a vast amount about music but also because he is extremely reliable and responsible.”
-Jeanne J.
“Dov, thanks for the teaching! It's been great to see (my son) James enjoy piano more than he did during classical lessons.”
-Paul B.
“The virtual lessons are EXCELLENT!”
-Sharon S.
“Not everyone has the skill and patience to teach a seven-year-old boy how to play piano - and not just play well, but explore music theory, history and performance fundamentals in a way that is engaging and fun but firmly on task. Dov is that teacher. With Dov's help, my son went from a promising but underperforming piano student to an enthusiastic musician learning everything from pop standards to classical to show tunes. He's a pleasure to work with, reliable, flexible, and communicative. We couldn't be happier with the progress our son has made with Dov as his teacher. Highly recommended.”
-Marjorie S.
“Dov, is a great piano teacher. I took lessons with him for years a while back. He is patient, kind, and has a way of explaining things that make it easy to understand. He also spends a fair amount of time encouraging me to stay relaxed to avoid any arm or finger issues that occur in many pianists. His knowledge of jazz and classical gives the lessons a nice variety. He has my highest recommendations.”
-Benjamin K.