Alejandro B. — Piano Teacher — Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montreal

Alejandro Benavides finished his undergrad in Music Pedagogy in 2006 at the National University of Education and a Master of Music with an emphasis in Music Theory at the Pontifical Xaverian University in 2015, where he received the Suma Cum Laude distinction. In Colombia, he served as a piano instructor and piano accompanist, as well as a part-time professor of music theory and musicianship in the Music Department of Xaverian University from 2008 to 2021. Also, he taught piano for five years in the program of extension courses at the National University of Education. As a current master’s student at McGill University in Montreal, he served as Teaching Assistant in Theory and Analysis 1 and 2. Besides his teaching experience, Alejandro´s research has been focused on music pedagogy and the relationship between music theory and instrumental learning. Also, due to his interest in popular music, he often performs as a pianist with Latin Music bands at diverse cultural events in Montreal.

I am certain about the necessity of integrating the virtues of technique, musical performance, and artistic sensitivity into any learning process on an instrument. All these skills, integrally applied to music, make the study of the piano not only an activity concentrates exclusively on the motor skill, but it is mainly the development of musicality from rhythm, melody, and harmony, as well as the kinesthetic relationship between the instrument and the body. I see someone to play with in my students, so beyond teaching, I like learning and playing with them in piano duets. That is the best way to learn music. Thus, my lessons are based on real music and the repertoire that anyone can play from the first class. In this way, some of my classes are carried out through musical activities outside the instrument: singing, performing rhythm through body percussion and even dancing, conducting, playing, listening to music, and playing chamber repertoire (four hands), so that the student is prepared to be trained in the instrument from the music itself, and shape his musical being inside and outside the instrument, which will also be applied in their individual study hours.