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Stylistic Piano Playing
Chord Playing Improvisation Beginner to Advanced Level Customized Lessons 
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Welcome to my Music Studio, where I share and impart my piano-playing skills with my students. I have been playing the piano since the 1990s and graduated from Berklee College of Music with degrees in Jazz Composition and Music Production and engineering. With over 15 years of teaching experience, I have worked with young children, teenagers, adults, and even music professionals (including classical pianists looking to expand their repertoire to include modern music).
Since 2009, I have completed over 700 public music performances in the USA as a band member and solo keyboardist. I have played at over 50 venues across Philadelphia, Wilmington, New York City, Baltimore, and New Jersey. My primary instruments are the piano, electric piano, and Hammond organ. As a band member, I have performed in various genres, including Funk, New Orleans music, Classic Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Fusion. As a solo pianist, my playing style incorporates easy jazz listening (such as Swing, Bossa Nova, and Foxtrot), pop/rock standards, blues/New Orleans, and ragtime. As a piano teacher, I have developed my own curriculum called the Modern Music Curriculum. The curriculum is not meant to teach songs merely but to help students understand stylistic piano playing and self-independence and provide the foundation for future self-development. The core ideas are developing left-hand independence to provide harmonic accompaniment to any song and right-hand independence to good fingering assignments. Currently serving Radnor Township and the Surrounding: Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Rosemont, Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Wynnewood, and Haverford. Please use the "Contact" above to send a message to me.
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Teaching Approaches and Philosophies
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Modern Music Curriculum: Introduction and Overview
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"Music study teaches self-expression, discipline, and creative thinking"
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What do you offer for a beginner?
If a student is 10 years old or older and has never played the piano before, lessons will focus on the fundamentals of technique and sight-reading classical-oriented material. I follow the piano curriculum developed by John Thompson and Alfred. A preparatory book may be used for students under 8 years old with no prior piano training.
Hadi’s Modern Music Curriculum will be introduced once the student has completed the necessary prerequisites.
Hadi’s Modern Music Curriculum will be introduced once the student has completed the necessary prerequisites.
What do you offer for a non-beginner?
Each student will be interviewed at the beginning. Lesson materials will be determined after the initial interview, and the skill level for following Hadi’s Modern Music Curriculum will be assessed.
What do you offer for an Intermediate or advance player or Professionals?
I have taught several classical pianists with Bachelor's and Master's degrees who are interested in learning modern piano styles such as Pop, Rock, Jazz, and Blues. Over my 15+ years of teaching experience, I have developed a private curriculum designed to effectively introduce chord playing, train left-hand movement specific to each style, and help students communicate in the language of modern musicians. Additionally, I teach students how to capture specific musical feelings.
Training to understand a certain musical feeling is not overly complicated, but it's a nuanced process that requires customization based on each student's skill level. I employ various teaching techniques, such as adjusting metronome counts, creating different beat subdivisions for the same song, and providing guided improvisations. These strategies help students grasp the nuances of various musical styles.
Training to understand a certain musical feeling is not overly complicated, but it's a nuanced process that requires customization based on each student's skill level. I employ various teaching techniques, such as adjusting metronome counts, creating different beat subdivisions for the same song, and providing guided improvisations. These strategies help students grasp the nuances of various musical styles.
Learning how to improvise can be confusing or nonexistent for students who have never learned how to improvise or want to learn more about modern music (such as moving from classically oriented training).
Starting with pop songs, I will guide learning improvisation by writing the notes in different colors. Please see the image below, a partial score of My Way, where the red color shows improvisation or melody fills.
Starting with pop songs, I will guide learning improvisation by writing the notes in different colors. Please see the image below, a partial score of My Way, where the red color shows improvisation or melody fills.
When a student has learned about guided melodic improvisation and would like to learn, let's say, how to play Jazz independently (including getting the feeling right). I will provide customized sheet music with modified chords and melodies. The example below is a jazz version of Little Brown Jug.
By learning a familiar song, such as a children's tune, with a modified melody or chord progression, students can explore different playing styles. This teaching method can be further enhanced by learning to play the same song in two or three different styles, such as transitioning from pop to ballad to bossa nova, or from bossa nova to stride to walking bass/swing.
Do you teach music theory?
Yes. In my Modern Music Curriculum, I have developed a Verbal Music Theory training program that teaches music theory without writing. This approach focuses on helping students visualize music theory concepts on the keyboard.
For students interested in learning Jazz or more advanced music theory (such as college-level), I am happy to provide these lessons. Advanced topics include harmonic function analysis, modes and modal interchange, chord scales, tension theory, reharmonization, and the Lydian chromatic concept.
Please note that music theory is an integral part of Hadi’s Modern Music Curriculum. Every student will receive music theory instruction tailored to their appropriate level as part of their weekly lessons.
For students interested in learning Jazz or more advanced music theory (such as college-level), I am happy to provide these lessons. Advanced topics include harmonic function analysis, modes and modal interchange, chord scales, tension theory, reharmonization, and the Lydian chromatic concept.
Please note that music theory is an integral part of Hadi’s Modern Music Curriculum. Every student will receive music theory instruction tailored to their appropriate level as part of their weekly lessons.
Do you offer a free trial lesson?
Yes, I offer a free trial lesson for the first meeting. This trial lesson is meant to be the initial interview for non-beginners and to develop a connection for a young student (as young as six years old).
Do you Give Certifications or student's recitals?
I do not do recitals or certifications, but I do video recordings after a student acquires a major skill set. In some cases, I will submit the video recordings to online piano competitions.
How young can my kid start to learn piano with you?
Starting piano lessons at the age of six (or occasionally five) is usually great for children. At this age, kids can effectively engage with and follow their teacher's instructions. However, the success of their training largely depends on parental involvement. Parents play a crucial role in motivating their children and ensuring they practice at home.
Do five lessons adequate to boost One's skill?
In my professional opinion, the answer is no. A piano lesson requires commitment, not only to attending the lesson itself but also to continuous practice at home. For beginners, significant progress in piano playing is typically observed after completing approximately 20 to 25 lessons, which usually spans a 4 to 6-month period with weekly lessons. Developing a new skill takes time for both the muscles and the brain. As a result, taking lessons for less than one year on any musical instrument is generally ineffective.
Do I need a keyboard or piano at home?
Yes, otherwise, how will you or your child practice? Piano training will only succeed with consistent practice at home. I recommend at least 2 hours of piano exposure each week.
FAQ (from a parent): what do we expect after the piano lesson stops? Does the skill fade away quickly?
This question focuses on a graduating high school student leaving home for college who may never take another piano lesson.
I want to address a common mistake in piano teaching, particularly with new students who have prior training. Many students develop weak reading skills because their lessons emphasize song memorization or allow excessive note naming on their sheet music or piano. As a result, they often forget what they have learned when moving on to a new piece. Although this training still supports brain development, many acquired skills may fade quickly. I emphasize proper sight-reading techniques and avoid encouraging extensive song memorization unless it is necessary for a performance.
I teach music theory as a core concept, reminding students of the theory they have learned during each lesson. I have developed a teaching method that demonstrates how theory is directly applied. For instance, I teach transposition (how to play in different keys) and practical techniques for finding chords and scales. My goal is to transform a music student into an amateur musician after completing my Modern Music Curriculum level 2. Understanding how to play chords correctly and applying music theory independently will have lasting effects, even after piano lessons are discontinued. In many cases, these concepts will not be forgotten.
I want to address a common mistake in piano teaching, particularly with new students who have prior training. Many students develop weak reading skills because their lessons emphasize song memorization or allow excessive note naming on their sheet music or piano. As a result, they often forget what they have learned when moving on to a new piece. Although this training still supports brain development, many acquired skills may fade quickly. I emphasize proper sight-reading techniques and avoid encouraging extensive song memorization unless it is necessary for a performance.
I teach music theory as a core concept, reminding students of the theory they have learned during each lesson. I have developed a teaching method that demonstrates how theory is directly applied. For instance, I teach transposition (how to play in different keys) and practical techniques for finding chords and scales. My goal is to transform a music student into an amateur musician after completing my Modern Music Curriculum level 2. Understanding how to play chords correctly and applying music theory independently will have lasting effects, even after piano lessons are discontinued. In many cases, these concepts will not be forgotten.
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Collection of reviews or testimonials from various sources
