Natalie Williams (Towson, MD)
Music creates a core part of Natalie’s life. In 2013, she began her Piano Performance degree at Towson University (BM) under world-renowned pianist and teacher, Reynaldo Reyes. He inspired and challenged her to new levels of musical ability, and after his passing, she continued studies under Dr. Jooeun Pak, winning the Talent Award and Reynaldo Reyes Scholarship. She is finishing her degree with Dr. Eva Mengelkoch, head of Towson’s Piano Department. Natalie enjoys performing with others in her Chamber Ensembles, Early Music Ensembles, and accompanying. She holds the Fine Arts University Scholarship and is a member of the Honors College, completing an Honors Thesis with Dr. Aaron Ziegel on the inspiring life of Prof. Reynaldo Reyes. She will be graduating Spring 2017.
Natalie has tutored college-level theory, musicianship, and writing. In 2014, she served as collaborative pianist at the Intermuse International Music Institute and Festival USA (Emmitsburg, Maryland).
Natalie has also found success in participating in festivals and competitions before college while studying at the Maryland Conservatory of Music (first under Elizabeth Borowsky and later with director Dr. Duke Thompson) and PianoProdigies (under director Elizabeth Borowsky). She won first place in the 2013 Helena Zurstadt Piano Competition. For her performances in the National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival and the Rockville Competition for Piano, she was awarded the highest rating. In 2012, she was selected to perform Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu in the Mid-Atlantic Young Musicians Showcase.
Natalie has tutored college-level theory, musicianship, and writing. In 2014, she served as collaborative pianist at the Intermuse International Music Institute and Festival USA (Emmitsburg, Maryland).
Natalie has also found success in participating in festivals and competitions before college while studying at the Maryland Conservatory of Music (first under Elizabeth Borowsky and later with director Dr. Duke Thompson) and PianoProdigies (under director Elizabeth Borowsky). She won first place in the 2013 Helena Zurstadt Piano Competition. For her performances in the National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival and the Rockville Competition for Piano, she was awarded the highest rating. In 2012, she was selected to perform Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu in the Mid-Atlantic Young Musicians Showcase.
Teaching PhilosophySuccessful musical development contains two components, an eager, diligent student and an encouraging teacher adherent to a pursuance of excellence for the student and himself. Students must be willing to learn, and a true teacher willing to become a student of his pupils. A teacher uses every lesson to understand further how students learn and think, never ceasing to continually enhance his own teaching methods and musical abilities. I strive to implement the resulting applications of this viewpoint into my teachings.
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LocationLessons with Ms. Natalie take place at her studio in Towson, MD.
MembershipsNatalie Williams is a member of the Baltimore Music Teachers Association.
Contact |
Natalie with her college teacher and mentor, Prof. Reynaldo Reyes
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is your teaching Philosophy?
Successful musical development contains two components, an eager, diligent student and an encouraging teacher adherent to a pursuance of excellence for the student and himself. Students must be willing to learn, and a true teacher willing to become a student of his pupils, every lesson seeking to understand further how they learn and think, never ceasing to continually enhance his own teaching methods and musical abilities. I strive to implement the resulting applications of this viewpoint into my teachings.
Why do you teach?
Having been a military child, I love people and building friendships. Music is a significant part of my life, and I hope to pass the ability to create it and appreciate it to others. Learning music affects many components of life, building into students positive character traits (such as diligence, courage, and sensitivity) and intellectual stimulation (such as new ways to analyze and work through problems, understand different concepts, and memorizing).
What is one message you hope all students take away from each lesson?
Every challenge or difficulty in music can be conquered. A desire seeming impossible to achieve can become a reality. Much of my musical mindset, and consequently, how I view life, is the result of my teachers believing this message and me discovering its truth.
What materials do you use to teach?
Students learns in their own way, and I seek to build a curriculum for a strong musical foundation centered around their individualized learning process. One curriculum I value is Hal Leonard’s Piano Method books (Lessons, Solos, Notespeller, Theory, etc.) for children, their Adult Piano Method books for older students, and the Faber method books due to their clear, concise presentation of piano concepts and development. Often, I incorporate or use a student’s previous/preferred musical curriculum and create personalized or self-developed musical worksheets. In the end, I promote musical material and repertoire best suited for the student to build a firm musical base.
Successful musical development contains two components, an eager, diligent student and an encouraging teacher adherent to a pursuance of excellence for the student and himself. Students must be willing to learn, and a true teacher willing to become a student of his pupils, every lesson seeking to understand further how they learn and think, never ceasing to continually enhance his own teaching methods and musical abilities. I strive to implement the resulting applications of this viewpoint into my teachings.
Why do you teach?
Having been a military child, I love people and building friendships. Music is a significant part of my life, and I hope to pass the ability to create it and appreciate it to others. Learning music affects many components of life, building into students positive character traits (such as diligence, courage, and sensitivity) and intellectual stimulation (such as new ways to analyze and work through problems, understand different concepts, and memorizing).
What is one message you hope all students take away from each lesson?
Every challenge or difficulty in music can be conquered. A desire seeming impossible to achieve can become a reality. Much of my musical mindset, and consequently, how I view life, is the result of my teachers believing this message and me discovering its truth.
What materials do you use to teach?
Students learns in their own way, and I seek to build a curriculum for a strong musical foundation centered around their individualized learning process. One curriculum I value is Hal Leonard’s Piano Method books (Lessons, Solos, Notespeller, Theory, etc.) for children, their Adult Piano Method books for older students, and the Faber method books due to their clear, concise presentation of piano concepts and development. Often, I incorporate or use a student’s previous/preferred musical curriculum and create personalized or self-developed musical worksheets. In the end, I promote musical material and repertoire best suited for the student to build a firm musical base.
Favorite Quotes
"Music is the universal language of mankind by which human feelings are made equally intelligible to all." (Franz Liszt)
"Music is God's gift to man. It is the only art of heaven given to earth and the only art of earth we take to heaven." (Charles W. Landon)
"Music is God's gift to man. It is the only art of heaven given to earth and the only art of earth we take to heaven." (Charles W. Landon)
