Meet Michael...

Hello! My name is Michael Orgill.

I’m a classically trained pianist who’s been studying piano for over 20 years, with experience teaching for over 12 years. I primarily studied with internationally renowned pianist, recording artist, and teacher David Glen Hatch, as well as Hawaii’s most renowned piano instructor Ellen Masaki, and I have a direct pedagogical lineage to Johannes Brahms over 4 generations.  I was fortunate enough to participate in my first international concert tour at the age of eleven, and have since had the opportunity to perform in esteemed venues throughout the United States, Canada, UK, France, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Argentina, and Brazil. From performing in the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City, and playing in a concert in the Villa Bertramka museum where Mozart stayed and composed in Prague, to participating in a master class with renowned professors and performers at the Bordeaux Conservatory of Music, and performing for international dignitaries and royalty in Geneva - I’ve been very fortunate to be able to acquire a wide array of knowledge and experience, which I hope to pass on!

I admire all genres of music - from medieval Gregorian Chants, to Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, to modern movie scores and pop music, and nearly everything in between.

I believe in building a solid, well rounded musical foundation by simultaneously developing piano technique, music theory, sight reading, ear training, composition, improvisation, and in depth knowledge of musical literature and history.

Each student has their own unique combination of musical talents, interests, and goals. This is all taken into account and with the input of the student and/or parents customized weekly lesson plans and a larger long term plan are created specific to each student. By providing each student with the necessary knowledge and skills, and helping them feel understood, encouraged, and motivated they will be able to realize their full potential and progress at an astonishing rate!

Why Music?

Have you (or your child) ever had a day where you wondered why you were still doing music lessons? Even professional musicians can have times when practicing is less exciting than others. If you find yourself stuck in one of those ruts, you might want to just remind yourself of some of the benefits of music that go beyond just being able to read the notes on the page. We came across this article that was published a couple of years ago and just HAD to share it. In a nutshell, here are some of the things that music does for us:

Language Development
Enhances a child’s natural ability to process sounds
Develops the left side of the brain (language processing)
Can help children remember new information by linking it to a song
Helps develop “verbal competence”

Increased IQ and Brain Activity
Correlates with a higher IQ after several months of study
Causes visible changes to the brain that indicate more of it is used by a musician than a non-musician
Builds networks in the brain associated with fine motor skills and sound analysis

Spatial-Temporal Skills
Helps students visualize how to solve various problems
Is especially helpful in areas such as math, architecture, engineering, visual art, and computers

Higher Test Scores
Aids concentration and memory, both of which are important in standardized testing
Improves test scores in multiple subjects regardless of socioeconomic status of the school or district

See the full article Here.