Gwendolyn Wahman
About
Gwen Wahman has performed with such Jazz legends as Ron Carter, Elvin Jones and Frank Gant (more listed below) and in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Aaron Davis Hall, many NYC Jazz clubs and venues, Tavern on the Green and internationally. Dizzy Gillespie's pianist and musical director Mike Longo stated “Gwen is both a talented pianist and composer and is a rising star on the music horizon” and added the complimentary old Jazz phrase, “she will swing you into bad health.”
With over forty years of performing and 29 years of teaching experience in NYC and abroad, Ms. Wahman’s passions are still music and fostering the talent of children, adults and seniors through its study. Her twenty-five years of intense study with Mike Longo, five years of study with Ron Carter and decades of apprenticeship with Jazz notables on the bandstand have taught her profound concepts of music that she clearly presents in easy-to-understand terms for the beginner, intermediate and advanced student of any age.
Born and raised in NYC, Ms. Wahman began performing professionally in an Equity tour at age seven as an actress/singer, with the U.S. Terpsichore Ballet as a ballet dancer at age fifteen and in a production of Fiddler on the Roof as a keyboardist at age seventeen. She went on to perform and or/record with Jazz luminaries Bruce Cox, Ben Brown, Jay Collins, Thomas Brahmerie, Curtis Boyd, Steve Johns, Melissa Slocum, Eddie Locke, Paul West, Sean Smith, Dave Gibson, Joan Crowe, Melissa Slocum, Antoinette Montague, Grace Garland, Mike Campenni, Chris McNulty, Anastasia Rene, Dave Jackson, Andy McCloud, Sylvia Cuenca, Saadi Zain, Tim Ferguson, Annette St. John, Adam Rafferty, Patience Higgins, Edwin Russell and Johnny Lippiett among many others.
Ms. Wahman enjoyed working regularly at Tavern on the Green with her quartet and quintet and internationally on the Billionaire Residence Ship "The World." She was the regular pianist at Christ Lutheran Church, performing Jazz and Gospel for church services, performed keyboards in the musicals Sing and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and appeared on the TV shows Jazz Perspective and First Exposure.
Exciting performances of Ms. Wahman’s original music were given by her quartet “Four Peace” for over twenty-five years at the Baha’I Center, Columbia University and the Subud Center. These original Jazz, Gospel, Latin and Funk compositions are coupled with beautiful and inspiring Baha'i sacred text as lyrics that convey a unifying message for peace and were captured on the band's CD entitled Certitude that was released on the CAP label in 2012. One unique performance entitled “Joyful Jazz for The Unity of Mankind” was part of an LMCC grant that included a following panel discussion on "Jazz and Spirit" – an exploration of Jazz and its spiritual basis and potency.
For nearly three decades Ms. Wahman has taught music privately in her music studio in NYC, FL and internationally, in NYC music schools and in a conservatory in Florida. Subjects taught include Classical piano technique of Liszt, Classical repertoire, Jazz piano, Gospel, Pop, Rock, Latin, R&B, Funk, Musical Theater and Country piano, theory, voice leading, ear training, improvisation, sight reading, Jazz harmony, systematic harmonic substitution, functional re-harmonization, composing, arranging, orchestration and drumming.
In summary, Ms. Wahman is an accomplished professional pianist, composer, arranger and educator from NYC with a bachelor's degree in Jazz performance whose looking forward to meeting you to help you or your child reach the musical heights to which your souls aspire!
You, as a student, are a unique mine, rich in gems of inestimable value, so my teaching style is attuned and tailored to you individually. Profound concepts of music will be clearly presented to you in easy-to-understand terms for the beginner, intermediate and advanced student of any age. Deep principles of the natural laws of music will be shared with you at your level as needed to improve creativity, interpretation, performance, improvisation and composition to inspire you, cultivate the love and joy of music and solidify your foundation to help you reach the musical heights to which your soul aspires.
In my experience and as a believer in Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, people learn differently according to their natural intelligences and this is especially noticeable in children. For instance, some may be stronger in aural intelligence and learn aurally, others visually, kinesthetically, intellectually and so on. Being attuned to the natural method and need of each student and finding and using the methods that work best for them yields incredible results. Their talent and creative potential manifest through encouragement, inspiration and varied teaching tools and excellence is always promoted, knowing that each person's best may be very different from another's, while having fun and exploring the joy of music together.
The classical technique of Liszt that was used and taught by Jazz legend Oscar Peterson can be taught for those who are interested, to produce a tone and sound of sparkling beauty and to facilitate effortless speed on your instrument.
Learning about and gratifyingly experiencing the polyrhythmic, poly-pulsative and poly-metric time conception of the great jazz masters Bird and Diz that creates deep grooves and a forward propelling melodic force that is distinct to Jazz and missing from most of jazz education today is also an option for those who are interested. These rare and largely unknown concepts once learned and digested can have a dramatic and lasting impact on student’s playing of all genres.
Subjects taught include the Classical piano technique of Liszt, Classical repertoire, Jazz piano, Gospel, Pop, Rock, Latin, R&B, Funk, Musical Theater and Country piano, theory, voice leading, ear training, improvisation, sight reading, Jazz harmony, systematic harmonic substitution, functional re-harmonization, composing, arranging, orchestration and drumming.
Students of mine have described me as patient, supportive, joyful, inspiring, knowledgeable, responsible, attuned, generous and kind. Over the years, students have left very thoughtful reviews and please find two of them below:
5 out of 5 Stars - passion for music - By Janine Pelegano - NYC, NY - Piano Lessons
My seven-year-old daughter has been taking piano lessons with Gwen for almost a year now, and we are truly amazed at how much she has learned, and more importantly we are thrilled to see that she is developing a real love of music. Gwen is patient, gentle, and has a true gift for teaching piano. My daughter looks forward to piano each week, and she is so comfortable with Gwen. We think this is the beginning of a life-long appreciation for music.
5 out of 5 Stars - Gwen is fantastic! - By Elaine Ren – NYC, NY - Piano Lessons
I've been learning piano for 5 years. Gwen is my third piano teacher. I felt so so lucky to finally find her as my teacher. She is truly outstanding. She is very knowledgeable, and is consistently enthusiastic. Any question you asked no matter from very basic or to more advanced questions, she not only gave you an answer, but also why this is the answer. Most importantly, after learning from her, you will love piano more! It has been a wonderful experience that I could not have achieved without Gwen. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone wishing to learn piano.
Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance, Cum Laude
Studied 25 years with Dizzy Gillespie's pianist and musical director Mike Longo
Studied 4 years with Ron Carter
Studied with Classical Composer David Del Tredici
Studied with Jazz legend Dick Hyman
Honor's Society
Chamber Music Of America Member
A wide variety of methods and texts are used depending on the subject, student's interest and/or goals, time and level. All levels are welcome.