BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Freedman began his musical studies at age 7, with Philadelphia Pianist Susan Starr, a student of Rudolph Serkin, and a second place winner in the International Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. At age 12, he went on to study with Eleanor Sokoloff of the Curtis Institute of Music and continued studying with Ms. Sokoloff at the Presser School of Music at Temple University. He completed his training with Victor Friedman at The Philadelphia Musical Academy, now the University of the Arts. The Pianist Victor Friedman had emigrated to the U.S. at that time and had been a Professor of Piano at the Moscow Conservatory.

Mr. Freedman was head of the Piano Faculty at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, and continues to teach privately. He has also been a solo recitalist, accompanist for Students and Faculty at the New School of Music, participated in International Piano Competitions, founded various Chamber Concert Series as well as a Musicians' Collective in Philadelphia.

PHILOSOPHY

Learning should be a Joy. I see no other good reason to do the work that is required to learn an Instrument. My Students enjoy coming to their lessons and I love teaching them. It's very rewarding for me to watch them grow in ability.

I believe that there are no bad students, just bad teachers. Even a little bit of practicing should yield a little bit of progress, which is good! The more practice, the more progress---even better. The beauty of studying an instrument is that if you practice, you can see progress from week to week. This is very exciting. It's particularly invaluable to a child's development, as it affects their whole outlook on life in a positive way and increases their understanding of the learning process.

I try to take the mystery out of mastering an instrument. It is a very logical step by step process and as a Teacher you have to know the steps, and what step each individual student is ready for and when. I always make sure whether the Student is a beginner, intermediate or advanced, that they can master the material at hand. This builds confidence and a feeling that one "can do." It also makes my students want to continue!

I have many Adult Beginners. I also teach children as young as 4, depending on their maturity. Every child (and Adult! ) is different. Some of my students are on a professional level. I feel comfortable and enjoy the whole range. I have many satisfied Students and references are always available. And you will love playing on my new Steinway "B" Concert Grand! Everyone is sounding great on it!

One more important thing. I teach Music as an Art and a Form of Expression from the very beginning of learning and through ALL the levels. Everything technical is just a means to an end, the end being musical expression. After all, what we remember Mozart for is not how he progressed from one chord to another, but rather we remember him for the Spirit of the Music. And this is true of all great Artists. I instill this in my students. Not that everyone is studying to be a Concert Pianist, nor should they necessarily. Yet at the same time, I teach my students the things that professional Musicians know no matter what level they are on or what their goals might be.

You should never hesitate to take lessons because you believe that you don't possess the highly over-rated quality known as Musical Talent. It is my experience after teaching for a good number of years, that most people possess a measure of it and in fact it is natural to most people. They just need a means to discover it. I believe that anyone can learn to play the keyboard well if they apply themselves and are given both knowledgeable and sensible direction by their Teacher.

TESTEMONIALS

"Hal Freedman is an outstanding teacher and pianist--dedicated to sharing his time and talents with his students and to help them develop their own musical gifts. Hal has been teaching my son since the age of 4. He is now 13. Hal's teaching style is professional, patient, and empowering. No doubt he has had a lasting influence on my son through the years as a role model and friend. I would highly recommend him to anyone considering piano lessons for their children or, themselves."
L. McQuilkin

"Hal Freedman, an accomplished pianist and intuitive teacher, possesses masterful instructional techniques and a personable manner, making every lesson valuable and enjoyable."
Jamie Van Buskirk