Noel Itchon

I was born and raised in southern California and I took my first piano lesson at the age of six. I was initially one of those students who took lessons only because my parents signed me up, and thus I didn't grow up being the most dedicated at practicing. When I was 14, I auditioned for and was accepted to the Orange County High School of Arts, and during my years there, music became a way for me to open up and develop socially. This in turn led me to choose music as a career and pass on a wonderful gift to help others discover their potential not only as musicians, but also as well-rounded human beings. I hold a bachelor's degree in music education and a master's degree in musicology, and while I am classically trained, I have recently been cultivating my jazz skills! My favorite classical composers are Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin, but I am also a fan of alternative rock such as Coldplay and Linkin Park, as well as 1990s music! I started teaching piano in 2012 near the end of my master's degree work and as the demand for lessons grew, I shifted my career focus from music research to teaching piano. Since then, I have taught a variety of age groups and levels from preschoolers to adults, as well as in various settings such as private schools, students' homes, and (since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic) online through Zoom. I also enjoy having my students collaborate on duets to emphasize the social aspect of making music and sharing that gift with others.