Alec Davis

Piano

Alec Davis is a Washington DC area musician, composer, administrator, and pedagogue. He holds a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance with a focus in Piano Pedagogy from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at Catholic University (Washington, DC), where he studied under Dr. James Litzelman.  

Alec specializes in teaching a technique based on upper arm gesture and weight manipulation as the path to physiologically healthy & efficient playing and freedom of expression. He handles all logistics via an online portal (MyMusicStaff), facilitates various recitals, group classes, masterclasses, and competitions throughout the year, and has an effective setup for online lessons. 

Alec is a member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) along with several local affiliates (Maryland State, Greater Baltimore, Montgomery County, Washington DC). He charges a flat-rate monthly tuition based on the number of lessons in a September to August term, and teaches year-round.

Alec has performed as a solo and collaborative pianist and organist with the Great Noise Ensemble, Thomas Circle Singers, the New Jersey Youth Symphony, Trinity Chamber Orchestra, and others. Joe Inman, the founder of the Reely/Hendricks Scholarship, remarked that he "has the soul of a true musician," and he continues to partner with local musicians for concerts, recitals, and recording projects.  

In addition to teaching, Alec is the director of music and organist at Westmoreland Congregational UCC in Bethesda, MD, and the founder and artistic director of Green Stairwell Concert Series, which presents immersive and experimental collaborations between local musicians, artists, and designers to accessibly curate cutting-edge Art for the DC area. Alec can often be found enjoying Japanese, Philosophy, bouts of manic organization, and his three cats. 

Learn more at www.Pianobyme.com 
Pianobyme@gmail.com 
(571) 276-6384

Teaching Philosophy

There is almost nothing in this world that I believe in more than I believe in piano lessons. I have now been teaching long enough to repeatedly see how it can transform students (and appreciate how it transformed me). Adherents to lessons, as with many other long-term disciplines, learn:  

 

  • Patience, problem-solving, and deliberate focus   
  • How to process feedback, create good strategy, and be time-efficient   
  • How to overcome nerves, build confidence, learn from failure, and manage tension in the body   
  • How to make creative decisions, consider detail, and describe abstractions   
  • How to gradually acquire skill over time   

Most of all, however, they are given the ability to communicate in this powerful language for their own nurturement and enjoyment throughout their lives. This is one of the many gifts that a parent can give to their child whose impact may not be truly appreciated until years later in life.   

I am grateful that I was given that gift growing up, and that it has turned into the foundation of my work. This was due, in part, to the financial sacrifice of my parents and grandparents, but also to the generosity of my teachers and mentors.   

Thanks,   
Alec M Davis

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Cecelia Prinkey          Alec Davis          Justine Koontz         Amanda Rogel
Rose Wodarcyk          Eric Hiller          Hexing Xiao          Autumn England