Hi, I’m Mickey!

I fell in love with the piano at a young age, and I started taking lessons in fifth grade. Growing up in South Africa, I studied classical piano throughout high school, and in 2017 I moved to New Jersey and went on to get my BA in Music from Drew University with a focus on piano performance. During my time there I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to join the university’s scholars chamber music ensemble and serve as the pianist for the university’s production of Spring Awakening, as well as various concerts for their orchestra and flute ensemble. Since graduating, I have been continuing to work on my piano skills and growing my repertoire, which I believe should always be an ongoing process!

My Approach to a Typical Lesson

I believe a love for music is the fundamental force that drives any student forward in their musical journey. Starting first and foremost by understanding the student’s interests and goals, they should be learning repertoire that they are excited about. My aim is to ensure understanding of important music fundamentals and techniques, while always relating these skills back to the ultimate goal of creating beautiful music.

My Advice for Students

Try not to worry about being as good as anyone else. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone is on their own musical journey. The important thing is that you are pursuing your musical path and striving to grow your skills and knowledge. It is much more important to look back on your own journey and see how far you’ve come – the only person you should ever compare yourself to is yourself!

My Favorite Local Places

Taylor Park in Millburn

The American Museum of Natural History in NYC

3 Tips for Success

Listen: Listen to a lot of music in the realm of what you are trying to learn. Knowing what you like is a great source of motivation, and it might give you a goal to set your eyes on!

Be consistent: A little bit of practice every day is better than a lot of practice once in a while.

Don’t give up: Sometimes it might feel like progress is slow, but remembering your goals and sticking to your practice will get you there. Every great musician has started somewhere, and they all got to where they are now by sticking with it when things got tough.