About Anna Kovalskaya

Anna has been both playing and studying music for a total of 17 years. Beginning her career in classical piano performance, she later decided to pursue a minor in music theory to continue her music education.

Her area of expertise is piano, though she has experience playing viola and guitar as well. Additionally, she has taken a couple of classes in percussion, which has strengthened her comprehension of rhythm.

For five years of her high school music studies, Anna got instruction in composition and songwriting. Considering Anna is actively taking music theory courses, she has much knowledge and experience in composition and encourages her students to create their own pieces, according to proper music theory techniques and rules.

Anna has extensive performance knowledge from performing individually and within chamber groups for piano, as well as performing in orchestras as a violist. 

In sophomore year of high school, Anna gained acceptance into the honors program at Hoff Barthelson Music School, where she was asked to play five pieces from memory in front of a jury twice a year. At the end of her high school years, Anna played a graduation recital, consisting of five pieces performed from memory.

Anna believes it is important for students to perform for others if they express desire for it. Having struggled with severe stage fright herself, Anna understands the stress and nerves that may result from her students performing in front of others. Additionally, Anna has experience with the NYSSMA curriculum and is able to instruct students according to the NYSSMA guidelines.

Lessons with Anna will be primarily focused on helping students find their own passion toward music, and she does so by introducing her students to multiple musical genres, and giving her students the freedom to choose their repertoire.

Once students have expressed desire toward learning music, Anna focuses on strengthening music theory and technical skills such as sight-reading and dissecting music to better understand the piece, as well as making sure the students are enjoying their lessons and are not too stressed out about the given material and homework assignments.

From her past experience, Anna has come to the realization that productive learning has direct links to students' opinions of their workload and type of work, and she emphasizes the importance of checking in on her students and confirming that they feel 100% safe and comfortable within their lessons.

Anna's primary goal is to create a welcoming and exciting learning environment for her students, as well as ensuring her students leave every lesson with more knowledge than they came in with. Anna places an equal emphasis on music theory, sight-reading, and composition.

While applying to colleges, Anna created a website for the purpose of sharing her musical skills through videos of her repertoire.

If interested, here is a direct link to her website: https://maxkovalsky.wixsite.com/anna