About Joe Bodalski

Hi, I'm Joe! I started playing piano at age 7 and am still finding new things to love about it over 30 years later. My training is about half self-taught. I had 5 years of private lessons to learn how to read music, then as a teenager I taught myself chords, scales, and how to improvise. I received a Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Delaware, which little did I know at the time laid the foundation for teaching. A while later, after hitting a rut in my playing, I resumed private lessons for 5 years and studied jazz and advanced music theory with the legendary Hal McKay, a Berklee graduate and lifelong performer.

This gave way to a 10 year period where I gave private lessons of my own and performed professionally, mostly as a piano solo instrumentalist. You may have seen me appear as Joey Be (easier to remember) at such events as Media's Dining Under the Stars or Sips Jazz Brunch in Phoenixville, or any number of private house parties, corporate events, nursing homes, fundraisers, or weddings. During this time I played keyboards in a number of local rock cover bands and am familiar with all the classic keys tones. I also helped record the album "Piano Renditions: Holy Journey" for a family business. Along the way I've taught myself other instruments and am up to 6 so far, including Irish Tin Whistle and Native American Flute.

I approach teaching like I approach a gig, which is to "play to your audience." Whether it's reading, improvising, playing by ear, I want my students to be grounded in fundamentals and playing music that excites them. My specialty is playing a solo arrangement of a well known tune from a lead sheet, where I draw from a repertoire of around 1,000 songs spanning many genres, including a healthy dose of movie and video game themes. Some want to play piano like me, but if I'm really successful: I'll teach you how to play piano like YOU!