How it all started …
I love teaching, but it has not always been like that. As a freshman at the age of 18, I was assigned my first student, a nine-year girl, who was always either sad or in tears at her lessons. With zero teaching experience, I could only make intuitive steps during my first year of struggle. Through heavy frustration and seemingly endless search, I finally found the way that we both enjoyed: during every lesson we created multiple stories with descriptive characters and sounds. Between our “stories”, I gently helped her with skills and confidence by strengthening her technique, coordination as well as enhancing her sound palette. I surprised myself with my own perseverance in this unknown to me area.
My best reward and comfort was brought by that student’s smile after her own performance and she also gave me a gentle hug!
My teaching philosophy
I love teaching, but it has not always been like that. As a freshman at the age of 18, I was assigned my first student, a nine-year girl, who was always either sad or in tears at her lessons. With zero teaching experience, I could only make intuitive steps during my first year of struggle. Through heavy frustration and seemingly endless search, I finally found the way that we both enjoyed: during every lesson we created multiple stories with descriptive characters and sounds. Between our “stories”, I gently helped her with skills and confidence by strengthening her technique, coordination as well as enhancing her sound palette. I surprised myself by my own perseverance in this unknown to me area. My best reward and comfort was brought by that student’s smile after her own performance and she also gave me a gentle hug!
In my teaching, I am driven in equal measure by both quality and efficiency. My goal is to instill at once a solid technical foundation with musical sensitivity and enthusiasm for performance, that would help build every piece’s character through a story, embellished further by expressive and genuine delivery of the repertoire. My main ingredients are patience, empathy as well as a clear sense of appropriate standards and expectations. While being demanding of students, I am always mindful of their individual levels and instruct accordingly. The result is that the students are challenged, but never overwhelmed. The atmosphere of positive attitude and humor, friendliness, respect and sensitivity prevails in my teaching approach.
Irena Portenko's Piano Studio
To all students: I would be happy to discuss your goals and aspirations in your music studies via phone (914) 417-5090 or via email at irenaportenko@gmail.com
Attention intermediate to advanced students: for your initial lesson, please, prepare two scales, a piece and be ready to sight-read.
Lessons are offered at my studio, featuring two grand pianos.
Students benefit and stay motivated from my assistance and encouragement, with tailoring imaginative tasks to encourage creativity and excitement within my studio both individually and during engaging group activities. They have studied music theory and history through assigned reading and listening, enjoyed seminars in harpsichord as well as composed essays on a different topic for semi-annual studio recitals. I also perform along with my students and for them to expand their understanding of the importance of frequent performing activities.
My educational background combined two terminal degrees from the Ukrainian National Academy of Music and from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Seven years of experience as a Director of “Music in the Alps” International Festival in Austria has provided me with the ability to work effectively and mentor students of varying backgrounds and ethnicities as well as to coordinate a variety of activities from teaching, performing, to organizing events of a different scale.