ABC Academy of Music

Lessons & Classes

for All Ages

Tristan Savella

Toronto Piano Teacher

Tristan Savella2018-07-26T10:58:24-04:00

Artist Diploma (GGS) in-progress
M.Mus. (Mozarteum Salzburg)
B.Mus. (Eastman)

Born in 1991, Filipino-American pianist Tristan Savella began taking piano lessons at the age of 8. From 2005-2009, he was a student at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen Michigan where he graduated with a Fine Arts Award in Music.

He holds a Bachelors Degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and a Masters Degree with distinction from the University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.  He has won prizes at numerous competitions, most recently third prize at the 2015 Concours Flame in Paris, and also prizes at the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York City and YoungArts Week (sponsored by the National YoungArts Foundation) in Miami among others.

He has performed across the United States, including performances at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and has also performed in Canada, France, Austria, Spain and Italy. His principal teachers include George Kern, Nelita True and TJ Lymenstull. Tristan has also taken part in various music festivals, including the Banff Piano Master Class, the Gijon International Piano Festival and the Eastern Music Festival where he worked with Ronan O’Hora, Marc Durand, Julian Martin, James Giles and Yoshikazu Nagai.

He is currently a candidate for the Artist Diploma Program at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, with a full-tuition scholarship, as a student of John O’Conor.

Get to know Tristan…Beyond the Bio!

Hobbies: Tennis, ping-pong, cooking (not always well!), travelling, walking through the city, sitting in cafes – too many things to list!

Musical influences: My favorite composers are Mozart, Chopin, Schumann and Debussy. My dad also played guitar at home when I was growing up, so music was always around me

Favorite food: Avocados – they are so versatile and so healthy! I love pretty much all cuisines – French, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Thai – you name it.

Least favorite food: Artichoke hearts

Favorite music: The composers I listed above! I also love Norah Jones

Favorite song: Anything by Norah Jones.

Favorite movie: Big Fish

Favorite movie music: Pocahontas and Harry Potter

Favorite Opera: I haven’t seen nearly as many as I wished, but the one that struck me most is Tannhäuser by Wagner.

Best quote from your teacher: “My job is not to tell you what to do, but to draw out what’s inside of you and what you know how to do”

Favorite quote: “Don’t frown because it’s over – smile because it happened” – Dr. Seuss

Favorite book: Kafka on the Shore by Murakami

Best thing about working at ABC: Learning new things about my students and being part of a supportive team.

Latest Homework from Tristan

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Preferred Books for Tristan’s Students

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FLASH CARDS

Cover of Hal Leonard Music Flash Cards (Set A)

120 color-coded cards to learn basic musical symbols, all notes from low ledger C to high ledger C, and rhythm patterns in 4/4 and 3/4. Also includes cards that focus on recognition of steps and skips on the staff.

Excellent for parents to help their kids at home with musical understanding – even if the parent is not musically trained!

Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Book 1A

Cover of Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Book 1AThis easy step-by-step method emphasizes correct playing habits and note reading through interval recognition. Lesson Book Level 1A begins by teaching basic keyboard topography and fluent recognition of white key names in relation to black keys. It focuses on simple rhythms and prepares students for intervallic reading with entertaining songs that focus on “same,” “stepping up” and “stepping down.” It then introduces lines and space notes in treble and bass clefs, melodic and harmonic intervals of 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths, and graduates to reading on the grand staff. It also introduces the flat and sharp signs. This course is most effective when used under the direction of a piano teacher or experienced musician. Songs Include: Balloons * Batter Up! * The Donkey * A Friend Like You * Hand-Bells * A Happy Song * Horse Sense * Totem Pole Song * It’s Halloween! * Jingle Bells! * Jolly Old Saint Nicholas * July the Fourth! * Just a Second! * Love Somebody * Merrily We Roll Along O’er the Deep Blue Sea * Mexican Hat Dance * My Clever Pup * My Fifth * My Robot * Old MacDonald * Old Uncle Bill * Play a Fourth * Raindrops * Rain, Rain! * Rockets * Rockin’ Tune * Rock Song * Sailing * Sea Divers * See-Saws * Skating * Who’s on Third? * Willie and Tillie * Wishing Well * The Zoo

FLASH CARDS

Cover of Hal Leonard Music Flash Cards (Set A)

120 color-coded cards to learn basic musical symbols, all notes from low ledger C to high ledger C, and rhythm patterns in 4/4 and 3/4. Also includes cards that focus on recognition of steps and skips on the staff.

Excellent for parents to help their kids at home with musical understanding – even if the parent is not musically trained!

BOOK TITLE

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