Nikolas J.
Private tutor in Paradise, NV
Education
Working one-on-one is a great opportunity to get into depths which might otherwise remain unexplored in a lecture hall. I have experience in assisting students toward accomplishing specific goals as well as in preparing them for specific examinations. I enjoy working with home-schooled students in their preparation for the SAT and standardized state examinations. I have also helped students to get an edge on entrance examinations for art and music schools, locally the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, and various music summer camps. While my 3 degrees are in Classical Music-related fields, I am fortunate to have been immersed in a variety of disciplines. I held a 4.0 in math courses through Calculus II, and have received a teacher of the month award for my efforts at making retail mathematics approachable for fashion design students. I was secretary of my local astronomy club when I was 13 years old, and I am fortunate to have been friends with, and to have studied amateur astronomy with a man who discovered a very important supernova in another galaxy. My mother is a visual artist, and my own oil paintings have placed in college art shows. I believe in the power of a well-rounded education. The best way to encourage this is in establishing a learning environment which is creative, and not coercive, and for me, private tutoring is the best place to secure this possibility. If you feel I may be of assistance to you reaching your educational goals, or would like to simply chat about anything I have mentioned, please let me know.
Experience
Originally from Maryland, I have taught in the Las Vegas valley for about 10 years, including over 400 credits of college courses at various institutions. I am most experienced with teenaged students and older, but have made great progress with some students as young as 6 years of age, and adults who have returned to school with more life experience. I have completed 40 college credits in mathematics and sciences with honors, in addition to my 3 formal degrees in music. While completing a Masters Degree in Composition/Theory at UNLV in 2009, I had the good fortune to share my work with 5 Pulitzer Prize winning composers. I currently use the most recent software (namely Sibelius 8.5 and many sound libraries) in composing for a successful video game company. I also use traditional methods in music composition, and have taught approximately 30 credits in music composition for audio engineering students, in addition to private lessons with students aged 8 through about 65. I have conducted, performed and recorded my own work. Examples of repertoire which I have recently performed as a soloist include the Goldberg Variations, a handful of Beethoven Sonatas, 4 Chopin Etudes and that composer's first Scherzo, a Bach Toccata and assorted piano rags by Scott Joplin. I have taught piano for approximately 20 years in a variety of venues, to young prodigies as well as to adult beginners, with much success. I am glad to teach anyone who is willing to learn.
Subject Expertise
CLEP College Algebra10th Grade math11th Grade math12th Grade math9th Grade math8th Grade math7th Grade mathAlgebra 1Algebra 2AP Music TheoryAP Studio ArtAstronomyCLEP PrecalculusTrigonometryCLEP College AlgebraCollege AlgebraElementary AlgebraGeometryGiftedIntermediate AlgebraMusicMusic TheoryPhilosophyPianoPre-CalculusTest Prep
Availability
Sunday after 2PM, Monday after 6PM, Tuesday after 5PM, Wednesday after 12 Noon, Thursday after 6PM, Friday in the morning, Friday in the evening, Saturday after 1PM
Can Meet
Up to 30 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
A number of students have reserved weekly time with me in order to develop their skills for the lifelong enjoyment of a specific subject. I have generally maintained a studio of about 7 piano students. The Art Institute, where I am currently an instructor, regularly schedules office hours, during which I tutor a variety of subjects for them. These subjects have included Music Theory and Composition, Acoustics, College Algebra, Electronics and Piano skills. I am usually able to converse with anyone about their interests. In elementary school I was in the program which is generally known as GATE, and I was voted most artistic in my high school graduating class.
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