Cara Parry, Piano
Tell us about your formal education in music. I’ve been taking piano lessons since I was eight years old. I went through a couple of teachers growing up, taking little breaks here and there because of my family’s budget. When I was 20, I received my Associates in Music at Pima Community College. After that, I transferred to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. There, I received my Bachelor’s in Music, with an emphasis in piano.
Tell us about your professional performance experience. I’ve performed in MANY piano recitals through private studios, Pima Community College, and NAU. I’ve performed in piano ensemble recitals, choir recitals, and jury recitals throughout my college career. I focused mainly on the backstage of recitals. My enjoyment came more from preparing students and organizing the recitals than performing in them myself. I was lucky to have opportunities to do it all!
Do you still practice? How often? I practice three hours a day, six days a week. I have a pretty minimal practice schedule now that I’ve finished school. What inspired you to start playing music? My parents loved to show my siblings and myself old movies when we were kids. My favorites where the Marx Brothers movies. Chico Marx was the best pianist I had ever seen and I wanted to be just like him. So, I started taking piano lessons.
Was finding the motivation for practicing hard for you as a beginner? Is it still difficult at times? Of course! As a little girl, I hated practicing! I still have trouble with it now!
What advice do have for students who need help getting motivated to practice? I find that listening to recordings of the pieces I’m learning help keep me motivated. I find a recording I like so much, I want to sound like it. So it keeps me practicing. I can then record myself playing the same piece and compare the two recordings. It’s a cool way to hear how your personal touch can sound different from all of the other recordings out there!
What types of music do you currently listen to and enjoy playing? I listen to almost everything! My favorites are bands or singer/songwriters that I’m able to sing along with! I very much enjoy playing music from the Romantic Era more than anything. Its complexity has so much emotion tied to it that you can’t help but connect when performing.
What do you like the most about the Allegro Student Recitals? Seeing the sense of accomplishment each student has as they finish performing their piece. They work so hard and deserve to feel proud about it.
What’s the single most important principle you try to convey to all of your students? A strong foundation in the basics of theory and technique (sight-reading, scales, etc.) is utilized in everything they do. The stronger the foundation, the easier the rest is to learn. It also gives us more freedom in composing a piece.
What aspect of teaching music do you enjoy the most? Helping someone understand the joy music can bring. It can be difficult at times to understand its complexity, but once that light bulb lights up, it’s the best feeling.
In what ways do you see your students benefiting from learning music? Music teaches self-motivation, creativity, discipline, self confidence, and dedication. It gives them a way to escape or relieve stress in a healthy and beneficial way. They learn how working hard on something can produce wonderful results.
What are your non-musical hobbies and interests? I love to travel, and would love to do more of it! I recently discovered how beautiful the River Walk is, so I’ll be doing more of that with a friend or my sister and her dogs!
What overall advice would you have for all music students, regardless of their instrument? Music should be enjoyed. There are times when you need to work hard, however, music is an outlet for expressing one’s emotions. Don’t let it consume you, instead enjoy the freedom and creativity it gives.
Interested in taking piano lessons?
Visit our piano lesson page for more information or request information online.
