As a musician and teacher, I am, unabashedly, a piano-phile. The piano is a wonderful instrument that serves many functions, but is above all, a great foundational instrument. Because so much can be taught at the piano, my goal as a piano teacher is to give all of my students a strong foundation in concepts that are essential to making music. Note-reading, phrasing, rhythm, and basic theory are areas that I try to target with each student. These are taught with the hope that, at a certain point, any of my students will be able to apply the knowledge they’ve gained on their own. This is an important skill not only to playing the piano, but to playing any instrument. As a teacher I also enjoy finding different ways to approach these concepts as a way of meeting the many different learning styles presented by each student. I believe in customizing to each student, and strive to make everything I teach engaging and clear, so that each student is empowered to be able to make their own musical choices.

Leah Kosch has enjoyed a busy teaching schedule for many years. Ms. Kosch ran her own studio when she lived in Ohio, and since moving to Boston, has taught lessons through South Shore Conservatory as well as the Longy School of Music’s preparatory program. Her private students have ranged in age and ability, and have participated in chamber ensembles, mock evaluations, and competitions. While at the Longy School of Music, Ms. Kosch also coached piano duets and assisted with performance workshops. In addition to teaching private lessons, Ms. Kosch is also on faculty at Boston College where she has a variety of teaching responsibilities. Although keyboard harmony is a main aspect of her instruction, she has also taught secondary piano to undergraduates as well as assisted in coaching chamber groups.

Since moving to Boston, Ms. Kosch has had a rather busy and varied performance career. She has performed both as a soloist and in chamber ensembles, playing both traditional repertoire as well as modern compositions. She has also served as an accompanist, assisting students of various ages in lessons, auditions, concerts, and competitions at Longy, both in the preparatory program and the conservatory, at Boston College, and at the Brevard Summer Music Institute. As a performer, Ms. Kosch has participated in concert series such as: Longy Faculty concert series, Septemberfest, and Boston College Chamber Series. As an advocate for new music, she has also performed with the Boston New Music Initiative as well as recorded for composers in the Boston area.

B.M., magna cum laude, Ohio State University; M.M., the Longy School of Music