Piano
Sandra was first introduced to playing music when her parents got her a small keyboard with a beginner's music book at age 8. When her parents learned that she was starting to read notes on her own, and received recommendations that Sandra should be enrolled in piano lessons, she was sent to a private instructor, Mr. Willis E Lee at Lee Studio of Music. She played piano for various school choirs beginning at age 14, and received her music award at George Wythe High School in 1976. By the time she was in the tenth grade, she was so proficient that her music instructor had a college professor come in and listen to Sandra play The Flight of the Bumblebee.
Sandra chose not to attend college to study music, but to spend more time at home with her family. She was highly recommended by her instructor to be the pianist for the Heritage School of Dance while she was still in High School. She continued to work there for 12 ½ years, then played for the School for the Richmond Ballet. Sandra currently plays for the children at her church and also performs in a dual musical act known as Thomas and Holzbach. Videos of their performance can be seen on You Tube. She works directly with Mr. Melvin Thomas, who has traveled all over the US and performed with the Drifters, Jimi Hendrix, and other acts. Sandra is currently the organist for two chapters of Eastern Star. Her past experience includes playing and singing in the church choir, serving as a church organist, and many years of working with and teaching young children.
Sandra's love for music grew when she started helping others by bringing out the best in them and helping their musical talent shine! Sandra studied for 18 years under Mr. Lee, who has been a mentor to her, helped her learn to improvise, and taught her to put her heart into what she plays.
Sandra was inspired to begin teaching when a family of five approached her at church and asked for her help to teach their children how to play the piano. She was then highly recommended to more and more families, and her business has been growing ever since.
Sandra teaches technique, chord structure, classical, patriotic, standard, spiritual, rock and other styles of music. She teaches her students the scales and how to improvise what they play. She gives weekly assignments according to their rate of learning and never pressures her students to do more than what they can handle. The students are required to do their theory lessons and study their flash cards.
Sandra's students have the opportunity to perform in a piano recital at her church twice a year. This allows others to see how her students grow, in addition to giving her students the experience of performing before others.
Sandra wants children of all ages to learn to play from the heart and to bring joy to others through the power of music!