Ben Kane, Piano Teacher: Music has been in my life and body since before I could even put a name to it. Reportedly banging in rhythm on any object I could get my hands on as a very young child (much to my parents’ chagrin I’m sure). The process of manipulating sound and making music has always been something truly at the core of my being. I began taking piano lessons at the age of five in pursuit of doing everything my older brother did and developed foundational skills in classical piano. However as my musical personality developed, I took a detour into playing the drum-set and discovered that I had an emotional and physical passion for the process of playing music. An injury which prevented me from playing the drums for several months brought me back to the piano as I was in need of some way to make music. It was then that I discovered that writing music and exploring the world of melody and harmony on the piano was the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I am now in pursuit of a BS in Piano Performance at the University of Colorado Denver. I perform and work primarily in jazz and jazz fusion, recently with an emphasis in latin jazz, but I am classically trained. The technique which comes from that classical training remains a foundation for everything else I learn. I have also done live and studio session work in pop, RnB, rock, and I have several years of experience playing in a pit orchestra for musical theatre. Getting to share the infinite and beautiful world of music and music creation with those who are beginning their journey is something that brings me a true sense of fulfillment. My only hope with teaching music is to bring more light and beauty into the world’s of my students, and therefore into the universe.