I have observed Pamela Brunson's piano teaching on a regular basis for fifteen years. I have been consistently impressed with her methods and the results they produce. Her students receive expert pedagogical instruction in a studio which promotes a warm and caring atmosphere. In addition to receiving strong technical training, Ms. Brunson's students stand out for their musical expressivity. Excellence is encouraged at all levels of musical growth through positive reinforcement. Organized activities foster a studio of camaraderie and student friendships. Because of her expert instruction students are able to enjoy the fruits of their labors through successful participation in recitals and competitions at the local, state and nationals levels, as well as the self-realization of expressing music on a high level. I am happy to give this recommendation to the Studio of Piano by Pam to students of all levels who wish to strive and obtain musical excellence.
Dr. Michael Baron
Professor of Music
Head of Piano Studies
Bower School of Music
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, Florida
5/15/10
Coming up on eleven years ago I met Pamela Brunson for the first time. It was at her home, and I had just arrived for my first lesson with Dr. Michael Baron. I had recently graduated from a small college in Indiana and had returned home to Colorado Springs to establish myself as a piano instructor. These lessons with Dr. Baron were an exciting continuation of my own personal development and, in addition, were giving me an opportunity to connect with more of the local musical community, namely Pam and other local students studying with Dr Baron. I did not anticipate, however, the instantaneous warmth I would receive from Pam and her involvement with me as a fellow teacher and musician.
Pam and I became fast friends, and she invited me into her own teaching studio to observe lessons, to participate in weekly master classes, and even began to mentor me on a one-on-one basis. Immediately I was struck with the high level of musicianship I heard from her students. Beyond sounding "professional" in their artistry, not one was a copy-cat of her. Somehow she was able to individually inspire each student to play from their heart in an intelligent, mature manner which far exceeded their age and, in most cases, their time of study. I then began asking her to listen to my own playing, and witnessed first hand her adept attention at developing artistry. All of a sudden I was reading in a whole new way, understanding how to see, hear....play....beyond just sheer feeling and intuition. Her instructions were clear, inspiring, and her enthusiasm and love for the music incredibly contagious.
Over the years, Pam has continued to mentor me, although now, "mentor" doesn't quite sum up how much she's invested in me. I can honestly say I would not be the teacher nor musician I am today without her influence and involvement in my life. She has believed in me, and willingly shared her knowledge and love of music, as well as challenging me, as I see her do herself, to continually learn and pass that knowledge on to others.
Jo'el Smith
Instructor of Piano
Colorado Springs, CO
11/24/10
I highly recommend Ms. Pamela Brunson as a piano teacher of distinction in the Colorado Springs area. Under her direction my two children have flourished, making great progress in their music studies. In the span of a little over 3 years one child went from a Bach Minuet to the first Chopin Ballade, and my other child went from Mussorgsky's The Great Gate of Kiev to the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 and two of the Liszt Transcendental Etudes. Quite impressive!
She has a unique gift of bringing out artistry and musicality in her students. Her techniques are pedagogically sound and motivating. Her recitals are a testimony to her ability to bring out the best in all her students and to prepare them for delightful and sparkling performances. Her students range from beginners through students playing in the advanced repertoire.
Peter Wise
5/2/09
My son James has studied with Pam since he was six years old. He is now 17, and preparing to attend college. As a beginning musician, Pam inspired James to develop rapidly, through warm praise for his accomplishments, encouragement when he struggled, and stick on stars. James loved getting those stars. James also loved collecting points for his practice time and completed pieces, Hanons, scales and theory pages. But unlike other students, James never cashed his points in for prizes. He was saving them to buy one of Pam's pianos!
During his time at Pam's studio, James has developed a deep love for music. This love led him to begin studying violin at the age of 10 and he now plays in both his high school orchestra and the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony. He is often asked to accompany both orchestras and other high school music groups on the piano.
James has made many friends and musical contacts through Pam's studio. Pam schedules masters classes that allow her students to spend time learning together and socializing with each other. They also expose them to other instructors in the area. In addition, due to these musical contacts, James has been able to study with Dr. Michael Baron and Jo'el Smith, and has been invited to audition at several universities. Pam has also given James instruction in teaching piano, and James has had several of his own students, and taught summer masters classes to Pam's younger students.
Pam provides many opportunities for her students to perform, through recitals and competitions. Her students are always well prepared, do very well in competitions, and impress and amaze me every time I hear them play and see how far they've progressed. Some summers, the students prepare duets. The duet recitals are one of my favorites. The students always have so much fun learning and performing their pieces together.
James is now an accomplished pianist. He is busy preparing a repertoire for college piano auditions and is finishing off his first concerto for local competitions. During competitions and performances, James is always complimented on his musicality. He owes this to Pam's teaching. I am very grateful for the time and effort Pam has put into helping James achieve his musical goals and for the love and caring she has put into helping him become a fine young man. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Pam.
Andrea Molner
1/2/2011
In her Etudes master classes Ms. Brunson really shines as a teacher of teachers, particularly in the area of artistry. This year-long, monthly series of classes, involves both group discussion and guided instruction in theory and practice for teachers in the Colorado Springs area, This class showcases Ms. Brunson's gift for imparting awareness and ability in the area of artistry.
An excellent resource for music teachers' professional development, veteran and beginning teachers alike benefit from the discussions and insights gleaned from Ms. Brunson and the coterie of teachers in the class. As the series of meetings progresses, teachers play classic works [standard student classical pieces] for one another and critique each other in a friendly and supportive way. This has the beneficial effect of exposing teachers to pieces they may assign students, and sharpening both playing and listening skills—all in the context of a shared community of music teachers who desire to invigorate their profession with new ideas and mutual support. The class was very helpful in showcasing artistry at all levels. Highly recommended!
Peter Wise
5/2/09