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Grace M. Edwards

 

I grew up in a family of 7 where all of us sang, and except for my father, played the piano, drums, and guitar. I remember waking up on weekends and holidays when we would come together to sing and play the latest pop songs before we even have breakfast. Friends who visit us will find themselves singing along with us. Even as adults, our family and friends would sing and play together as soon as we find ourselves in each other's company. 

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Although we were all trained classically, I was the only one who pursued music as a career. I majored in piano and minored in voice at the University of the Philippines and soon after graduation pursued an Artist's Diploma in Piano at the Philippine Women's University.

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Music and the opportunity to teach young and adult students have always given me joy and a sense of satisfaction. Once I started teaching, I knew it was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. And... I wanted to be the best one I could be. My first visit to the United States was to attend a workshop in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, an approach in teaching music using movements, at the Lowell University in Massachusetts. I went back to the Philippines hungrier than ever to train harder as a teacher. I came back to the states as a postgraduate student, majoring in Piano Pedagogy at Holy Names University in Oakland. While pursuing my master's degree, I spent summer months working on my Suzuki Certificates. I met many inspirational teachers in HNU who encouraged me to pursue another master's degree, this time in Music Education with an emphasis in Kodaly, a teaching approach which made me realize even more the magic and power of singing. Since then, I found myself not only teaching piano and voice privately, but also getting my California Teaching Credentials. I taught music at the Hayward, Mt. Diablo and Brentwood Unified School Districts. I also sang with the California Bach Society and San Francisco Symphony Chorus.

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Presently, I concentrate on my private teaching. I continue to perform in recitals and soirées. I also serve as a Board Director of the Music Teachers' Association of California as well as an evaluator for MTAC's Certificate of Merit Program. 

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