Brandon Swing

I received my Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Union University in 2014 where I studied with David Dennis. In 2017 I graduated with my Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Memphis, where I studied under Cathal Breslin, Artina McCain, and Eric Zuber. Throughout my education I regularly served as an accompanying pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, church congregations and choral groups such as Memphis Choral Arts. In 2019 I moved here to Colorado at the start of my PhD program at the University of Colorado.

My teaching begins by first finding what inspires my students—whether it’s music they want to learn or music from a show, movie, or video game—and to use that to encourage the development of their own musical path forward. Through the piano, my goal is to develop in my students a sense of musical sensitivity and direction, an ear for beautiful tone, rhythmic vitality, and the physical technique necessary to realize one’s musical imagination. My avenue toward achieving these ends is not necessarily through teaching one how to play piano, but instead how to practice piano. The “true goal” for me is to teach my students how they can one day be their own teacher.

I am ALL about incorporating as many different practice techniques as you can when learning music. I can’t share just one, so here’s a few to definitely try out:

“Silent Practice” – Practice playing the notes so “softly” that the key is pressed all the way down to the bottom without the hammer striking the string. Tough at first, but by doing this you can really develop an incredible sense of control!

“Ghost Hand” – Play with one hand normally on the keys, with the other “playing” on a flat surface. In addition to just promoting muscle memory and coordination, I’ve found that this really makes me listen to what my hands sound like in isolation (which usually isn’t like what I thought!).

Slow Practice – Tried and true, slow practice is so valuable because it gives you the opportunity to let your musical ear dictate the way that you “get the music in your fingers”. It brings your every articulation, every inflection and nuance under the microscope to mold and shape as you see fit. It’s a practice technique for the mind and the ear, not just the body.

Rock – Hirasawa Susumu, The Strokes, Deftones, My Chemical Romance

Pop – Michael Jackson, Prince, any Japanese pop from the 1980s

Video Game Music: Legend of Zelda, Hollow Knight, Dragon Quest, Super Mario

Electronic Music (EDM): Synthpop, House, Progressive Trance, Drum and bass

Classical – Scriabin, Chopin, Schubert, Prokofiev, J. S. Bach

“One does not play the piano with one's fingers: one plays the piano with one's mind.” — Glenn Gould

In 2006 when I was 14, I stumbled across a YouTube video of a pianist playing Pictures at an Exhibition. It totally blew me away and basically changed my life. I started trying to teach myself how to play (badly). No one in my family was musical at all, but somehow I became fortunate enough to study under Dr. Ronald Boud, who prepared me for university auditions throughout my years in high school.