Judi Messina - Music & Art

About Judi

Judi Messina grew up in a musical family in Cleveland Ohio, starting piano lessons at the age of 8, and moved to Houston Texas immediately after graduating from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She has taught piano and voice full-time since 1987, 5 days a week, and spends her spare time playing keyboard for ComedySportz Houston, teaching piano and voice classes through Leisure Learning Unlimited, and vacationing with her husband.

She also likes to paint with acrylics and other media. Her keyboard art is available for commission -- the customer picks the melody to be illustrated. Prices are quoted unframed, and include postage. Please allow two weeks for re-creations of these pieces.

Judi was raised by parents who were musical mavericks in their respective families of origin, so she and her younger brother Dave* got exposed to a cornucopia of styles, from classical to stripper music to pop and musical theatre.** Not a typical piano student, Judi took lessons from 8 different teachers over a period of 12 years, developing an amazing ear and a tolerance for jumping thru hoops for piano teachers, choir directors (accompanying and arranging), instrumental and vocal contest students,*** and community theatre directors ("Here, learn this 200-page score by next week so the choreographer can record her dances...") Judi teaches piano for a living, coaches vocal students, teaches piano improv and works as the keyboardist for the improv comedy troupe, ComedySportz Houston.**** Her musical idols include Billy Joel, Elton John, and Eugenie Rocherolle.

Have a Musical Question?

Use our Contact Form to ask Judi a musical question about piano or voice!

END OF YEAR STATS

Winner, most points:  Newsha Nikzad (9.764)
2nd place:  Eun-Sung Chang (8,674)
3rd place:  Laura Wilson (8,204)
4th place:  Eun-Bit Chang (7,854)
5th place:  Shira Israel (7,109)

These top 5 winners got gift cards to the store of their choice!

Winners 6 thru 10 got a $5 bill:
6th:  Joe Conti (6,824)
7th:  Deven Lahoti (6,797)
8th:  Nina Lahoti (6,378)
9th:  Dhilan Lahoti (6.164)
10th:  Karen Martinez (5,809)

This is out of 25 students competing.

Achievement Chart categories:
Along w/ a certificate,  each winner got $2 cash and each runner-up got $1 cash.
Winner and runner-up:
Memorized songs:  Laura Wilson (26), tie:  Ruth Abramczyk and Helena Nammour (18)
Flash card points:  Mia D'Andrea (1000+), Eun-Sung Chang (518)
Correct reps:  Laura Wilson (1,949), Newsha Nikzad (1,263)
Stars:  tie:  Alyssa Giraldo and Helena Nammour (31)
Sightreading:  Ruth Abramczyk (63), Shira Israel (61)
Performances (the Ham award):  Newsha Nikzad (40!), tie: Deven Lahoti and Laura Wilson (6)
Books finished:  tie:  Eun-Sung Chang and Laura Wilson (4)
Chart stickers:  tie:  Newsha Nikzad and Eun-Bit Chang (36), Deven Lahoti (35)
Homework:  Dhilan Lahoti (83 pages), Laura Wilson (82 pages)
Fastest flash cards:  Deven Lahoti (37 seconds), Karen Martinez (38 seconds)

Special First Year achievement award: 
Alyssa Giraldo:  in only 29 lessons, accumulated 4,603 points, memorized 15 songs, got 917 correct reps, 31 stars, 54 homework pages, and finished 3 books!

MUSICIANSHIP

WHEREAS, nearly everyone makes New Year’s resolutions sometime in his or her life, and

WHEREAS, many piano students resolve to do better at practicing and attending lessons regularly, and

WHEREAS, many piano students want to cancel their first lesson of the year because they “don’t want to waste the teacher’s time” because they haven’t practiced,

THEREFORE, as a piano teacher, I want to offer you some encouragement.

When you resume study of any subject after a break, there’s bound to be a feeling of regression or rustiness.  Not only is this normal, but it gives teachers an opportunity to help you develop your musicianship.  Musicianship is what else you can do as a piano player besides play the notes in front of you.  Theory and review are important tools of the musician.

AND, when you review what you’ve learned, it not only shows you how far you’ve gotten, it reinforces those facts and skills.  It doesn’t even matter how long it takes to review what you’ve accomplished; it’s always time well spent. 

AND, you can improve those review pieces and take them to a higher level of understanding or performance or both!  Back when you first learned a piece, getting the notes and fingerings and rhythms right were 90% of the task.  Now that you have some perspective on them, you can notice what aspects of playing are still a problem, and which aspects are easy now.

AND, you can play around with a piece that’s easy, using the definition of “play” that means “to have fun with.”  Play an old piece either too fast or too slow, or accelerate as you go.  See where you “crash”, and laugh at yourself.  Play the old pieces with extreme dynamics.  Go for extremes in volume changes or accents.  Play the piece with the wrong rhythm, or change the time signature (make it a waltz!) or the key (play it in minor!) or in the wrong register (play it way up high so it sounds like a music box).

AND, knowing more music theory lets you make sense of what you’re playing, giving you the broader picture.

SO, I want everyone to have a broader perspective on their piano study and a happy, healthy new year!

Judi's Art for Sale

Must See

Judi's Appearances

• Judi performs a showcase for friends, family and students every October
• Judi appears every weekend at Houston's longest running improv Show - comedysportz. Check the Recital and Appearance Calendar for other opportunities to catch Judi on stage.
• You can often find her at Open Mics around town.