Erica is originally from Minnesota, though she has lived in Norway, Argentina and China for various lengths of time. She graduated from St. Olaf College and received her Masters in Teaching from Framingham University. She has played piano for 24 years and has taught classical, rock, pop and jazz piano for 7 years. She has played in bands of various genres, including latin rock, alternative rock, jam, and pop. She has founded two original bands, Marx and the Yogis (Minneapolis) and Skadi (Denver), serving as lead singer, composer, and keyboardist in each.
While living in China, Erica taught music classes to grades PreK – 5. She also teaches at Girls Rock and Roll Retreat during the summers in Minnesota. In addition to piano, Erica plays guitar, ukulele, synthesizer, clarinet and accordion. She currently plays in her original band, Skadi, and Mannequin’s Downtown wedding/event band.
Her main influences are Chopin and her childhood piano teacher, Mary. Her favorite gig was playing the Twin Cities Pride Fest (two years in a row).
When she is not playing music, Erica enjoys running, snowboarding, reading and exploring the beautiful Rockies.
PRO TEACHER – Erica is one of DMI’s Pro-Teachers and one of our most unique talents in that she is extremely versatile on piano and keyboards, but she also has an ear for production giving her bands an edge in sounding better than the competition! We take great pride in providing working professional musicians as teachers at DMI.
What’s a Pro Teacher? Our Pro-Teachers are taught to incorporate practical knowledge that directly translates to practical skills while performing. A Pro Teacher might say something like:
• “That works perfect in here while we study, but performing live try this…”
• “Remember when you are on stage with others to be aware of what they’re doing.”
• “Listen to the group and blend your sound, you can’t just focus on your tone.”
• “Let’s do it again singing into a mic. Mic technique can make or break a performance.”
And so on… These tips are invaluable and make the transition from studying to application of a skill much more smooth. Guaranteeing a more successful first impression with any audition. It’s our goal to make the transition from student to performer as seamless and simple as possible. This is why we have implemented the Pro Teacher staff initiative at DMI.
If you like the idea of an education that goes past learning scales…
ASK ABOUT our Pro Workshops, Master Classes and Camps!
