Adult piano student Ken Taylor has been taking lessons from Ed Mascari for several years now. Prior to beginning piano lessons, Ken studied the guitar. When he gets home from his job as a computer software engineer/project manager, Ken enjoys recording his piano playing using "Band in a Box" as an accompanist.

You and hear a few samples of Ken's recordings on this page. Ken Taylor has also set up his own piano blog, Learning to play jazz piano after age 50+, where he posts his recordings and describes his adventures and progress as an adult piano student.

Ken has a great way of describing his experience over the past few years taking lessons at the Ed Mascari Piano Studio. In his own words:

"Ed Mascari is the perfect teacher for those wanting to learn to play the music they love later in life."

"When I decided that I wanted to learn to play jazz piano well after my 50th birthday, I sought out Ed because I could see from his web site that he had just the experience as a player and teacher that I was looking for."

"I had some prior experience playing jazz guitar. This gave a sense for what I was willing to learn (lead sheets and improvisation) and what I wasn't (full piano scores and scale drills). Ed was able to jump right in and find just the right way to teach me."

"We started with the basics and have now worked together on everything from arrangements to originals and all sorts of chord voicings, improvisational ideas, techniques and tricks in between.

"You won't go wrong by engaging Ed to lead you through your musical journey."

Thanks, Ken. It's been a wonderful, joyful experience to have you as a piano student, seeing you grow as a pianist and sharing in your musical accomplishments. Keep up the great work.

Alex Koure attends Natick High School where he is an honors student in several subjects including English, Government, Psychology and Music Technology. This course in music technology is an independent study course designed by Alex himself.

Alex has been a piano student with the Ed Mascari Piano Studio since 2008. He studies jazz piano and music theory with Mr. Mascari, building on his previous classical piano studies.

Alex Koure has an intense interest in film music. He has written several original compositions for student films, including student films that have won the Natick High School Short Film Festival three years in a row, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Alex was a student at the Berklee College of Music Summer Film Music Course in 2010 and the Brown University Pre-Collegiate Summer Music Program in 2011. He has also participated in the Ed Mascari Piano Studio student recitals.

Alex Koure's recordings of his compositions make use of electronic keyboards and are mixed in the computer. They often use software effects including echo and compression. Alex is proficient in several music recording software packages including Ableton Live and Reason.

Alex also has a passion for playing his improvisation-based solo piano compositions. His narrative piano style and dynamic range captures his listeners' attention throughout each performance.

Alex Koure's studies at the Ed Mascari Piano Studio have focused on expanding his working knowledge of music theory and harmony, developing, improving and refining his compositional ideas and enlarging his musical vocabulary through an introduction to improvisation and jazz.