About Florence Phillips
Florence Phillips has both a Bachelor’s and Graduate degree in Piano Pedagogy. She teaches piano lessons in West Chester, PA, and she works with students from the surrounding area as well.
Having grown up in West Chester herself, she began piano lessons at age four and participated in many of the local events and festivals that she now encourages her students to attend. By the time she reached high school, she was a regular accompanist at both her church and school, had discovered her perfect pitch capabilities, performed extensively, and won a national Sacred Music competition.
After college, she taught primarily in a private school setting for five years before going on to earn her Masters at West Chester University. She continued a full teaching load as she earned her degree, and found that the teaching experience was invaluable to her education and understanding of how to best help students succeed. Now, she is passionate about helping any person at any age reach their goals and become confident pianists.
She is dedicated to giving students a safe, positive, creative space to explore the piano and the music it makes. When she isn’t brainstorming, practicing, or teaching, she is most likely doing something creative with her 12 year old daughter. They love to take walks, bake, shop online, eat pizza, and play piano duets!
About Elisa Chodan, MMus
Elisa Chodan is beginning her sixth year as a music educator in southeastern Pennsylvania. She was head of the Music Department at Veritas Academy in Leola, PA for four years, specializing in general music and choral classes spanning K through 12th grades. She also taught the undergraduate Women’s Chorus at Lancaster Bible College for three years.
Elisa enjoyed leading choirs at a number of non-profit performing arts organizations during her time in Lancaster county as well. She has maintained a private voice studio for the last five years, and is currently a voice instructor at Drexel University’s Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships as well as at the Mennonite Children’s Choir of Lancaster.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Voice Performance with additional graduate credits from Westminster Choir College. She was a 2019-20 VOCES8 US Scholar and two-times summer intern with VOCES8 in Europe. Elisa is a current Master of Arts student in Drexel University’s Music Therapy and Counseling program.
Heidi Griffith, Piano
Heidi Steiner Griffith began playing the piano at the age of 7 – practicing with keys taped on to the dining room table! Soon piano became her passion. Throughout High School she won numerous honors at both the State and National level. She later studied at Bryn Mawr Music Conservatory
and West Chester University where she was offered a full music scholarship. Heidi completed her degree at WCU with a BA in Psychology in 2000.
She has taught lessons for 17 years and maintained a private studio of up to 25 students while also teaching Music at the Elementary School level. Heidi is an accomplished Church pianist having accompanied sacred choral and dramatic productions for more than 20 years. She has supported the efforts of the KCEA All State Choir and is a much sought-after accompanist for Encore Home School productions and the Hershey Theater Apollo awards. Heidi moved to Chester County in 2021 and is pleased to join the studio in West Chester.
Amanda Shaw, Early Childhood Instructor
Amanda began lessons with her mother at an early age, before taking from a renowned college professor in Florida. She began teaching piano as a highschooler, then continued teaching on the side while earning her bachelors from Delaware County Community College. She has been a church pianist for 5 years, and plays for local banquets and events. Here at our studio, Mandi specializes in young beginners and early technique habits.
Visit The YouTube Channel Of West Chester Piano Teacher Florence Phillips
Keep up with Florence’s performances and recordings on her YouTube channel, and if you’d like to learn more about lessons in her private studio, please get in touch.