John Stonko - Tumblr Blog

John Stonko began his career as a professional piano instructor in 1993 at the Spruill Center for the Arts, where he helped develop the group piano curriculum in addition to teaching group courses. Following his time at Spruill, he spent a decade with Masters of Music in Atlanta, GA, teaching piano at all levels of ability, developing highly individualized lesson plans, and helping prepare his advanced students for college acceptance and professional performance. It was also during this time that he began his 14 years of service with the Emory University Center for Life-Long Learning. In 2009 John Stonko continued his teaching career with the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received consistently high evaluation marks from his students at the institute, where he was responsible for teaching the elements of piano application. Currently, Mr. Stonko is principal owner at Atlanta Piano Teachers. He conducted his musical studies at Columbia Pacific University, graduating with a doctor of musical arts, and maintains memberships with the Music Teachers National Association and the Georgia Music Teachers Association.

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New Headquarters for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity

John Stonko completed his DMA in musical arts at Columbia Pacific University and currently owns and operates Atlanta Piano Teachers, a studio for students of all ages and skill levels. Active in his community, John Stonko has participated in home-building projects with Habitat for Humanity. In October of 2014, the Atlanta chapter of Habitat for Humanity organized a tour for donors, community leaders, and media personnel of its new 68,500-square-foot headquarters and Family Support Center. The building will serve in a number of capacities with offices, meeting and classrooms, and a loading area for construction materials, among other features. Additionally, Habitat opened its ReStore donation center next door, where patrons can shop for home improvement supplies. ReStore is open to customers Monday through Saturday between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The Atlanta chapter of Habitat for Humanity is one of 1,500 chapters nationally focusing on providing affordable housing opportunities to families in need. To learn more about the nonprofit group and how to get involved, please visit www.habitat.org.

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John Stonko - Options Piano Teacher at Georgia Institute of Technology

May 1993 - Nov 1996: Piano Instructor , Spruill Center for the Arts . Jun 2009 - Jun 2012: Options Piano Teacher , Georgia Institute of Technology . - Atlanta, GA US

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Music's Role in the Brain Development of Children

Honored by the Georgia Music Affiliates Society as the 2012 Teacher of the Year, John Stonko teaches at Atlanta Piano Teachers. He provides innovative, energetic instruction to children and adults, using his own methods of “cogent playing patterns” and “principle of twos”. John Stonko also maintains a professional interest in the ways in which music shapes children's brain development. A noted pediatrician's interest was piqued when the father of a patient with social anxiety disorder observed that classical music grabbed the attention of his normally withdrawn son. On another occasion the boy was agitated until classical music was played. Another person suffered a brain injury that left him unable to relate to his family. Before the injury he had a passion for music; when he heard that music again, he became intellectually engaged with his surroundings. Scientific evidence suggests that music therapy helps children on the autism spectrum to self-regulate, cope with problems, and communicate. Sensory input can overwhelm children with this condition, but music seems to help them understand their experiences as they respond to their environment.

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Benefits of Intervallic Sight Reading

An accomplished piano instructor, John Stonko has taught both individuals and groups to improve their sight-reading skills using the intervals between notes on the staff. John Stonko currently teaches this and related concepts as owner of Atlanta Piano Teachers in Georgia. Intervallic line reading trains piano students to read music by recognizing the distance from one note to the next and using that knowledge to direct finger movement on the keys. For example, a pianist would see a C followed by a D on the staff, know that those tones make up the interval of a second, and play the appropriate key using muscle memory. This relieves the musician of the need to name the note, look away from the music to find the key on the piano, and attempt to find his or her place in the music again. Students can learn to play intervallically by seeking to recognize patterns from the first days of beginning to read music. It is still important for students to learn note names--largely so that they can identify the starting note and have a point of reference--but students should spend a significant percentage of their practice time in learning to perceive relative differences between thirds, fourths, and other intervals. This way, they can sight-read without looking away from the music, eventually playing more quickly and accurately.

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A Look Back on HFTH’s 16th Annual Back to School Jamboree

Professional piano instructor John Stonko is a longtime resident of Atlanta, Georgia. During the holiday seasons, John Stonko remains involved with local charity groups, such as Hosea Feed the Hungry (HFTH), an international Christian aid organization with a significant presence in the southeastern United States. This July marked the 16th anniversary of the HFTH Back to School Jamboree, an event held to distribute backpacks with food and essential school supplies. Several community members and businesses also partnered with HFTH to offer health screenings, clothing, and live entertainment, all free of charge. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, more than one in four Georgia children live at the poverty level, and one in eight live at less than half of the poverty level. Each year the HFTF Back to School Jamboree serves more than 2,200 children and teens. The event also marked the continuation of the HFTH No Summer Hunger campaign, which was implemented to distribute thousands of nutritional meals through various out-of-school programs to children who might otherwise go hungry.