Heart And Soul Music Diana

The Teacher Who Wrote Songs With Whitney Houston's Band — and Now Teaches Piano in Your Backyard

Diana, who teaches piano, guitar, ukulele, keyboard, and composition out of Ronkonkoma, NY, brings an unusual mix of professional studio experience and formal education training to her private lessons. Before settling into private teaching on Long Island, she collaborated on original song demos with members of Whitney Houston's band and the group's former Musical Director, and separately worked with the keyboardist and pianist from guitarist Larry Coryell's band. She has also written, sung, and produced her own children's album, 'Oh Sammy Please!' — a project she handled as singer, songwriter, and producer.

That professional background sits alongside genuine academic credentials in education. Diana holds a degree in teaching and spent years in classrooms — first at Fort Benning Army Base in Georgia, then on Long Island — before transitioning fully to private instruction. She has now been teaching music privately for 30 years. The classroom years weren't wasted time; she describes them as foundational to understanding how people learn, and parent Cherie noted exactly that distinction: choosing a teacher who actually knows how to teach, not just how to play.

Her approach in private lessons leans heavily on personalization. Beyond the core instruments, she weaves in music theory, sight reading, ear training, and voice, and for students who show interest, she takes things further into composition and arrangement. That last element — teaching students to arrange their own music — is something she frames as a 'door opener' for creative freedom. She also prepares students for NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) evaluations when they want to participate, and keeps a folder of their scores and results.

Student reviews span children and adults, beginners and more experienced players, and they consistently point to two things: the lessons are genuinely enjoyable, and the progress is real. Michele from Patchogue came in as a complete beginner and was playing classical piano pieces within nine months. Families in Lake Grove and Setauket have stayed with Diana for years. Online lessons are also available for students outside the Ronkonkoma area.