Chelsi Pulley

Contact Information

Biography

I began piano lessons at the age of four and was lucky enough to study with the best teacher out there (in my unbiased opinion), my mother. She gave me a solid foundation, and at the age of eleven, I started taking lessons with Professor Gary Amano. He introduced me to an entirely new world of music, consistently challenging and encouraging me to exceed my perceived limitations with each new piece and during every lesson. I continued my studies under Professor Amano during my first semester at USU; however, I later chose to seek new opportunities and completed my associate degree in piano at BYU-Idaho, where I had the privilege of studying with Dr. Brent Jones. After my time at BYU-Idaho was at an end, I joined a study abroad group through BYU and had the unique opportunity to live in Vienna, Austria for a semester. While in Europe, I was immersed in art and music. I experienced many amazing things there, and my love for music deepened and matured. Upon returning from my semester abroad, I married my sweetheart and we moved to our hometown, American Fork, Utah. I had many piano connections there, and within a few weeks I had a full studio of over thirty students.

Since then, we relocated to Arizona for my husband's graduate studies, during which I continued to offer piano lessons. We currently reside in Providence, Utah, where I am teaching 16 students. My husband and I have four amazing children who dance, sing, and play sports, in addition to taking piano lessons from me. We are a very busy family but have built an amazing life together!

I am unique as an undergraduate student because I bring with me over two decades of experience in teaching piano. I am thrilled at the prospect of sharing this experience at the Youth Conservatory. In addition to my extensive teaching background, I consider my primary strength as an educator to be my ability to optimize my students' practice time. I guide them in effective practice techniques that yield tangible results while minimizing inefficiencies. I believe this approach is essential for transforming music into a form of expression that resonates deeply and provides genuine enjoyment for the student. Furthermore, I emphasize the importance of being a well-rounded pianist, proficient in sight-reading, possessing strong technical skills, and excelling in performance. My passion for learning and growth as both a pianist and a teacher fuels my enthusiasm for studying and teaching at the Youth Conservatory at Utah State University.