This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the southern writer's only published book.
Jerald Simon, of Fruit Heights, would be the first to tell you that he's no Harper Lee, but the piano teacher has become a prolific writer in the last two years.
He has self-published 11 books anchored in instructional theory aimed at connecting young students with one of the arguably most-boring and least-popular topics related to music: music theory, a subject many pop musicians ignore.
"I wanted to teach theory in a different way, but in a way that was exciting and fun," said Simon, who is the president and owner of his music company, Music Motivation. He's also president of the Davis chapter of the Utah Music Teachers Association and vice president of the Ogden chapter.
Simon might have unique tastes — he admits that he reads music theory books for fun — but his techniques have been embraced by music teachers around the Salt Lake Valley, who have started teaching from his books in their own lessons.
"He's really brilliant in how he does it," said Bountiful music teacher Kimberly Marsden, who will have her students perform a June recital at Salt Lake City's Baldassin Pianos based around Simon's compositions and instruction books.
"It is a motivational way that is a different way than most teachers [employ]," said Natalie Campbell, also a Bountiful music teacher. "Theory is usually a drag, but Jerald makes it fun."
Simon's most recent book is Cool Songs for Cool Kids (Volume II), featuring 21 piano solos for early-intermediate to intermediate students. Simon doesn't simply tell students where to put their fingers, but also explains the music theory behind the songs. He wants students to become more technically proficient, while encouraging them to use musical building blocks to write their own songs.
Simon, who was raised in Pleasant View and graduated from Weber High School before serving an LDS mission to Brazil, began playing piano at age 5 but quickly became frustrated with his lessons.
He began writing his own songs in junior high, incorporating jazz, blues and rock theory into his classical training. He wanted to play his new songs for his teachers, but instead they insisted that Simon focus on his lessons. At age 14, he quit taking lessons, and using paper route money, bought theory books to teach himself how to compose.
"You can't improvise or arrange well if you don't know the theory," said Simon, who teaches more than 60 clients in weekly lessons. "It's so fun to see these kids start arranging and composing."
One student of Simon's who has started writing his own music is 14-year-old Nate Campbell, of Bountiful. "He teaches you all the theory and what you're doing, not just playing the notes," Campbell said. The student has become so proficient on the piano since he began studying with Simon that he began teaching four younger students.
Simon's first book took some time to complete, but other books in the series have followed more rapidly, including Jazzed About Jazz, Hymns of Exaltation, Sea Fever, Variations on Mary Had a Little Lamb and more.
All of the books feature Simon's signature theory instruction, delivered in a readable, easy-to-use style. They are stocked in many local music stores, and are available online at his website.
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O Learn more about Jerald Simon or order his books.
> musicmotivation.com