Why Study with Me
Your Lessons
Friendly, welcoming lesson environment
Class materials tailored to meet your needs & your goals
Improvisation & creativity encouraged
Easy cloud access to class exercises and materials
Round the clock mentorship
Easy payment: cash, check, Venmo, Paypal, Zelle
Practical Experience
Able to provide high fidelity recordings for college & festival audition materials
Optional planned field trips for extended learning
Comped tickets & rehearsal access for applicable performances
Behind-the-scenes access with professionals in my network
Teaching Philosophy
Growth
No student has the same background, but all share the potential for growth. Some may be so privileged as I was, to grow up with a musical family. Others are not and may face a much steeper climb in pursuit of their passion. Whatever the obstacle to their success, every student is deserving of attention and encouragement.
My promise to each and every one of my students is to devote myself to their individual, musical growth for as long as they will accept my mentorship. I will help them to develop a healthy technique so that they may practice and perform without fear of injury. Finally, I will dedicate myself to ensuring that they are equipped with a strong mentality regarding the pursuit of their passion.
Fundamentals & Creativity
During their study with me, a student can expect to receive a thorough grounding in basic techniques and foundational exercises, all of which should supply their practice going forward. At the same time, they will enjoy exposure to the classics of musical canon alongside exemplars of a variety of other styles.
While mastery over the classics forms a solid basis for a student’s technique, I believe it should not set boundaries. I consider it a priority to encourage my students to do more than simply reproduce, but to recreate their music, to explore other styles, to experiment with improvisation, and even to write their own music.
Erudition
In the mid-18th century, journalists marked a distinction between musicians and musikanten or “ripienists.” Unlike the latter, who failed to achieve recognition due to their purely technical experience, I intend for my students to enjoy a well-rounded education; whether a student is a fledgling professional or an ambitious hobbyist, “educating the whole musician” will prepare them for wherever music or their future may take them.
With my intermediate and advanced students, I incorporate the fundamentals of music theory into daily exercise. Furthermore, over time I work with my students to sculpt their musical experience to suit their own passions and help them to better understand the context in which their repertoire was created.