Clarinet Lessons in Cotati, CA

Instruments: Piano Clarinet

My greastest reward is seeing each student develop a greater love of music as they progress and come to be able to express their personal feelings through music. It is important that each student progress at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals at each lesson. By acknowledging their accomplishments this helps build a desire to progress and makes students eager to learn more. By helping them learn how to use the hand, wrist, arm and upper torso, they learn tone control and musical phrasing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

I first started teaching at age 17, whilst in the UK, and continued to do so through college and University, I am also now a working Musical Director, which involves musicianship instruction and voice technique. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Clarinet

When I was ten, I made the decision that whatever career I chose, I needed it to allow me to help people. As I got older and discovered that music was the thing I most wanted to do in this life, teaching voice and piano became the vehicle I needed to keep doing music as well as help people, like I wanted. In training my voice classically, I had the very best instructor who taught me how to sing the healthy way. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I always say that rhythm is more important than the notes. Play the right rhythm and the notes will come instead of playing every right note while sacrificing rhythm. I encourage students to make their mistakes loud, proud, and in rhythm so everyone has a better idea of what needs to be worked on most. I also emphasize isolating parts to practice and working backwards. Example: play the last two bars of the song until comfortable with it, now play the last 4 bars, last 6, last 8...etc., whole song. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet Music

For the beginning, students will start developing the technique of sound with simple exercises and tunes during which we will explore the basic music concepts: pitch, intervals, rhythm, dynamic expression, music notation and reading. After that process, we will start studying the chords and scales relationships, applied on the instrument, to develop a comprehension of the tonal-modal system. Then we will start playing more complex tunes and studying solos of the most important referents in the style you want to absorb in the musical language you want to explore. Read More

Instruments: Piano Clarinet

I begin teaching from piano books published by Alfred. I also have the student learn their scales as well as give a weekly written music theory assignment. I incorporate styles and songs the student enjoys listening to or playing as well. I like to teach classical music. With this foundation, ALL other music is much easier to play, and helps tremendously with their sight reading skills. Performance recitals are recommended, but not required. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I like to ground my teaching in a line my own teacher, Carey Bell, often told me-- "if you make a mistake, no one dies!" Music is a challenging discipline in every respect, so I encourage my students to approach it from as positive and joyful a place as possible where mistakes are not a failure but simply a sign that further work needs to be done. Achievement in performance is only rewarding when the student takes ownership of their playing, so I do everything I can to allow clarinet to be a real and positive presence in my students' lives. Read More