Flute Lessons in Maspeth, NY

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder

My name is Andrew, and I am a dedicated and passionate music instructor based in New York City. I graduated from Temple University in 2014 with a degree in Jazz Performance (Saxophone), and have had the privilege of working full-time since then as a performer and private educator. As a freelance woodwind player, I have had the opportunity to perform and record in a wide variety of musical styles and settings. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute

My approach to teaching can be different based on the age and level of the student. In general I like to keep the pressure off my students and above all find ways to make learning fun and enjoyable. My ideal lesson is one that the student will remember, whether it's a concept we talk about or a song that we learn. I try and teach my students more than how to play notes on a page and to learn songs, but how to discover and tackle projects themselves that otherwise might seem too big a challenge. Read More

Instruments: Piano Flute Recorder Piccolo

The most difficult skill for beginner flutists is sound production. For beginning students we will focus the first couple weeks primarily on making a sound and forming the correct embouchure, or lip position. We learn simple tunes by ear during this time and begin to associate them with musical notation. Once a good understanding of sound production is achieved we begin to broaden the range and learn new notes. Repertoire will depend on skill level and the amount of practice time that a student devotes to the flute. Read More

Instruments: Flute

For beginning students, I like to focus and builds traditional "executive skills" such as embochure, posture, hand position, ear training, and articulation. Once the student has a grasp of fundamentals, I introduce scales and solo repertoire appropriate to their development. For advanced students, I focus on building upon their knowledge of scales, etude methods, harmony and chordal progressions, as well as solo repertoire--while incorporating elements of improvisation, extended techniques, and electronics.  I play duets with each of my students regularly! Read More

Instruments: Flute

To help students achieve a rich, full tone, I like to give voice exercises and body exercises to expand their vocal cords and posture to get that beautiful, rich sound. I also like to ask my students to record their own playing to compare how different the recording sounds from what they usually hear, which helps give them a better sense of what they need to improve and trains their ears to adjust to their tone, pitches, and even tempo. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I approach each student individually, working with strengths and addressing weaknesses in a relaxed, no-pressure environment. Individual musical interests (such as jazz, pop, classical, or rock genres) are incorporated into each lesson, helping to streamline and facilitate the learning process. Lessons focus on:Beginning students learn to make music from the first lesson starting with simplesongs, and eventually withme joining in playing duets at each lesson. Tone production Finger technique Music notation Rhythm Sight reading Playing by ear Phrasing and interpretation Improvisation At each lesson we work with short term goals, leading to long term improvement. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

For young beginners on wind instruments, I really focus on getting a good sound out of the instrument first. Then, I have them learn simple songs by ear to strengthen their relationship with the instrument. At the same time, I will teach them how to read music if necessary. I like to use the Rubank or the Sound Innovations band method books to start with. For my piano students, I go over posture and hand position first, in addition to the basics of the keyboard and fingerings for scales. Read More