I recently completed my Master of Music degree as a full scholarship student, at the University of Southern California under the tutelage of Kathleen Winkler. Post graduation, I joined the Stockton Symphony as a member of the first violin section. A passionate orchestral musician, I've served as the concertmaster of both the Classical Symphony in Chicago and the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, and played under the baton of numerous influential conductors including James Conlon, Joseph Silverstein, Leonard Slatkin, and Carl St.Clair.   Prior to my move to California, I received both my Bachelor of Music, as well as my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Northwestern University, where I studied with world renowned pedagogues Almita and Roland Vamos. I am as committed to teaching as I am to performing, and have worked over 10 years with students of all ages. I currently hold a private studio of both violin and piano students. References are available upon request.

I have been studying the violin since I was 10-years-old, and I love to share my passion for the magic of music with my students. I got started teaching when, after one of my high school orchestra concerts, a little 6th grader approached me and asked that I please teach her how to play like me.  I've been hooked on private teaching ever since. I've directed youth orchestras, taught a Music Education Lab for undergraduate students for a university, and private taught all ages and levels.

   

I have taught beginning-advanced students privately and in small group settings for over 25 years to students of all ages and levels, and I'm the the founder of Spencer Music and Artist Development located in Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, CA. I have also taught music on faculty of local community colleges and universities, and private and parochial schools.  As an artist developer and agent, many of my more advanced students perform professionally with local opera and musical theatre companies, are recording artists, or are on tv or with local playhouses.   I teach the following: piano, digital keyboards, harpsichord and organ (in students homes within a 12 mile radius only), voice, violin, viola, mandolin, kindermusik, music theory/ear training, music therapy, music industry and songwriting/composiiton.  As a classical and jazz pianist I have performed throughout the US and Canada in solo and chamber/combo settings as well as a guest artist with orchestras.  Credits include: Pacific Symphony (Costa Mesa, CA), San Francisco Baroque Camerata, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Honolulu Symphony. As a musical theatre and opera lyric baritone/actor, I have performed in productions throughout the US.  Role Credits: Chip in On The Town, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Chuck in Promises Promises, M.C. in Cabaret, Papageno in Die Zauberflote, and Sky in Guys and Dolls. My music studio is conveniently located 1 block from the ocean in the beautiful Bluff Park area of Belmont Shore, Long Beach.  My studio has a keyboard, full music library, instruments, music stands, music software, audio archive, a comfortable sitting area for parents and students, an outdoor balcony and street parking. 

I am a classical trained musician. I was brought up in Bloomington Indiana, the home of the no.1 rated music school in the States (by the teacher's association). Ever since I was 10, I was involved with the University music life. I had the fortune to study with Janos Starker - perhaps the greatest cello technician in the world! His playing style is comfortable, clean, natural, and free of tension problems. Anyone can learn this great technique and benefit from it. I stress this technique on all of the instruments we teach. I was the best teacher in Los Angeles area for producing the most competition winners of SYMF a few years back (cello).