Saxophone Lessons in NYC New York

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Music

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Finding my own voice and freeing myself from academic pressure. Many students start studying music as something external, a subject to master. But as they progress, music becomes who they really are and they find this intimate, personal connection that makes a life full of meaning.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I do not know, why. I never chose it. The idea came to me suddenly, like an irresistible urge, to go and buy an saxophone and start playing right away. When that happened, I already was a well-known singer-songwriter and a jazz vocalist.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My childhood teachers did not inspire me, but scared me off and strongly traumatized me - they were oppressive, violent, rude and very academic. I decided to study music for real in spite of them, because I was sensing that there is something very different about music than what they were trying to do to me. Music for me was my parents' jazz and classical records, my family playing piano and improvising. For me, it was natural to play, sing and improvise - and my teachers, unfortunately, made it very unnatural and fear-based, fear of mistakes. This is the reason why I decided to start teaching and help people to de-stress themselves, to feel joy and pleasure in music, to find relaxation and good feeling about oneself.

When will I start to see results?
You may see the obvious results already after the first lesson. The first lesson will already enable you to play a simple melody. Seeing and feeling the results is very important to keep being motivated, so I try to help you to start playing right away. For that reason, a one-hour first lesson is highly recommended, instead of the usual 30-min introduction. A woodwind instrument is a combination of operating the instrument and operating one's own body and breathing.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Try to touch the instrument every day, even if only for 5 minutes. When playing, play as slow as to feel completely comfortable, without making mistakes or losing focus. Play the material that feels moderately challenging, not totally easy and not too difficult to manage. Keep breathing calmly, deeply.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Make sure he/she listens to music or hears musicians perform live. Imagination in lessons is more important than mechanical skills. For woodwind instruments, it is not recommended that a child starts lessons before she/he can physically reach all keys on the instrument without strain on the body. Usually it is a minimum of 7 years old. Although there are training woodwinds made of plastic, Nuovo brand.

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