Saxophone Lessons Dakota County, MN

Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet

I strive to get all of my students to understand not just how to play music, but how to learn how to play music-similar to the old adage "give a man a fish and he can eat today, but teach a man to fish and he can feed himself for the rest of his life". I use a open school-style philosophy of teaching, which revolves around exploration of the music (trial and error, in a sense), as well as encouraging the students to be self-reflective, self-critical, and to ask as many questions as they want to in order to understand each musical concept within the confines of his/her individual learning style. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet

After leaving Florida State University, I traveled to Arizona to obtain my Master's Degree at Arizona State University. Here, I received full in and out of state tuition and was principal clarinet with the graduate Wind Sympony and the University Symphony Orchestra. While I was finishing my Master's Degree, I began teaching band and orchestra at an Elementary School, a Middle School, and then a High School. I enjoyed teaching so much, I continued for ten years, teaching instrumental music, private lessons, and performing. Read More

Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Organ, Synthesizer, Music, Keyboard

"There's a difference between playing the notes and MAKING the MUSIC" Wanna know the secrets? I've played the piano since I was 7. Gosh....that's long ago. Sax since 4th grade. I've been performing and teaching private lessons for 35+ years. Many notables; The Temptations, Shirelles, Martha Reeves, Peter Noone ( Hermans Hermits ),Inauguration in 2005 for President Bush at Union station on CNN, many more. University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas with Dr. Read More

Instruments: Voice, Saxophone, Clarinet

For students of all levels, I emphasize the fundamentals. No matter what style our focus is in, the development of scales, chord progressions, modes and technique patterns are universal. I incorporate solo literature early and often and work with the students to play the music that they listen to every day. We develop the students ear through weekly memorization of music the student enjoys on a daily basis. This allows us to branch into more advanced literature with a deeper understanding of what makes a style, a style. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone, Clarinet

For beginning students, I like to focus for the first few weeks on playing scales and songs without written music, and I continue to incorporate learning by at any level. When I begin using written music I use the Accent on Achievement or Essential Elements method (I am also comfortable with other standard elementary methods and would be happy to use whatever method a student's band director is using), which is a good place to start whether or not the student already reads music. Read More