Clarinet Lessons in Aurora, IL

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I really enjoy watching the week to week progress of a motivated student and sharing in their passion for the wonderful art of music! I remember when I was a young student and didn't understand why my teacher was having me prepare all those scales and arpeggios? Why couldn't he just make me play better. Well I realized many years later that it just didn't work that way. I had to practice the scales because just like professional sports teams work on fundamentals all the time to keep playing well, so do musicians need to work on fundamentals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Clarinet Bass Guitar Synthesizer French Horn

From the very beginning of my work, I believe in positive reinforcement because I find that we all need our hopes and beliefs in our ability to accomplish something to be nurtured before we take on any challenge, objective or goal. This is very important because I also believe that presenting students with challenges and goals allows them to experience adventure, fun, and rewards- particularly in the context of music. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I believe that a music lesson should be simultaneously fun and informative. A typical lesson with me begins with some guided warm-ups centered around breathing and long tone exercises to get the student engaged with their instrument. Next, we go on to some technique work like scales or rhythm exercises. The largest chunk of the lesson is spent on repertoire - solo music, band music from school, or some duets between the student and myself. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I began teaching during my years as an undergraduate. I have worked with private students of a wide variety of ages. I have focused on sound production, saxophone technique, ear training, music theory, and repertoire in lessons. I keep an open mind as a teacher and do not try to push students into playing music that they are not interested in. Rather, I encourage the students to follow their own musical interests and draw upon my own musical background to help them play the music to the best of their ability. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

Inspiration. Without inspiration there is no possibility for excitement. A balance between a push towards goals and a freedom to try new things keeps students engaged. I also like to expose my students to all possibilities for music. Recordings, live performances, or even sharing my own repertoire with students opens their eyes to new possibilities. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

for the beginner student, we will start off by going through things such as scales, arpeggios, and exercises to build a solid foundation. While doing this, I will have the student pick a song they like, whether it be pop, country, jazz, classical, and begin to learn it by ear to begin to develop solid aural recognition. Once the fundamentals are solid, we will move on to either working on a sonata or concerto or a transcription and a tune (depending on if you are a jazz student or classical). Read More