Clarinet Lessons in Ho Ho Kus, NJ

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

For beginning students who are children, I normally start on Accent on Achievement, Standard Of Excellence, or if they are learning music in school and continuing their studies privately, I begin with any book that they start on in school. Once they have a solid foundation I will have them learn how to play ear, technique books such as Rubank, and etude books and also music that they will find exciting and fun to play. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Recorder Double Bass Music

It is important to adopt a teaching style that is tailored to the individual needs of each student, especially because each student learns at their own pace. Setting goals is one of the first topics I discuss with my students, and then indicate some of the steps they need to take to achieve the goals that they set for themselves. Keeping track of a student's hours of practice and their musical achievements is beneficial for me to determine what new material and concepts to work on, and also allows the student to stay organized and motivated.  Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Recorder Keyboard

My teaching style is simple: let the student decide what they want to pursue, and then push them in that direction! After all, that's how I was trained. My only goal is that the student is excited about what they are learning and playing. I will tailor every lesson plan to the student's personal interests, and make sure that goals are realistic such that the student feels that they are making progress. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

Regarding the actual, music-making process: one of my biggest skills as a musician is creating coherent and beautiful phrases, and one of my biggest skills as a teacher is helping students find organic phrasing. Everyone has their own voice and style, and with the right prompting they can use that voice to express their music to the fullest extent. Methods I regularly refer to include the Rubank Series, Baermann Scales Method, Klose, Langenus, The Chromatic Machine by Kalman Opperman, and countless other exercises I have picked up from past teachers including Charles Neidich Dr. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder Bassoon

My teaching process looks like a mountain stream. We start at the top of the mountain, and the goal is to get to the bottom. As I teach using my tried and true techniques, we make our way down, but when I notice that my student needs extra help, or should be pushed more, we detour into another stream until we can return to our main path. Sometimes, we diverge immediately and continue down different paths until we make it to the bottom anyway! Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Accordion

My approach varied from student to student. I decide about it after the first lesson where I can determine what kind of steps will take. I have my own music books with songs and exercises that I have developed over last twenty years of teaching I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More