Clarinet Lessons in Ritchie, IL

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Harp

I strive to tailor instruction to meet the needs of the individual student. For students who are at a beginning level, I often start with a reliable methods book (i.e. Piano Adventures) to lay a foundation. From there, I like to explore a range of supplementary materials that can help students work toward their personal goals and interests, such as modern/ other genres of music, composition material, technique-specific exercises, etc. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums

I use humor and my own experiences to first establish a caring environment in which the student can be comfortable. Once that connection is established, I like to find out the students interests and make sure a personal goal is set that we can achieve together. There has to be something exciting the student can achieve in order to develop self-motivation. I employ a number of tactics to stimulate self-expression and problem solving skills, as independent work and practice is crucial in any musician's journey. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I have a bachelor's degree in saxophone performance from Nazareth College and a master's degree in jazz performance from DePaul University. In pursuit of my degrees, I performed classical repertoire in solo recitals while also performing with jazz ensembles, wind ensembles, and saxophone ensembles. Additionally, I worked with various jazz and rock groups outside of school. I perform frequently throughout Chicagoland with various ensembles and have appeared at several of Chicago's top venues for jazz and improvised music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Clarinet

Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar

I have been teaching private lessons since 1979.  There is no greater joy for me than to see  that spark of learning ignite and grow as my students discover that they can make music too.  I tailor my lessons to match the goals of the student.  Many of my students aspire to become professionals and others simply want to have fun with music.  Whatever the reason a student chooses to pick up an instrument and play, my ultimate goal is to make sure that they learn the music that will inspire them to play. 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: Clarinet

For beginning students, I focus on creating great tone quality and establishing excellent practice habits. I typically recommend the Rubank Elementary Method for beginners, but many students have to purchase other texts such as Accent on Achievement or the Hal Leonard Essential Elements for their beginning band class. In any case, these will also work for beginning lessons! I also start students on scales right away, with beginning students working on tetrachords (4 note patterns) that we develop into scales by combining two tetrachords into a single scale. Read More