Clarinet Lessons in Westmont, IL

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

Instruments: Guitar Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar

I have been teaching guitar, electric bass, and woodwinds for over 30 years.  I have a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern Illinois University.  I have performed all over the Chicago area in a variety of Rock, Americana, Country, Folk, Blues, and Celtic ensembles.  I write original songs and compose music for dance and film. Some of the bands I have been in include; The Flynn Brothers Blues Band, Small World, Honeysuckle Road, Body Parts, Al Day and the Victors, and I have also performed with Bo Diddley as his bass player. Read More

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

The most effective teachers that I have had were teachers who recognized these important factors in the student-teacher relationship- that the best education experiences occur when both the student and the teacher embark on a positively-reinforced exploration together as opposed to the teacher solely dictating negatively to the student. It's with this spirit that I intend to conduct every lesson that I teach, because it is also through making the relationship one of mutual exploration and nurturing that I will give my past experiences of joy to my students. 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 Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I set realistic goals for each lesson so that each student will be able to progress and show improvement on a quicker level and not get frustrated with too much work. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Ukulele Recorder Euphonium French Horn Tuba Electric Guitar Djembe

The approach, overall, is to drive toward the student's goal. When someone wants to learn how to play an instrument well enough to play in a band or orchestra, I usually consider two needs - playing music and interpreting written music. These are basic parts of education, literally easy to define by achieving pages in etude books. In addition, though, there is a third component to meeting the set goal: writing music - a sensibility that you can create. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Synthesizer Music

Tommy S. currently holds a master's degree in clarinet performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Mr. Charles Neidich. Tommy also holds his bachelor's degree from Illinois State University, where he studied with Dr. David Gresham. Tommy has been a winner of the Illinois State University Concerto Competition, the King's Peak International Music Competition, and the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition. Tommy is currently 3rd/Bass Clarinet for the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. Read More