Clarinet Lessons in Woodbury, NY

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Music

I started playing in the 4th grade. I played in RB bands in high school and enrolled at Berklee College of Music where I have a Bachelor Degree in Composition. I also studied privately with Charles Banacos (increible piano and jazz teacher), Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Viola, Joe Allard ( whose Saxophone methods I teach, who was the teacher of every major saxophone player in his day including Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, and countless others ) , learned circle breathing from Rahsaan Roland Kirk, recorded 2 albums at Grammavision with Al Macdowell (Bass player for 40 years with Ornette Coleman). recodered and learned as much as I could grasp from Don Cherry and Ornette. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Piccolo

Dependent on the instrument, I generally use essential musical workbooks as well as my own scales and exercises that create a better base to suppliment the workbooks.  I find that these general books are useful to keep the student's growth on track, however, my own sound exercises alllow wind players to usually progress at a quicker rate.  For more advanced students, once we have discussed what each student hopes to get out of their lessons and what they generally see themselves doing with their instruments in the next few years, we can decide what pieces to work on and what skills to develop. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

Every student approaches the instrument differently and has different needs and interests. Whoever I am teaching, I try to find some way to relate their hobby or other interest into what they need to learn. I believe the lesson sticks with the student for longer that way. It is important to me that students know how to play without incurring injuries in the future but at the same time to enjoy learning how to play. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

The student has to develop in their own phase. My primary role is to inspire and motivate to student, to set goals for them selves, and help them to reach their desired goals. But most importantly having fun with music, each student has an individual way of learning, my goal is to find what inspire them and go deeper into that. We'll listen to a lot of examples of music and we'll play a lot together, my lessons are hands on, learning by playing, this includes leaning songs and look at them from different perspectives; listening, rhythmical, melodically, theoretical, looking at scales sound and rhythm. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I've been teaching since the end of high school, when my saxophone teachers enlisted me to help give lessons to some of the younger students in their own after school jazz programs. Since moving to New York I've taught lessons privately from my home studio and traveling to students homes, as well as teaching group lessons in several after-school programs in the Bronx. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of teaching music, and I get a special joy from seeing my students grow and progress. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Saxophone Clarinet Recorder

Incidentally, I started teaching when I was still learning myself; in grade-school, on the recorder. I learned early on that my ability to play by memory and through ear afforded me a stark intuitive advantage over peers my own age; naturally, they came to me during our shared lessons to inquire about my talent. While neither of my abilities was necessarily a teachable factor, they did endow me with the ability to "know" my music - through a bit of compositional translation, I was able to share tidbits of knowledge among my colleagues. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I began teaching private lessons eight years ago during college. By the end of 2015 I had a studio of over 30 students. I tend to focus on developing a student's sound concept first, so that they can get a beautiful sound out of the instrument at an early age. I also encourage students to play ear-training games and develop an independent melodic sensibility early on. My students have excelled in audition-only honor's ensembles, All-State Bands, band assessments, and some have even written their own songs and performed in recitals. Read More