Drum Lessons in Mount Vernon, NY

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I would describe my teaching style as firm, even strict at times, but never mean or dry. Enjoyment, weather that be in the form of accomplishment, fulfillment, or just plain fun, is the key for success! Although I do think every student needs to know about certain aspects of playing and listening, every student is going to have different ideas of where they want to go with drums and music. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Ukulele Conga Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Having studied guitar formally for 4 years at Berklee, I pull from materials that I found most helpful to me during my own education. These include scales, chords, modes, picking patterns and even solos. Aside from fundamentals and exercises, my favorite method of teaching is asking a student what they want to learn, a song they enjoy for example, and doing my best to teach the student how to play it and why it works from a harmonic perspective. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Flute Drums Synthesizer Ukulele Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My methods of teaching have been refined over the years and I've found it that methods of teaching have to be tailored to each student. For every lesson I develop a lesson plan that organizes the lesson so there is no time wasted. As I get to know the student more, I develop a lesson plan specific to the student and work on the things that need work but as well as to keep the student motivated by performing and memorizing. Read More

Instruments: Drums Bass Guitar

My teaching experience dates back to my high school days, as I began teaching private lessons part time 15 years ago, and have been consistently teaching students in my home studio for the last 10 years. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. I've also found that a combination of jazz and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the drums and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Recorder Electric Violin Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Effective music education is both developmentally and culturally appropriate: By working with the student to understand their interests, I hope to provide them with an experience that will enrich their musical and social life outside of the work we do together. Through infancy, I believe Music Learning Theory is effective for developing musical and linguistic skills. If a student in toddlerhood/childhood shows that they have a preferred way to express themselves musically, I will tailor lessons around the Kodaly (voice), Orff (instrumental), or Dalcroze (dance) philosophies. Read More

Instruments: Drums Latin Percussion Djembe

My teaching experience started while in college. I began teaching a couple of students and friends private lessons. It was sparse but definitively gave me an good idea of how it was to be some sort of a coach to help find the "inner drummer" in my students. After graduating from Berklee, I stayed in Boston and taught drumset, percussion, and piano at the Boston School of Music. It was a much more formal way of teaching, and I enjoyed that experience very much, and it made me realize even more that teaching is very natural and rewarding to me--from the early stages of developing a curriculum, to carrying it out while making it fun and accessible,to seeing the students having fun playing live shows. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar

Beyond my extensive experience as a professional in the Music Industry, I have held positions in a diverse range of teaching situations beyond private instruction. I was most recently employed as a Lead Music Teacher for Success Academy Charter Schools and worked full-time at an Elementary School in the South Bronx. In this position, I was responsible for creating and implementing a rigorous K-4 curriculum and delivering it to 500+ students each week, as well as leading a daily reading Roots Reading group and conducting weekly reading assessments. Read More