Music Lessons in Bloomfield, CA

Instruments: Piano Voice Ukulele Music Keyboard

My lesson plans are curated for individual needs. Over the past twelve years, I have worked with all ages, talent levels, and abilities, and have learned that it is absolutely essential for the teacher to adjust their methods for each students, as each individual has different goals, learning styles, interests, and needs. I strive to find new music my students will fall in love with, and am constantly learning new music to help them play their favorite songs at their current level. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Ukulele Recorder Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music

I start lessons by warming up and doing exercises. For children, I do this in a listen and response setting. Then I will work through school songs or performance pieces, focusing on rhythms first, notes second and musicallity third. These 3 aspects lead to musicial mastery. I finish each lesson with an easy cool down. With in each lesson, I focus on musical styles that the students are interested in and work towards goals that the student set for themelves. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I've been playing music, teaching, and performing over a variety of ways across the bay area for over 12 years. I received a degree in Jazz Studies and Composition from Sonoma State University in 2006 and have been utilizing my degree as a creative artist and sharing my knowledge with students since 2002 where I grew up in the foothills sound of Yosemite National Park. I play Saxophone, Clarinet, and Flute, along with Piano and Guitar for deeper ways of relating music to my life. Read More

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I am open to suggestions and, of course, any kind of music or songs the student brings to the lessons and has questions about. Regardless of the student's skill level and age, I meet them wherever they are at, and help them progress and take the steps necessary to improve their playing. If the lessons are held at my space, I use two drum sets for teaching. This is more fun for both sides! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Double Bass

I have for the past twenty-two years been working as a Music Educator, Administrator, Jazz composer and performer. The last eleven of those years have been in the San Francisco Bay area at Oakland School for the Arts, teaching and leading large jazz ensembles, orchestra, small groups and music theory classes for grades 6-12. As Chairman of the Instrumental Music Department, I was responsible for teaching and developing music curricula, developing new programs, recruiting and auditioning new students, presenting and speaking with incoming parent groups, writing and developing the school A-G requirements, and meeting with community schools and faculty to create meaningful collaborations. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I like to ground my teaching in a line my own teacher, Carey Bell, often told me-- "if you make a mistake, no one dies!" Music is a challenging discipline in every respect, so I encourage my students to approach it from as positive and joyful a place as possible where mistakes are not a failure but simply a sign that further work needs to be done. Achievement in performance is only rewarding when the student takes ownership of their playing, so I do everything I can to allow clarinet to be a real and positive presence in my students' lives. Read More