Music Lessons in Burr Ridge, IL

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I'm a professional musician and educator who has lived in Chicagoland with my wife and two boys for the last 18 years. I'm originally from Columbus, Ohio and received my BM from Capital University there. From there I was Music Director for one of Royal Caribbean's ships and then I made the move to Chicago in mid-1996. From then until now I have become one of the top/first call saxophonist/woodwind musicians in the city of Chicago and have performed all over the world with musical lumaries such as Aretha Franklin, The OJays, Brian McKnight, Diana Ross, Al Jarreau, The Temps and dozens of others! Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

I tailor my approach to each student to make sure that:1.) The student is getting exactly what he/she wants out of the lessons.2.) The lessons are an appropriate difficulty for the student.3.) A student's strengths and weaknesses are being addressed with a tailor-made lesson plan and long-term goals Depending on the student's level, I utilize Suzuki materials in a way that is tailored to the childs abilities and needs. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Music Keyboard

One of my favorite parts of my musical journey is having the opportunity to share my experiences with others through education. For the last four years, I have worked with the Academic Center for Tutoring (ACT) at Columbia College Chicago to bring practical and fun lessons in music theory/aural skills, piano, trumpet, composition, and production. The ACT was located in the heart of the Chicago Loop and I would work with students who have never seen sheet music before (completely reliant on their ears) and students with a classical background that struggled to play without sheet music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trombone

The methods I use to teach depend on a number of factors. For enrolled in beginner band at their school, I will use whichever method their school is using. If the school is not using a specific method, I use the Rubank method supplemented with my own materials. For more advanced players I assign various etude books, jazz play along books, and method books based on the students needs. I provide all the materials for my beginning piano students for the first few months, then assign method books based on the student's interests. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching methods involve a mix of real music, etudes, dexterity exercises, and rudimentary technical drilling. In each of these lessons I choose in one of the aforementioned areas the one I feel is the most pressing and in need of improvement. I am very strict about students using their metronomes to practice what I teach them. My view is that playing a song or drill slowly and in time with a metronome is better than playing it at the proper tempo incorrectly. Read More

Instruments: Piano

One of my greatest joys in life is observing a joy in piano! Therefore I strive to administer the elements of music to the student's learning style, how they would use piano for their own enjoyment and for their families enjoyment. Each student is different with different goals, desires, learning styles, and objectives. Teaching according to the individual's learning style, expectations, desires, and goals is critical in piano development. The teacher must discard the concern for only the superior students in his studio because some students have learning impairments and put the individual first. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar

For the child and adult alike I begin with different types of instuctional material. Since instuctional materials use similar but somewhat different ways of presenting concepts, I use the the series that will allow the student to grasp and master the fundamentals. The older student, along with learning the fundmentals, will also explore their interests. I'll begin tailoring their lessons to include their interests as well as other genres. Read More