Music Lessons in Cascade, CO

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

For beginning improvisers, I rely solely on my own materials and exercises, which emphasize the bebop scale and short ii-V licks and help develop understanding of key centers and 7-3 resolutions. For intermediate students as well, these concepts are essential to development as an improviser. For saxophonists, I begin with scalar studies and stress the importance of tone developing exercises such as overtones and long tones, but quickly introduce manageable repetoire. Read More

Instruments: Piano Flute Piccolo

I meet students at their skill level, to ensure that they enjoy their learning experience. From there, we work together at a pace that is right for the student. This varies from person to person, and depends on the outcomes they want to achieve. I want students to stretch in order to expand their abilities, and reach levels they could not find without guided assistance, but I am not a demanding taskmaster. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

My style of teaching is personal and caring. Whether my students develop a desire to pursue music beyond our lessons, I care about their happiness and personal success in life. I develop a relationship with my students and I really enjoy it when I hear that they used a concept I taught them in our music lessons for something beyond music. I at least hope to instill a strong understanding and enjoyment of music in each of my students which they can share with the people in their life. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I am an experienced Guitar Teacher and retired Band Director and Orchestra Teacher. I've been teaching for 20+ years, with students age 5 to 85. My main instruments are guitar (acoustic and electric, all styles, including Classical, Rock, Jazz, and Blues), electric bass, and ukulele. I also teach Beginning Piano, Clarinet, and Saxophones. After graduating from Colorado State University (B.Music Education, 1980) I taught privately and in public schools in New Mexico, Washington and California. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I have tried almost every method book available. Once I have met a student, it is important that I find instruction books that I hope will be appealing to the student. Basic theory is absolutely fundamental to learning to play. There are many different theory books as well as online theory lessons. However, at the very beginning of lessons, I like to use manuscript paper and ask the student to write his/her own music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Saxophone Clarinet

My lessons are structured with attention paid to the fundamentals of each instrument and the fundamentals of music. I have learned that when a student practices a mistake over and over it remains a mistake. I immediately slow the student down and concentrate on just a measure or even two notes to accomplish correct rhythm, fingerings, articulations and phrasing. When the student can successfully play a passage correctly then the work turns into fun music making. Read More

Instruments: Piano Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

When a person decides to take steps to learn an instrument, most do so not realizing that they have within themselves something unique to offer. Whether it is to play for enjoyment or for a more serious endeavor, as the instructor, my goal is to learn what that unique thing is, and guide the student in their own journey to becoming the kind of player they envision to be. Therein lies the joy of being a music instructor. Read More