Music Lessons in Farmingdale, NY

Instruments: Piano Voice Flute Piccolo

For small children, I used kid-friendly method books provided by the music school I was working with at the time to keep them engaged and entertained. For older children and adults, I simply ask about their prior musical knowledge and the music that they enjoy so we could use that as inspiration. For beginning students, I recommend the Standard of Excellence or Essential Elements which are both great options for the basics of their instruments and both include fingering charts and fingerings for each new note they learn. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

Notable venues include: Alameda Jazz Festival, Ashevilles Bele Chere Festival, Birdland, 55 Bar, Greatest Bar on Earth, Knitting Factory, Marin County Jazz Festival, Meadowlands, Mercury Lounge, Metronome, Ortliebs Jazz Haus, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, and many others. Founder and manager of original bands:Craig Graham Band, Creatrix and Rural Free Delivery, and others. Nationwide orchestra, classical ensemble, show band and musical theater experience. Teaching Experience- American Institute of Guitar, New York, 1999 to 2009 Professional Music Center, New Jersey, 1994 to 1999, Guitar Activity Center, California, 1989 to 1991, Kauai Music Studio, Hawaii, 1988 to 1989 Music Unlimited, Massachusetts, 1986 to 1988. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

My first student was a NYC firefighter that I met in October 2001 right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was looking for a way to distract himself from the experience that he had gone through. Working with him and seeing how simply playing a note on the saxophone changed his vibe and relaxed him, I realized that music truly heals. Since then, my approach has been to get to know my student well and discover how I can help them enjoy the learning process. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music

I started playing drums at age 9. I joined the youth community jazz band right away in New Jersey. While attending High School in New Jersey, I joined the Manhattan School of Music pre-college program for jazz drums, classical percussion, and music theory. I attend the Peabody Conservatory of Music for Jazz Studies for a year. I then transferred to the Frist school of Music at the University of Miami, where I received my undergraduate degree in studio music and jazz drumset performance. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

I have had a great deal of experience with all ages and want to share my love for music with others. As long as the student is enjoying playing an instrument, progressing, my goal has been reached. Read More

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

My teaching experience started when I was college student, as I began teaching for composition, Harmony, Counterpoint and piano, also sight-singing for students at the local church and school, and have been teaching some of the students in their home for last 2 years. One of my important goal of teaching is to teach my student that how to enjoy the music and how to tell their own story through music. Read More

Instruments: Drums

Patience is the most important element! It is not easy to try to get another person to understand something you have been doing for 40 years. It takes time. Starting slowly and methodically and keeping things simple in most crucial. I will change speed and difficulty based on the skill level that I notice. Another important factor is to determine what drove the student to want to learn how to play drums. Read More