Music Lessons in Hillside, IL

Instruments: Piano Voice

Each of my students learns to read music, practices sight singing, and learns solfege. In my opinion, these are the neccessary fundamentals to being a great singer AND musician! Each student also does warm ups including breathing exercises, vocal technique exercises, and vocalises. Picking repertoire is always a lot of fun, and the choice of song is a shared decision between teacher and student! I try to tailor the lesson and approach to each individual student. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

My music curriculum Ages 3-4 1) sing along alphabet and music alphabet 2) learning notes with flash cards where is thump kin song 3) 15-20 min of piano lessons 4) music together 5) piano on the piano mat Ages5-7 1) fundamental of sight read such as learning how to read music through staff lines starting with middle C to middle G 2) Go over notes and time signatures through flash cards 3) piano lesson 4) Playing on the piano mat Ages 8+ 1) learning how to sign read. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music

Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Club, NYC), gave benefit concerts to raise money for social justice work, performed and provided instruction at underfunded public schools in the Ohio/New Jersey/ New York area. Throughout my playing career, I have been very fortunate to tour and perform all around the world from places such as the Colosseum in Rome, Lincoln Center in New York, to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Read More

Instruments: Cello

I believe that playing the cello should be effortless natural . A student will play their best when they feel at ease with the instrument and discover how naturally and physically rewarding playing the cello can be. The materials I use with students depend completely on the student’s current playing level. With complete beginners I tend to work from the Suzuki Books or Hal Leonard’s Essential Element books and in addition supply a collection of specialized exercises, scales and warm ups focused on developing fluid technique from the start. Read More

Instruments: Violin

For my beginner students who are children, I usually start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements and sometimes Lee W. Kikuchi's Musicianship for Strings. Scales and arpeggios follow shortly after. As the student progresses, I follow up with Harvey S. Whistler's Introducing the Positions (this book can also work with adults). Etude books such as Wohlfahrt and Kreutzer come into play when the student is ready. As far as repertiore, I use the first few Suzuki books and Barber's "Soloists for Young Violinists" for my younger students (the latter can also work with adults). Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I am a dedicated and patient instructor with many years teaching experience in many different settings. For the past ten years I was professor of clarinet and music technology at Mansfield University in rural northern Pennsylvania. I have recently returned to my hometown of Chicago for family reasons and I'm looking forward to teaching private students again. I completed my doctorate in clarinet perfomance at the University of Arizona, working with Jerry Kirkbride (Dorian Wind Quintet), in 2004. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Keyboard Djembe

For every instrument I teach, I always focus on tone primarily. To have whatever instrument the student is learning, be it drumset, piano, or voice, it is of utmost importance to me to have them re-sounding the whole body of the instrument with confidence, and with passion. When we start from this place, I then work on rudiments/scales, and aim to endow students with basic vocabulary, so that they may become fluent on their instruments. Read More