Music Lessons in Nuuanu, HI

Instruments: Drums

When teaching children or beginners I like to start out by introducing the 26 drum rudiments. I'll then introduce beginner drum books such as Joel Rothman's Basic Drumming. These important tools will set the stage for success in drumming. I'll also introduce music styles and beats they might not be familiar with. The goal is to introduce as many different music styles and beats as possible. For adults and intermediate to advanced players, we will work out of Charlie Wilcoxon's "The All-American Drummer" for snare drum solo's and Gary Chester's "The New Breed" for challenging drum beat exercises. Read More

Instruments: Piano Keyboard

I believe a well-rounded and practical approach to teaching music-- where students learn to not only read music, but also play freely with chords and scales to create their own music, learn by ear, and improvise. My goal is to help students grow so that they can play music in a personal and rewarding way, and develop the skills they need to play the songs that they love. I use both Piano Adventures and Alfred Premier method book series in my lessons. Read More

Instruments: Cello

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements for Strings. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will initiate the practice of beginning scales and arpeggios (Klengel method) to familiarize the student with major and minor scales, different scale modalities, and different key signatures. I will also start them on a progressive melodic musical method book, such as The Art of Cello Playing (Louis Potter), so that they can enjoy playing nice music pieces that could be played later in a recital. Read More

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

My approach varies depending on the student.  For younger students I usually take a very systematic step by step approach using method books.  If the student already knows what they want to learn and has specific goals I try to tailor to their needs. For guitar students who are starting from scratch I usually begin with the Hal Leonard Guitar method book or give them the option to use a classical method book if they're really interested in classical guitar. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Acoustic Guitar

As I may have mentioned once or twice... Students are at the heart of my teaching process. Everyone has their own goals, their own tastes, their own learning process, their own challenges. If a teacher does not tailor his/her approach to the student in front of them, then an opportunity is being missed. Students should feel involved and invested in the process, and feel that it is serving them. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Both these teachers trained some of the best violists in the USA. I have also studied with Yuri Bashmet at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena (Italy) who is one of the most famous soloists in the world of the Russian School of Viola. During my career I have successfully won many orchestra auditions and trained many young professional players who now occupy positions in some of the best orchestras in Europe. Read More

Instruments: Piano

Since every student is unique, my approach to instruction is also unique, I customize all of my lessons to keep them engaging. motivating, and fun. I set achievable goals for my students at every lesson and reward them when they are met. Applauding their accomplishments is a powerful motivator, I am able to use the fun features of my digital piano to blend various musical instruments, voices, and sound effects together to further enhance the musical experience as well as develop an ear for a variety of sound combinations. Read More