Music Lessons in Pleasantville, NY

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet

My teaching experience goes all the way back to my senior year of high school teaching not only my students at the Chatham school of rock but also my peers in high school as well as college. My philosophy is simple, music is taught best through experience. Technique books, and etudes have their place for the basics but I believe there is no substitute for putting on a backing track and getting to playing. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

Regarding the actual, music-making process: one of my biggest skills as a musician is creating coherent and beautiful phrases, and one of my biggest skills as a teacher is helping students find organic phrasing. Everyone has their own voice and style, and with the right prompting they can use that voice to express their music to the fullest extent. Methods I regularly refer to include the Rubank Series, Baermann Scales Method, Klose, Langenus, The Chromatic Machine by Kalman Opperman, and countless other exercises I have picked up from past teachers including Charles Neidich Dr. Read More

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

I like to lay a foundation for what musical notes are and how they relate to the instrument. If we're on guitar I will draw a piano keyboard and give the student the guitar string names and make them figure out the rest of the notes. Then I teach them what chords are and, now that they know their way around a fretboard, they can build the chords themselves. While most students aren't total beginners and won't need all of this groundwork to be laid by me, I've found that almost everyone has gaps in knowledge, more often than not when it comes to actual note names and the music theory behind the instrument. Read More

Instruments: Drums

My favorite moment is when the student hears himself or herself actually playing the beat or fill that I have been instructing. Reaching this point repeatedly keeps my students practicing and engaged in the process of learning drums. My teaching occurs both on the drumset and on the drum pad. Regular use of the drum pad builds rudimentary skills, grip and forearm strength, and patience and listening skills, all of which are necessary to get where we want to go. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce a solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

My teaching philosophy directs me to the strong commitment of musical education, especially for those instrumental training that require disciplined studies from younger ages. I have versatile pedagogical methodologies that tailor to student levels from early beginners to advanced learners. I am skillful for Suzuki style, and have successfully applied to students who are benefited from this learning method. I am also having a thoughtful investigation and a trained examination on using method books. Read More