Music Lessons in Saddle River, NJ

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Music

I like to make things fun and cater to each student's abilities and needs. I like to work from books with beginning students because music literacy is very important to me. As students develop, I begin ear training and diving deeper into music theory when necessary. I think in order to grow as a musician you need to play music that inspires you and I aim to have all students wanting to practice because they are excited about their repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Djembe

For about 5 years I taught at a program called "Be Natural Music" where all of the students were children and teens. We put together kid rock bands and had them play shows a few times a year at local venues and festivals. I was the resident drum teacher for that program until my very recent move to New York. In my time there I helped the program expand into a new bigger store front and almost doubled their clientele. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

The best lesson I learned before attending college, my trumpet teacher taught me, "If you sound good while practicing, you're not really practicing", which I make sure to mention multiple times. I never try to overload my students with too much material, but instead try to understand what they would like to learn, and develop lessons and exercises from that. Brass instruments require commitment, and although difficult, playing should seem fun, instead of a chore. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Ever since I started playing viola in the third grade, I have been drawn to performing and teaching music. I am a graduate of the Hartt School, where I was a member of an honors chamber music program, Performance 20-20. Since 2007 I have been a violist in the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and freelance on both viola and violin throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, NY. Chamber music, however, is my number one passion and one of the reasons I love playing and teaching the violin and viola!! Read More

Instruments: Drums Latin Percussion Djembe

There's a ton of books about drumset out there. I like to use some of the best ones in my experience that offer us infinite possibilities to create our own individual practice routines. These include: - Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone - Syncopation by Ted Reed - Modern Rudimental Swing Solos by Charley Wilcoxon - The Drummer's Complete Vocabulary As Taught by Alan Dawson More than the books I like to focus on the desire, the flame in the student which drives them to want to play music in the first place... a favorite song or band, and then use these books in order to service that. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Djembe

My teaching drum set experiences started over 15 years ago when I was playing many different styles of music. I wanted to be able to assist and encourage my students to be able to play drums and vibes or marimba. Teaching mallet instruments to drum set students allowed me to help the student see why he or she played certain drum set grooves and fills at certain points. It always fascinates me when people see how chords (on a mallet instrument) lock into a drum set groove. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I'm a passionate and motivated instructor who loves working with students and sharing my love of music. I have studied classical piano for 10+ years with the Field Studio, Myra K Garvette, and the Westport School of Music, as well as at Fairfield University. I also have chamber music ensemble experience, having gone to CAM Camp and working with piano trio and quartet ensembles under Millette Alexander. I also have accompanying experience for church and school choirs, and have been on the worship team at my local church. Read More