Music Lessons in The Marina, CA

Instruments: Clarinet

My only teaching philosophy is simple-- all learning comes from the student, not the teacher. If the student isn't engaged and having fun, no amount of teaching will have an effect! I like to tailor specific exercises to my students that most fundamental books do not have, giving them a level of individual attention that encourages fast, specific improvement. Students of mine typically leave lessons with a personalized set of exercises to help them achieve their goals. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I'm a passionate motivated instructor who likes to work with kids and adults of all ages. I like to connect with the student and find the best path to achieve their musical goals. I like to try to inspire the students by finding some sounds or music that will make them want to pick up the instrument and play. I play a variety of styles, ranging from Classical music to Heavy Metal, including, light/ classic rock, pop, folk, country, and jazz. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

In my lessons, I advocate for a strong emphasis on tone and technique. Getting these aspects of trumpet playing down are extremely important as the trumpet is a very physically demanding instrument. I have many different levels of method books to work from, but one of the biggest and most comprehensive is the Arban's book. It has exercises ranging from the most basic tone production, to very advanced tonguing and lip slur exercises and is great for students of all levels. Read More

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I hold a Master of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts, and spent two and a half years in New York City at the Drummers Collective (The Collective School of Music) to obtain a diploma there. I also have a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Technology Munich. Aside from making music with other people, I enjoy sharing my knowledge and my experience with students of all ages and skill levels. Read More

Instruments: Cello

My goal is not to make my students play like me but to play more like themselves. I aim to give useful tips, exercises, and musical options as opposed to rigid rules. The beauty of playing is in the nuances that an individual can bring to a performance, so I try to let that individuality shine. I encourage this freedom more specifically through a strong technical foundation. The more secure a player's technique becomes the easier it becomes to express their ideas. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

For beginning students, we always start with how to hold the instrument, parts of the instrument and string names, and then begin playing open strings. This may take a few lessons. Placing the left hand fingers is usually the last step before playing an A scale and then Twinkle. Setting a foundation is more important than going quickly, so many of my students spend a number of months on Twinkle before starting to move more quickly with Lightly Row. Read More

Instruments: Flute Piccolo

Depending on a student's musical background, I would typically start with foundational exercises like scales/arpeggios/broken chords and discussions of essential music theory elements to help a student progress. If the student is brand new to the flute, I would also do some breath work, and introduce exercises to improve tone and understand tuning. After the basics, I'd introduce solo repertoire and help students prepare for any performances they would like to take part in. Read More