Music Lessons in Valley Ford, 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: Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

As a violin instructor going into my fifth year of teaching,I seek to help my students learn to become sensitive and versatile musicians, as well as instilling in them a love of music for the rest of their lives. Having recently earned a bachelor's degree in violin performance from UC Santa Cruz, under the tutelage of the concertmaster of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, I can offer you much knowledge in the way of Galamian bowing technique, effective practice habits, targeted technical exercises, a large library of exercises, etudes and methods to choose from, and guidance in creating musical phrasing and expression. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Ukulele Recorder Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music

I begain teaching as a band assistant in college. I would lead sectionals and work with students who where struggiling one on one. As I gained experiance my role and responsibly grew and I began to run rehearsals and plan for concerts. One aspect of lessons that I emphasise is musicality. Often I will ask my students to listen to the song that they are working on or watch the movie or tv show it comes from because it is important to hear and see the bigger picture. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

I want my students to be inspired and enjoy practicing music. Nothing for me beats the thrill of performing live and knowing that you did everything to prepare for a show, and that's what motivates me to get better. I hope for my students to discover what motivates them and use that to practice. I encourage practicing consistently, but I also understand when students are not able to reach an assignment; Read More

Instruments: Flute Piccolo

The most important thing is that each student feels enjoyment and inspiration from their lessons. While I think it is necessary to stay on topic and have boundaries, beyond that, my teaching style is often unique to the student. Some students move at a quick paces and move through repertoire quickly, while others need more time to process and work. As long as the student is regularly practicing, there will be no pressure to perform a certain way. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Conga Latin Percussion

He has also studied voice with Jane Sharp and piano with Ellen Wasserman.  Jake has been teaching music since 2001. He was Music Program Director at Mission Hills Middle School, in Union City, for 3 years. He was also the guitar and percussion teacher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland. Jake has also been a music instructor with COVA, Art and Soul Music Studios, Hayward Music Center and ALMA. Over the years he has performed with musicians such as Josh Jones, Michael Aaberg, Dayna Stephens, Ambrose Akinmusere, Jonathan Finlayson, Geoff Brennan, and Ray Brown. Read More

Instruments: Voice

Vocal coaching as a profession is quite new to me because until just recently I've always focused on my own development as a performer and artist, however, I've often assisted my fellow co-artists, classmates, bandmates, and even friends with improving vocal technique and performance quality. In my college classes, we were encouraged to provide feedback about a classmates performance and I absolutely loved when they would apply my advice and everyone saw a significant improvement in performances thereafter. Read More