Music Lessons in West Chester, PA

Instruments: Saxophone

My name is Stephen and I’m a passionate saxophonist, composer, and arranger. In May 2019, I graduated from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, earning a Bachelors degree in Jazz Studies (saxophone performance) as well as an honors certificate with accompanying 40 page thesis on jazz composition. I've had the distinct honor of being able to study with jazz legends Ralph Bowen and Victor Lewis, amongst many others. Read More

Instruments: Voice

My approach as a teacher is to see what the voice is already doing and improve on the foundation that we already have. All music-making is positive music-making. My students love that I laugh and chat with them during our lessons. I primarily teach Musical theater and characterization, but I can also teach classical music and diction (languages). I believe that style, voice phenomenons, language/diction, artistic innovation, decision-making, characterization, and active choice-making are the best ways to get someone to make great music. Read More

Instruments: Voice

For younger students, I tend to focus on the production of breath and basic sounds as they begin to grow into their body. This is to ensure that the baseline technique is there as they find how their instrument, the voice, is growing into their developing selves. For adult students of any technique, I prefer to start with basic vocal exercises to test the agility and flexibility of the voice so that I have an understanding of how their matured voice functions. Read More

Instruments: Piano

I encourage students to pick the music they want to play.  For those who have no prior music knowledge at all, there are numerous beginning methods that are satisfactory.  I teach harmony and ear training at a level in agreement with ability of the fingers to execute.   It is so nice to learn to play by ear, (starting with very simple tunes) going from the brain to the keyboard without the crutch of the paper score.  Of course this is the objective of preparation (study, practice) anyway, so the emotional feeling that the composer intended can be experienced and interpreted (and communicated to the audience) in a wonderful, magical way.  Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

I first began teaching in high school, where I would tutor the younger middle school students. As my education progressed, so did my teaching experience. I attended American University, where I received my bachelor's degree in music performance, and then continued to study at Northwestern University, where I received my master's degree. After graduating, I started working at an El Sistema inspired program, called Sistema Ravinia in Chicago, where I was one of the first teachers. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga

I have a library of material that I use to teach instrument fundamentals, solo repertoire, rudimental vocabulary and most important music theory and language. Goals vary from student to student, I am here to help exceed those goals as well as having everyone walk away feeling accomplished and comfortable with their weekly efforts. The big picture is to make sure that the students I teach perform their music well but over time and in good practice become confident and comfort with the language of music. Read More