Music Lessons in West Islip, NY

Instruments: Voice

Everything we do on stage begins with breath. Sing, Acting, Dancing- all of these require disciplined breath management. Once a strong foundation of good breathing is laid, I tend to use visual-spacial prompts to get the singer to feel the changes rather than use pedagogical terminology. While this is a wonderful set of tools, I will always defer to the student's learning style. Everyone learns differently, and the most important thing a coach or teacher can be is a good, patient communicator. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

Lessons are very relaxed and we will focus on ways to practice and getting the student to learn what he/she wants. Some people just want to come and learn a few tunes, some want to really learn the instrument and practice all the time. It all depends on the individual and I`m more than ready to adapt for each one of my students with the methods I have. Read More

Instruments: Voice

A vital part of developing voice repertoire is exploring various interests and styles. I encourage all vocalists to choose songs that they will enjoy singing, but I will guide my students in exploring any realm otherwise not explored. I encourage healthy singing and practicing techniques that will ensure productive rehearsal without fear of vocal damage. A professor of mine used to always say, "there is no singing without acting", and I ensure that when a student sings a song, they will not only know how to sing properly, but they will also have a deep understanding of what they are singing about and how to convey the message. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

I'm an enthusiastic and motivated instructor who loves having the opportunity to assist my students in building not only their skill, but also to build their love for music to match or even surpass my own. A strong love and desire are very important in teaching because if you don't enjoy what you're doing, your student won't either. I have had the opportunity to perform and be featured at many venues including the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, the Rutgers University- New Brunswick Jazz competition and Jazz camp. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Ibelieveeveryonehasthepotentialtobeagreatmusician,itisjustamatterofdisciplineandfocus.Whilepracticingisdefinitelyimportant,itisn'taboutjustspendingtimewithyourinstrument,itisaboutpracticingthecorrectway.BypracticingthecorrectwayIamreferringtopropertechnique,breakingdowndifferentaspectofyourplaying(bowarm,lefthand,etc),andsettinggoalsforyourpractice.Iencouragemystudentstostartexperiencethejoysofperformingevenattheverybeginningandworktofindsolorepertoirethatisaccessibleandalsofun.MusichasbroughtmesomuchjoyandasateacherItrytofindwaysformystudentstoexperiencetheexcitmentthatplayingmusicoffers Read More

Instruments: Voice

I have been teaching since I graduated from Graduate School. My students then consisted mainly of fellow performers - actors and dancers, mostly. Now I teach a lot of younger students, from the age of 12 up, as well as adults. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone

My particular brand of brass pedagogy has roots that trace back to the Chicago Symphony's legendary Bud Herseth. I believe in the pursuit of mastery of many of the basic techniques of brass playing - air movement, flexibility, and tone are the most important pieces of what we do as brass players, and I have collected an arsenal of exercises to build skill in these areas. I use a collection of techniques from a wide range of trumpet players from Ray Mase to Allen Vizzutti to Michael Sachs and will use these approaches to define musical outlook and technique. Read More