Saxophone Lessons in Mahwah, NJ

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Recorder Double Bass Music

For beginning woodwind students, I have had success using the Rubank method books as a starter. Alongside a method book, I like to work on material chosen by the student, as well as my own supplemntal exercises. It is important for the student to understand the musical concepts associated with the repertoire, as well as focusing on performing well. I also prefer to have my students keep a practice log book, in order to track their progress. For piano and music theory, I like to use the John Thompson method for beginner students, and the Bastien Piano Literature series for more advanced students. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder Music Keyboard

Over the course of many years, I've developed a method for beginning piano and woodwind students which yields excellent results. For the first series of lessons, I want the student to become comfortable in understanding the keyboard or the wind instrument, avoiding the secondary interface of sight reading. There are about twenty short, simple, basic songs I have the student master. At this point, not only are we working on understand the harmonic and melodic "hardware" of the keyboard or horn, but we are developing proper technique in terms of hand position, posture and sound as well as a natural rhythmic feel. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

My first student was a NYC firefighter that I met in October 2001 right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was looking for a way to distract himself from the experience that he had gone through. Working with him and seeing how simply playing a note on the saxophone changed his vibe and relaxed him, I realized that music truly heals. Since then, my approach has been to get to know my student well and discover how I can help them enjoy the learning process. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet Music Keyboard

I am a recent college graduate, so it hasn't been so long since I was taking lessons myself! That said, I've taught music in a wide variety of settings, from private lessons, to music summer camps, to instrumental demonstrations, to running college ensembles, and more. Because I'm still young, I remember what it was like not to understand certain topics within music, so I'm particularly good at figuring out where my students are getting stuck and helping them to look at it from a new point of view. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Music

I start with assessing the students' capabilities, after which I begin to develop the following areas: Development of their sound; Instrument Technique; Jazz Improvisation and Jazz Language; Theory and Jazz Harmony; Study and Development of Students' Own Repertoire. Depending on the level of the students and their needs, I push certain areas more or less. The key to becoming a successful student is to practice, to develop a good technique, but also to listen to a lot of music to develop the talent for music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute

My approach to teaching can be different based on the age and level of the student. In general I like to keep the pressure off my students and above all find ways to make learning fun and enjoyable. My ideal lesson is one that the student will remember, whether it's a concept we talk about or a song that we learn. I try and teach my students more than how to play notes on a page and to learn songs, but how to discover and tackle projects themselves that otherwise might seem too big a challenge. Read More