Saxophone Lessons in Sugar Hill, NY

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Music

I started playing in the 4th grade. I played in RB bands in high school and enrolled at Berklee College of Music where I have a Bachelor Degree in Composition. I also studied privately with Charles Banacos (increible piano and jazz teacher), Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Viola, Joe Allard ( whose Saxophone methods I teach, who was the teacher of every major saxophone player in his day including Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, and countless others ) , learned circle breathing from Rahsaan Roland Kirk, recorded 2 albums at Grammavision with Al Macdowell (Bass player for 40 years with Ornette Coleman). recodered and learned as much as I could grasp from Don Cherry and Ornette. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute

I use a few different method books, and while they are very useful for attaining the building blocks of technique and knowledge young and beginning musicians need but I like to go beyond what reading books has to offer. My goal is to show my students everything there is - reading, theory, and technique are all important but so is creation, improvisation, learning through sound and finding what inspires them. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums

After graduating from college I joined the Peace Corps. I spent 2 years in Tehran, Iran playing in the Tehran Symphony Orchestra. I returned to the U.S. and went back to school to get my Masters degree. I worked as a music teacher in the Bronx, N.Y. for several years. After that I worked at an electronic music studio in Hawthorne, N.Y. The studio eventually shut down and I began teaching Band at the Stamford Public Schools where I taught music at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

I start out with the basics: Major Jazz Scales, Mixolydian Scales, and Minor Scales, Teaching students the importance of playing long tones is constantly enforced . Simultaneously, students learn how to outline the Blues, and transcribe solos. For more advance students, I teach jazz phrasing, intermediate jazz song outlining and jazz enclosures. Each student receives a cloud drive with songs, charts, demos and other lesson plans. Students that are really hungry can move along at their own pace. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I believe each student is different and because of that every student needs to be taught differently and at their own pace. Learning a new skill can be frustrating and because of that my goal is to acknowledge accomplishments, and to give students more creative freedom as their skills on the instrument grow. I believe it is this formula that pushes students into practicing. With each skill mastered the student can directly see the application of the lesson they just learned in an everyday musical situation. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

My teaching style is seasoned but spontaneous. By that I mean that at this point I have a good idea of what works and what doesn't. I have a proven repertoire of exercises and advice that have helped students and will continue to do so. But every student has a unique set of needs, so I am excited to throw away the 'play book' at the first sign that it's not working. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Acoustic Guitar

I usually start my beginning piano students who are children, in Alfred's Basic Piano Library, Lesson Book 1A. After a few months, I begin adding solo repertoire that is appropriate for age and ability. For middle school age students and adults, I start with Alfred's Basic Piano, Adult, Level 1. I also like to find out the student's individual interest and find repertoire that they are interested in learning and that are aligned with their current skills. Read More