David L
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Music, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, R&B, Funk, Electronic, Swing, New Age, Soul, Avant-garde
David L
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Music, Keyboard
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, R&B, Funk, Electronic, Swing, New Age, Soul, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
Bachelor Degree: Rowan University School of music
Jazz Clinician, All Shore Band Directors Association(NJ)
I am a professional musician and producer working in Jazz, soul, R&B, new music, and film-scoring. My main instruments are piano, saxophone, and keyboards, and I also double on flute. I run a small studio and record label, Galtta, and stay busy with gigs and recording sessions. I have toured all over the US, Canada, and Germany both as a session player and with original bands. Some of the more well known musicians I have recorded or performed with are Martha Reeves, The Drifters, Mickey Rooney, Blue Jazz TV, and Lydia Lunch. I continue to practice and study every day. Since graduating with a degree in Jazz, I continue my studies of piano, saxophone, and flute, and most recently, North Indian vocal Music. My label and music has been presented at the Lincoln Center Film Society, The BJ Rubin Show (NY 1), and John Schaefer's New York public radio show, New Sounds. My studio is a very comfortable and professional place for recording, mixing, and teaching.
I began teaching in 2005 while I was a student at Rowan University. I taught Jazz and piano to students ranging from ages 7 to adult. I love working with younger students and having the chance to start them off with a solid foundation and love for music. And, of course, it's always a great experience to work with adults and older students achieve their goals. After graduating, I lived in Philadelphia, and ran a music program at Moonstone Preschool. I taught general music classes every day for 3 years. Here, I really developed a strong understanding of early education and how important music education is while students are developing language and reading skills. During this time, I taught many beginning piano students. As a musician working in many genres, I know that the fundamentals of music are so important and I enjoy setting students up to have both a strong work ethic and a deep tool box of skills. I believe my job as a teacher is to give a student the skills they need to follow their own interests and dreams, and ultimately, find their own voice in music. And, of course, it should always be fun and rewarding!
Coming from both Jazz and Classical studies, I focus on the fundamentals. Especially with young students still forming language skills, I work on ear training. I'm concerned with teaching a strong sense of pitch, harmony, and rhythm. I believe it's very important that a student learns to read music and become a literate musician. I also stress creativity and learning to play by ear. Instead of trying to create a musical clone of myself, I work to give students the basic skills, work ethic, and confidence they need to find their own voice. Beginning piano students will start with some beginning books supplemented by ear training, scales (in all keys!), and exercises to get them up and running. With older students, I work with their goals in mind. Preparing for college auditions, a solo at school, or songs they hear and want to learn; for a student interested in jazz, we may work on learning tunes and transcribing by ear. I'm a very well rounded musician and flexible teacher.
I always try to be encouraging. The most important thing is for my students to love music and WANT to practice. It may not always be "fun" (though, it should be most of the time), but it should always feel rewarding. Students come with varying abilities, talents, and goals. I want to support a students strong points and interests, while working on weaknesses in a positive and encouraging manner. It's important for me to listen to a student, see their learning style, and adapt to what they need. To be a great musician requires a lot of work and practice. It's my job to instill not only a work ethic but also effective techniques.
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