Frederick G
Instruments: Piano, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Flute, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&b, Latin, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Soul, Marching Band, Avant-Garde

As much as I discuss with students what to practice, however, I think it’s more important to emphasize how to practice efficiently. The patience and focus needed to execute a song correctly is as much an exercise in meditation as it is about performing music. As I tell my students, the mind is the true instrument. Once they know what the symbols on the chart mean, where their hands have to go, and how a song is supposed to sound, they will have no trouble making music. The goal, then, is to make sure that they visualize and know exactly what they are going to play before they start playing – just like a good public speaker who uses zero filler words, makes direct eye contact, and speaks with conviction. One achieves that deliberate execution by being aware and practicing those subtleties, so my job as a teacher is to help them learn how to attain that focus. This allows them to unlearn their bad habits and create good practicing habits. After that, it’s up to them to put in the practicing hours, and find out what the music means to them.