John L
Instruments: Trombone
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
John L
Instruments: Trombone
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
BM, University of Texas at San Antonio, Music Composition and Theory, Cum Laude
2013 - Appeared in the video for Paraiso Prometido by Robi Draco Rosa (Menudo) featuring Marc Anthony 2012 - Performed at The Hollywood Bowl for KCRW's World Festival Reggae Night, Tuff Gong Worldwide and Ziggy Marley Salute Legends of Reggae, Sold Out 2011 - Performed with The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown, All-Star Funk Powerhouse featuring George Clinton along with members of Kool & The Gang, Graham Central Station, P Funk & more, Moe's Alley Blues Club, Santa Cruz, CA, Horn Director, Sold Out 2011 - Recorded for The New York Times' "Touch Of Evil," A video gallery of cinematic villainy, inspired by nefarious icons and featuring the best performers from the year in film. 2009 - Performed on the Vans Warped Tour with Trulio Disgracias (members of Fishbone, Parliament Funkadelic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Bad Brains, The Stooges, Ozomatli, the Untouchables, Gap Band, Suicidal Tendencies, Slightly Stoopid, and the list grows stronger every year) as well as with the group Thelonius Monster with Bob Forrest (Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew), Zander Schloss (The Circle Jerks, The Weirdos, Joe Strummer, Repo Man), Mike Martt (T.S.O.L., The Gun Club), and Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Horn Director
I've been a trombonist for 33 years. I graduated from Judson High School in Converse, TX in 1991, where I was Band President. We retained 1's in our marching and concert performances, as well as with the Jazz Ensemble. We won First Place in a National Marching and Concert competition in Colorado Springs, CO my senior year, as well as performing half time shows at two state football championship games. I've performed professionally since then, acquired my music degree and have made it all the way to performing with stars for a sold out audience at The Hollywood Bowl.
I've taught entire classes full of student trombonists, over 30 at a time, as well as entire school's student brass sections and individual student trombonists over the years. I've collected daily exercises and warm ups passed on to me from Principle Trombonists from various symphonies and orchestras, PhD's in Trombone Performance from The University of North Texas as well as professional trombonists from Broadway shows such as Wicked as well as The Count Basie Orchestra and Dizzy Gillespie's All-Star Big Band. I stress at least a short series of daily exercises to begin with and work up to, and I always make it a point to kill boredom in the practice room. My students always get better and excel.
I started on a cornet bequeathed to me by a friend of my father's, with a beginner's book, playing in my closet at 8 years old. I was given a trombone by a friend of my sister's at 11 years old, and subsequently became a trombonist. I had one initial lesson, with a saxophonist, who taught me to play the notes F and G. I became a professional trombonist at the age of 19 and didn't go to college for music until I was 27, where I immersed myself in study with professionals for 4 years. I start with whichever beginner's trombone book the student has, or can create copies of exercises from various books of my own to supplement. I have many daily exercises and warm ups I've collected from professionals I've studied with or had master's classes with over the years for beginners, intermediates, as well as advanced performers. I concentrate on daily study with various ways of ending boredom in the practice room, performing and training in different environments, with all emphasis towards the performance aspect itself. My lessons are bent towards the love of performance, and the end of performance anxiety. I always play my best in the actual performance in front of the audience.
Every student is an individual with individual weaknesses in different areas. There is no blanket lesson plan that works for all students. Your child can't always be expected to advance in a teaching system that is the same for everyone. We are as individual as our structural makeup. I'm good at listening for such physical stresses and soft points, and building them up. Some students are hindered by areas they need to work on while being very strong in other areas. I'm very good at addressing those weak points and creating a stronger performer overall.
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