Johnathan S
Instruments: Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Bass Guitar, Recorder, Double Bass, Euphonium, French Horn, Tuba, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion, Music, Djembe
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk
Johnathan S
Instruments: Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Bass Guitar, Recorder, Double Bass, Euphonium, French Horn, Tuba, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion, Music, Djembe
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
All-Level Music Education, Bacchelors from West Texas A&M University
Texas Teaching License
I love learning, I love teaching, and I love music! I have been very fortunate that I was in a competitive high school band program, and for the very high quality professors I had at West Texas A&M (graduated 2004). I had a world class percussion instructor, Dr. Susan Tariq, that was very patient and supportive to me in building my instrument technique, best approaches to things like different styles and different composers, and to a level of professionalism visually and acoustically. I played bass guitar in high school and university jazz bands, the latter of which performed very well at the UNC Greeley Jazz Festivals in the early 2000s. I was required to learn to play and teach brass instruments, and am proficient at those, as well. I have been very fortunate to also have been around a lot of world class teaching after becoming a teacher, myself; much of that is courtesy of the Texas Music Educators Association and the wonderful teachers I have encountered in my career. I like competition, and I like freedom from competition, also. I am more interested in helping students become better musicians in their own paths of life than using merely one formula, and one formula only, etc. Life experiences aren't cloned, but they can be shared.
I had been fairly brave helping other students. and even those younger than I, to do things at church or at school. But, I discovered, accidentally, through a competition in our high school band program, that I could actually teach. The competition was between the different instrument groups in our band, to successfully march to music (all work planning/rehearsing/performing music and drill done by students), in front of the entire rest of the band and whoever else decided to show up at our football stadium. Our section (all of the percussion) won! My best friend and I had worked together and implemented a pretty good plan of success for our section and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it (to stop us)! And getting your peers to be successful, in high school, is not a walk in the park, lol. So, it was then that I saw a light for a pursuit of passion. I already knew I REALLY liked music, but now I could see a way to enjoy it for the rest of my life in a career (with additional training, of course, lol). I started teaching private lessons for percussion students while I was in college and I haven't had too much time away from it since.
I usually ask several questions first, about your goals in participating with music. I want to encourage friendly competition, to have fun and to decide how competitive you may choose to be later. Most people don't want to be super competitive, but many are talented to do so. Most people are in music for the overall enjoyment of it, and some realize friendly competition is a win-win. Being super competitive is not for everyone, and I don't blindly encourage it. I still believe in a balance of things, even in serious competition preparation (which is more difficult than just the music practicing). I try to follow any class materials first, unless the student doesn't participate in one (like at a school); and then I (usually) recommend Essential Elements to start with. I don't want to merely be the entertainment once a week, I want to help students do their own homework to achieve success.
I am more relaxed and fun-loving, but I encourage quality musicianship. You enjoy something more when you have put in more work. More effort = more reward. Music really gives opportunities for each step of success to be met with ways to enjoy that conquered step, also. It's not so arduous as becoming an astronaut, etc., where you may have 10 or twenty steps in between enjoying their success. And with technology these days, there are way more ways to have fun with music! I wish we had all the options students have nowadays!
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