Gift Certificates Available. SHOP NOW!
Home
MM, New York University, Jazz Studies BM, Montclair State University, Jazz Studies
2017 - New York University Geller Jazz Scholarship. 2016 - New York University Steinhardt Graduate School of Music Scholarship. 2017 - New York University Robbert Sudick Scholarship. 2012 - Local 802 Musicians Union Scholarship. 2012 - Ramsey High School Luis Armstrong Award.
I have been playing the drums since age 10. Starting out playing rock and roll but quickly started playing Jazz, Latin, Samba, and Show Tunes. After graduating high school, I went to attend Montclair State University's Jazz program. After College I quickly got my masters degree from New York University in Jazz studies as well, where I studied with some of the most important people in modern music, including but not limited to: Lenny White, Lenny Pickett, John Scofield, Alan Ferber, Billy Dummond, Tony Moreno, and more. I have played in rock bands opening up for national acts such as John 5, Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne's Guitar player,) and Dizzy Reed (Guns n Roses Keyboardist.)
I taught my first private lesson my junior year of high school, and never stopped. Throughout college and graduate school I have taught dozens of students of all ages, raging between 5 years old and 50. Private lessons in students homes, my own space, and at several different music schools, including CJC music, and the All Children's art Center in Boonton. I encourage my students to be creative during their practice sessions and to become their own musican, but at the same time I strongly encourage a very strong technical foundation.
I do not limit my students to a predetermined method. I find, through my own experiences, that this is tedious as well as boring. There are many books I use, including Ted Reed's syncopation for all levels of students, but I focus most of my time with a student to finding out what inspires them to want to learn the drums, and go from there. With every student I start with the basics of technique. After we solidify a somewhat solid foundation, I like to start to introduce the application of the drums in music.
Nothing gives me more joy as a teacher than to have one of my students ask me a question. It sounds simple, but a student with questions is a student who wants to learn. I take this creativity and try to sculpt it into passion. I feel that a teachers job is to inspire, and point the student in the right direction of their goals, rather to be overbearing with a book and pencil. With me, assignments are fairly regular, but I leave it to the students own discretion to decide how much time they need to spend on it.
Rating from the Better Business Bureau
If you are not satisfied after your trial lesson, you will not be charged and we can match you with another teacher.
© Copyright 2001 - 2020 Musika All Rights Reserved
Select all the days/times the student would be available to start lessons. Selecting "3pm - 7pm" means the student can start as early as 3pm or start as late as 7pm. It is important that you select as many days and the widest window of start times for each day as possible. That will help us make a match with one of our teachers.
OkAre you sure that's your only availability? The more availability you easier it will be to arrange a teacher for you.