Matthew S
Instruments: Piano, Trombone, Synthesizer, Euphonium
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
Matthew S
Instruments: Piano, Trombone, Synthesizer, Euphonium
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Salsa, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
My Studio
Ages Taught: 8-80
ABOUT
Degrees / Training / Special Info:
MM, Cleveland Institute of Music, Composition BM, Cleveland Institute of Music, Composition
Awards:
2010-2012 - Canton Symphony Orchestra Young Composer Fellow
2010-2011 - Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Young Composer Fellow
2010, 2012 - Donald Erb Prize in Composition, Cleveland Institute of Music
2006 - Principle Trombone, Califorina All-State Honor Band
2004-2006 - Principle Trombone, San Diego Philharmonia & San Diego Youth Symphony Orchestra
Overview:
I grew up in San Diego, California and began studying music at the age of six. I didn't find my way to the trombone until I was 11, but it's been my buddy ever since. Although my degrees are in composition, I still love to play and teach. I've played all kinds of music with all kinds of people in all kinds of places, and I'm happy to share my experience with students, whether a raw beginner or a conservatory graduate. I've also had my own music played in a myriad of venues, and if writing your own music is something you've ever thought to try, show me!
EXPERIENCE
I've been teaching for about 10 years. Since studying composition in college and graduate school, my teaching has expanded to include improvisation, music theory, and original pieces. Experience has taught me that, while a solid technical foundation on an instrument is invaluable, it's only half the puzzle. With some music theory and history education, students can more deeply understand the music they are playing and use this knowledge to make interpretive decisions that geratly affect performance. Understanding of theory is also critical to improvisation and composition - not just to understand the "rules," but to be able to break them with finesse.
METHODS USED
I try to tailor my methods to each individual student. An adult who wants to learn to play piano for fun will have a very different learning experience than a teenager who has decided to persue music professionally, or a young child just beginning to explore.
LESSON STYLE
More than anything else, I encourage my students to think critically about what's going on in their music and their instruments at all times. To that end, I teach quite a bit more than good playing technique. I introduce music theory immediately, as I believe it is critical to understand the underpinnings of the repertoire - music theory is not strictly speaking a science, nor does it have a lot to do with math (despite the popular image of it), but it does help bring to bear the analytical mindset of those other disciplines to a field that is otherwise a complete mystery. I also teach the relevant anatomy to my older students - the circulatory system (especially the lungs), the muscles in the face, and other traits of physiology is good to keep in mind for a brass player. In the end, however, the goal is for all of this knowledge to become second nature in its execution, just like talking or playing a sport.
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