Miles S
Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Drums, Music
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Latin, Latin Jazz, Marching Band
Miles S
Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Drums, Music
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Latin, Latin Jazz, Marching Band
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 4-80
other: Pierce college
2011 MVP hs marching band LA champions
2012 MVP hs marching band LA champions
I am a firm, fair, and disciplined instructor. I believe in leading by example and that the only way to become great at something is with dedication, practice and patience. I begun my musical journey at 4 on the flute classically, I consider myself self taught until highschool where I begun to pick up and play any instrument I could get my hands on. I have performed in a large classical symphonic orchestra, solo, small ensembles of Jazz as well as on the world stage as a competive highland bagpiper. In highschool I picked up the bagpipe as another instrument and after my military service I joined a regimental bagpipe group out of Los Angeles. In 2024 we competed in Glasgow Scotland in the world pipe band championships among over 200+ bands. In 2025 we won the top Grade 3 band in the western United States. I am now in a similar regimental group in Maryland, MacMillan pipe band.
I have been tutoring musicians since high school, on multiple instruments in multiple genres. I have not taken on many students until recently as I was pursuing other career paths. For 2 years I helped restart a high school regimental bagpipe band in Los Angeles. I challenged them at their pace, I always put the next musical hurdle in front of them and led them in physical exercise as well as musicanship. I also preached consistency to them, without it there is no true progress. Also in Los Angeles I was employed as an after school coach for chess lessons. This was a great experience for me to teach younger children.
I believe in a gentle but firm approach to teaching. Also I will always meet my students where they are at individually and build them up from there. I don't believe in a "one size fits all" sort of method. I know discipline goes hand in hand with music, and the music doesn't come from the instrument but rather the musician. Part of my teaching method includes physical conditioning, I expect all of my students to care for their bodies as well as their instruments and I make no exception to this rule.
I have decided to base my teaching style around the great bagpiper Andrew Douglas. He has given bagpipers the world over a manuscript that can be applied across the board musically but Lazer focuses on the mastery of the pipe "Every day: listen to masterful bagpipe music, interact with bagpipers as good or better than you, and play at least one tune on full bagpipes. Most days: hone essential fundamentals, in this order of priority: Rhythmic Accuracy Scale Navigation Gracenote Quality Blowing Mechanics/Posture Tuning drones together Maintaining optimal blowing pressure. Tuning drones to chanter Avoiding “Mental Blowing Anomalies” Embellishment “Expression” Technique Practice using as wide an array of tunes as humanly possible. Be wary of routine! Keep practice very short, singularly focused, and objective. Afterwards, play in moderation strictly for enjoyment. Regularly put yourself in new, challenging musical situations. Play for self-expression, never for accolades."
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