Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
Master Degree: New York University, Bachelor Degree: CUNY Hunter College
Board Certified Music Therapist- MT-BC
I am a singer-songwriter and musician as well as a board-certified music therapist with a love of sharing music with others! I graduated with a masters degree in music therapy from NYU in 2018 and have a bachelors in music from CUNY Hunter College. In addition to my education, I possess many years of experience as a performer throughout the NYC independent music scene, having released records at The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall respectively. I feel strongly music is about one's relationship with and to the art, and that it is a lifelong process.
My teaching experience is rather informal, as I have always welcomed students of all kinds who are willing to learn something new. As a music therapist I have also led many individual and group sessions with populations ranging from those having developmental needs to geriatric settings, to psychiatric and hospice settings as well. My experience has been eclectic, as I began as a teenager wanting to play punk rock, metal, and rock and roll. Gradually, this interest developed into folk and hip hop, and has now burgeoned into jazz and classical interests.
My methods truly will be assessed based on a student's interests: what are the student's goals and objectives and what are they looking to achieve in their music. Based on this I can more accurately formulate a lesson plan that is tailored to the student. Too often, I believe in pedagogy we take on a monolithic approach to learning; but individuals have various learning styles and interests. So to that effect. I would first assess what the student's interest are and then build a lesson plan around them. For example, if the student wants to model their learning around the song stylings of John Mayer, then that's how we would focus our lesson plan.
My teaching style is highly person and individualized. Music is a very nuanced and highly personal art, so it is important to me to develop a curriculum that retains the interests and goals of the student relevant to the reason(s) why they chose to pursue music in the first place. For example, if a student wants to learn how to develop as a songwriter, more specifically as a country or folk singer/songwriter, it would be important to me to advance a curriculum based on these goals. To this effect I would assess who some of the students favorite artists are, where the student's current abilities lie, and where the student would like to see themselves in the near and long term.