Trombone Lessons in Vernon, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Harp Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Lute Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Shakuhachi Oboe Bassoon English Horn Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Most recently Derek was the lead trombonist of the 2018 Disneyland All-American College Band. He has recently performed with Wayne Bergeron, Gordon Goodwin, Dave Holland, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Heath, Shaun Martin, Christian Jacob, John Beasley, Troy Roberts, Frank Greene, Brian Lynch, Jeff Jarvis, Steve Houghton, Jiggs Whigham, Sal Lozano, and John Clayton. Derek has had recent performances at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola, the Smithsonian Institute, and the New World Symphony. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone French Horn

I always vary my teaching methods to accomodate each of my student's needs.  However, my lesson format stays fundamentally the same.  I always begin with some mouthpiece buzzing, which incorporates ear-training, then move to rhythm exercises, scales and technical studies, method book, and any other music the student is working on at the time. Most beginning students will start out with Book 1 of a standard method book; I recommend the Standard of Excellence series. Read More

Instruments: Trombone

I always start with a warm up, followed by scale studies. From there we move to etudes, and solos or concerti, and end with excerpts from books like the Mueller technical study or Arban book. For more advanced students and jazz players, I like to start with a warm up, scale study, learn tunes and the blues, big band charts, and end with listening and transcriptions. Overall, the most important thing a student can develop is a full tone and personal sound. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Bass Guitar Synthesizer Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music

I strongly believe that a well-rounded music education helps a player to become a more confident, musical, and an emotionallyyaware musician. As such, I like to give my students small assignments focused on topics besides just performance, such as Music Theory and Aural Skills exercises. Of course, I will always move at the pace the student needs but I also know (from personal experience) that a nudge in the right direction can be priceless. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Trombone

Forrest gained traction throughout the Bay Area as a lead player and soloist for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Tito Puente Jr., Momotombo, Luis Enrique, Tito Puente, Jr., Mendocino Music Festival Big Band, and Transcendence Theater Company. Additional recording and live performance credits include The Queen Latifah Show with Karmin, Center Stage Opera, Southern California Brass Consortium, Louie Cruz Beltran, Latin Sol, Son Mayor, Jungle Fire, Echo Park Project, For The Record: Scorses, 3D Theatricals, Musical Theatre West, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, Steve Huffsteter Big Band, Dirk Fischer Nonet, Bruce Lofgren Big Band, Skip Spiro Little Big Band, Urban Renewal Project, Jens Lindemann, Golden State Pops Orchestra, and Philip Lassiter. Read More

Instruments: Trombone Bass Guitar Euphonium

I have been teaching Trombone and Bass to students of all ages for over 15 years and still love giving students the tools and technique to progress and achieve their goals as musicians. Seeing the moment it "clicks" for a student and watching them improve as players and the change that makes in their own image and self confidence is one of the most satisfying aspects of teaching music. My professional career has taken me around the world and allowed me to do and see things I never would have dreamed. Read More

Instruments: Trombone

Once the student feels comfortable with the mouthpiece and the long tones, I acquaint the student with fundamentals such as the positions, partials, scales and different types of articulations. For intermediate and advanced students, I focus on repertoire. Applying practices similar to what I have described above, I work with the student on playing repertoire with expression and facility. First I introduce them to short melodies that excercise skills in articulation and phrasing (called "etudes"). Read More