Trumpet Lessons in Mountainside, NJ

Instruments: Trumpet Music

My primary teaching philosophy is one of showing by example. Book learning is excellent and necessary and I use an assortment of standard materials and literature to assign lessons. I am especially fond of the teaching method of Laurie Frink and John McNeil and their joint manual "Flexus" and the basic Carmine Caruso embouchure studies literature. I also create my own exercises for the the students based on their individual and immediate needs. Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Recorder Double Bass Music

For beginning woodwind students, I have had success using the Rubank method books as a starter. Alongside a method book, I like to work on material chosen by the student, as well as my own supplemntal exercises. It is important for the student to understand the musical concepts associated with the repertoire, as well as focusing on performing well. I also prefer to have my students keep a practice log book, in order to track their progress. For piano and music theory, I like to use the John Thompson method for beginner students, and the Bastien Piano Literature series for more advanced students. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet

My teaching is based on the thought that everone can be comfortable with making music. Since comfort comes best when things are fun, I like to focus on music that the student likes. This usually involves improvising as soon as a student knows a few notes, which creates a chance for self-expression and leads to confidence in playing with others. I also place emphasis on phrasing, My experience is that many students get wrapped up in the mechanical process of playing at the expense of musicality. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Drums Mallet Percussion

I am a recent graduate of McGill University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance and a second major concentration in Philosophy. I have had the honor and privilege to perform all over the world including New York City, Montreal, Berlin, and Tanglewood. Before college, I attended Juilliard's Pre-college division for 2 years. I mainly study and play classical, but I have frequently played with Latin, Rock and Jazz bands. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

Some of my favorite and most rewarding feelings in life have been when students have an "aha!" moment. These moments come after consistent engagement with a concept. Thats why I encourage daily practice (of any length, as long as its daily.) I balance grunt work with fun work, making sure that students are learning music THEY want to learn. My lessons usually begin with a short warm up, followed by a review of the goals set last week, followed by the introduction development of a new concept(or two), and concluding with a setting of goals for the next lesson, with the answering of questions all in between. Read More