Violin Lessons in Arlington, TX

Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
There have been special moments in my life. In high school making all state band and creating music with so many sounds and colors that I have never experienced. Playing in musicals is another reason. I love playing in the pit, my first musical was Little Women. I love it because it is independent and you do not have to count many measures of rest like orchestra. I still like orchestra but I have a preference for musicals.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
No, I am the first musician in my family but I did encourage my younger brother to start playing saxophone. He is now doing a double major in accounting and music.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I want to play in musicals. I picked up saxophone my first year of grad school and then followed with flute the following year. I decided to learn these instruments as they are common in woodwind doubling. I love the idea of someone playing an instrument and switching to another in a matter of seconds and still being able to excel on it.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I love chamber music. Being the only one playing your part is fun and crucial. Recently my favorite genre to play has been jazz. I love playing the Artie Shaw Clarinet Concerto.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
Real Estate or any jobs that involve creating, inventing, coding. I love the idea of being an entrepreneur and finding a product to make a life easier.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Copland Clarinet Concerto 1948 version. I could not perform it this past spring due to COVID-19 and my recital had to be canceled. Luckily I had done a recital the previous semester for my degree.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have two degrees in clarinet performance. I chose those degrees because I felt like I would make more a difference focusing on private teaching then teaching a group who play different instruments. I like precision teaching.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
Have a goal and ask what is the thing that I will need to be ready first. Once I have that goal I work around it by warming up in that key and/or articulations and educate myself with any historical information.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
Rubank Method, Cyrille Rose 40 and 32 Etudes. I use the Rubank when I did not have the guidance of a teacher because it is straight forward and rose are considered standard due to their technique and the musicality involve with it.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Articulation/Tonguing. As a clarinetist double tonguing is considered an extended technique and articulating notes fast with a good sound seems to be the achilles heel .

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
I have worked with students who made different kinds of honor bands. They succeeded due to their pure desire of wanting to be better. I give them basic tools but it is their drive and them going the extra mile by asking questions and seeking help.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Being performer of the semester at WKU. It was unexpected and scary. I was playing ping pong with friends and received a text message from my clarinet professor my junior year of college and told me that i was going to perform that week for the music department after doing my Jury.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Listen to different recordings practice with a metronome do not increase speed if passage is not clean have a goal instead of trying to fix everything at once

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If he/she joined band/orchestra they are ready. People should start as soon as possible to take lessons. if instrument is too big to fingers to cover holes we can can accommodate to learn what is attainable at that time.

When will I start to see results?
Results will vary but I would say weeks, maybe a month or two. we need to know where the student is and his capabilities. After finding a starting point and knowing the strengths and weaknesses it will be easier to know what to work on and see results faster.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My high school teacher inspired me by staying after school and helping me out. I started band late and he was always willing to help me. I could not read music well in high school and with his help I made All-District, All-State, received a Music scholarship.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I grew up playing The Legend Of Zelda and that made me want to play a woodwind instrument. I started late so I had limited options and when asked I just said clarinet.

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