Teaching Philosophy

My teaching style and philosophy has been (and continues to be) influenced by the many wonderful musicians I have studied and worked with. I do my best to adapt my approach to the needs, interests, and priorities of each student, but my teaching centers around three fundamental pillars:

• Developing technique. We’ll work together to develop the fundamentals, from producing a good tone and clear articulation to double-tonguing and range extension through a mix of accepted methodologies and individualized exercises that are tailored to each student’s strengths and gaps.

• Thinking musically. The trumpet is a means to an end, and the “end” is to make music! Lessons will include the building blocks of musicianship—listening sessions, sight-singing, and, for more advanced students, discussions of music theory, phrasing, style, and form.

• Thinking critically. Most importantly, we will work together to build a framework to approach problem-solving. We’ll build these frameworks by learning music together, sight-reading, and developing an approach to problem-solving that will help you both in music and in life.