Teaching

I am currently taking students in the Anne Arundel/Baltimore area! Lessons are taught at my home studio or at the student's residence. Feel free to reach out to me via email for rates and/or questions. 

Teaching Philosophy 

I believe every student learns differently. Therefore, my teaching philosophy recognizes the importance of considering each individual student’s strengths and weaknesses as well as their likes and dislikes. Improvement often correlates with interest, so I encourage students to choose their own solo/chamber repertoire. I combine this with regular long tone, scale and etude assignments that coincide with the pedagogy of Daniel Bonade, David Weber, and Robert Marcellus. The basis of these fundamentals is clarinet sound, rooted in the American School of clarinet playing. My students are taught to have the most beautiful, consistent, focused, and full sound on the clarinet. The characteristics addressed from the start that have a direct effect on sound are embouchure, voicing, and air support. Other pedagogical issues I focus on in my teaching are articulation, finger technique, and ultimately, musical interpretation.

On a broad spectrum, my goal is to provide my students with the opportunity to discover their own voice as well as develop a strong fundamental skill set. On a lesson-to-lesson basis, I strive to reach a place where my students can grasp onto at least one change in their playing and feel confident with implementing efficient practice strategies that allow them to solidify that change on their own.

I view performance as the musical expression of thought. Teaching is about giving students the tools to express themselves and create impactful moments for their audience. There are things that distract from these moments, such as inconsistent tempo or poor intonation, and there are things that amplify them, such as rubato or dynamic contrast. Strong fundamentals keep the distractions minimal, and a diverse range of expressive techniques creates more opportunities for impactful playing. Our goal as musicians is to ultimately transcend our instrument, becoming completely connected with the music we are performing.

One of my goals for my students is for music to impact their lives that extends beyond their study of music. Learning an instrument fosters the development of life skills that are respected across every discipline such as consistency, perseverance, and a strong work ethic. As their teacher, I am the role model that demonstrates and encourages these qualities in my students—setting them up for success wherever their life takes them.