Teaching

“I believe in nurturing students as individuals; that each student possesses his or her own set of skills, background, challenges, and strengths, and recognizing these unique qualities, which contribute to the sound we create and the phrases we communicate, is vital for guiding students toward successfully meeting their goals. I encourage curiosity and musical risk-taking, and feel a responsibility to supply each student with the tools necessary to eventually become their own “best teachers.” By mentoring students through their approach to practice, I stress the importance of small and large goal-setting and guide them steadfastly through this process. Quality and versatility of sound are virtues that I hold in high esteem, serving as a path toward the broadest spectrum of expressive range. The foundation necessary to showcase a captivating sound is most appropriately achieved through simultaneous and diligent attention to fundamentals such as technique, rhythm, pitch, articulation, and voicing. I stress the value of versatility in today’s rapidly transforming world and encourage students to embrace challenges in order to grow and learn, and to cultivate one’s own musical voice.”