Clarinet Lessons in San Diego, CA

Instruments: Flute

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
It's about quality, not quantity. Practicing with 100% focus for five minutes is MUCH better than practicing for two hours while distracted. Try playing a scale with all the notes correct 10 times in a row. If you make a mistake, you have to start counting from one again. All you need to get through 10 times is laser focus, going at a pace that you can think about the note to come and be sure it's the right one before you play it. Once you accomplish this, reward yourself by taking a break. The next day, I guarantee you'll know that scale so much better. This tactic can apply to so many other things you study as well. Try it!

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If they're old enough to ask for lessons, they're old enough to start taking them. The challenge with age is choosing the right instrument for them at that time. If they are 1-4, piano or violin may be a good choice. Flute is best started in 4th or 5th grade, when their hands are big enough to reach all the keys and their facial muscles are developed enough that they can create an embouchure. Each instrument is different and so is each kid. If they aren't ready for lessons yet, introduce them to music by playing recordings and taking them to concerts. It's never too early to instill in them a love of music.

When will I start to see results?
If the student is putting in the work and having fun, you should see results of flute lessons almost immediately. Dedication and enjoyment are the two factors I think are necessary in order to make progress. If those are lacking, that is most often when progress slows. That is why I make enjoyment a priority in my lessons. Without it, music becomes just another requirement in their already busy lives. Academia often presents many things that are necessary but not always fun. Music can help with everything in life if the student likes it enough and is willing to put in the practice time.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My teacher in high school inspired me to go into music. My feeling of accomplishment when studying with her was deeper than just being good at the flute. I felt like I really had something to say through the music, and that I could make my mark on the world by becoming a musician. Her musical knowledge was intertwined with her knowledge about life. When I got a nod of approval from her, I felt powerful and I craved more of the same feeling. Each piece I studied with her stretched me musically and as a person.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I was drawn to the flute at age 7 after rejecting an electric guitar from my dad. It was an Annie Lennox music video filmed years before I was born where I first saw a flute. That, as they say, was that. Though I chose to formally study classical music, many genres influence my musical identity. Growing up in Los Angeles, my dad took me to a lot rock n’ roll concerts. My playing and teaching incorporate my exposure to many musical styles. It was not a classical music situation that inspired me to play the flute, and I'm proud of that diverse path to the instrument.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
I think the hardest thing to master on the flute is playing quietly in the high register. The instrument is designed so that it's natural to play louder in the high register and softer in the low register. How do you combat that physical tendency to achieve soft high notes? I have several techniques. The first is to have GOOD SOUND in the high register. I have students play high notes as loud and long as they can, almost until the note is ugly. Cracking the note is okay in this exercise because they learn where the limit is to their sound. Then, I have them play the same note loud but with their very best, full sound. After that, I have them try to play the note softer by tightening their stomach muscles, flaring their nostrils, and pulling the corners back on their embouchure. Those physical things allow them to achieve control of the high notes and then start to control the volume. In the end, dynamics are all relative to the context they're in. Something can "feel" softer than it really is if it has enough contrast to other dynamics in the piece. Therefore, musicality is the key to playing dynamics well. Otherwise, soft high notes are like strength training. If they are practiced enough, they can be achieved well enough that listeners get chills!

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