Music Lessons in Hillside, IL

Instruments: Guitar

For beginning students, I usually suggest the Hal Leonard Guitar Method as a way of learning the fundamentals. For students starting with more experience, or once a student moves past the Hal Leonard series, I like to offer custom lesson plans designed to fit the individual student's needs. As a Berklee College of Music graduate, I pull from the same coursework that was taught to me, while offering room for any styles or techniques that we find works best for the student. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

A passionate, inspiring, and engaging guitar instructor, I'm a also certificated teacher (Licensure: Illinois Professional Educator License - PEL), trained in providing high-quality instruction to all learners. My love for music developed at the age of seven when I picked up the guitar for the first time. The passion that I had for music and, in particular the guitar, compelled me to learn as much as I could about the instrument from various instructors, fellow guitar players, and friends alike. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Double Bass Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I'm a young professional bassist living in Chicago and am now fully submerged in the world of entertainment. I've traveled to all 7 continents after working in a cruise ship band for 3 years. Now I'm settled in the River North neighborhood and looking to pick up students who want to make great music and learn about advanced techniques and possibilities of their instrument. I'm a classically trained jazz major who has played in rock bands, punk bands, pop bands, and musical theater pits over 20 years of professional playing. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

For beginning students, I focus on creating great tone quality and establishing excellent practice habits. I typically recommend the Rubank Elementary Method for beginners, but many students have to purchase other texts such as Accent on Achievement or the Hal Leonard Essential Elements for their beginning band class. In any case, these will also work for beginning lessons! I also start students on scales right away, with beginning students working on tetrachords (4 note patterns) that we develop into scales by combining two tetrachords into a single scale. Read More

Instruments: Clarinet

I am patient, friendly, and always looking for ways to spark a student's passion for music and interest in the clarinet as a vehicle. I try to find something the student does well and build on it. For beginning students, I try to find simple exercises that build on previous successes. For more advanced students, I try to find new challenges and help build consistency and flexibility through a combination of basic technical exercises, challenging repertoire, exploration of new styles, and improvisation. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

I don't believe there is one absolute method and encourage my students to find whatever sparks musical joy in them, so I can help them pursue that. I can learn so much as a teacher by being shown what makes other people creatively stimulated. This is one my favorite parts about teaching! I can provide the knowledge and exercises to build a strong musical foundation, but it is up to the student to use these skills to express their own musicality and to access all the of the music they love on a deeper level. Read More