480-264-0673
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24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
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480-264-0673
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Music lessons in Mesa . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Guitar
With young students, I allow myself to be a bit more comprehensive in that I can start from the very basics from the beginning and even come up with simple games with rhythm, basic ear training and reading notation. The big challenge with young players is the actual act of physically playing the guitar and I encourage parents to invest in a quality instrument that is easy to play. I try and get my older children and teenagers to try and play as early as possible to develop a passion for the instrument, but not before building an understanding of the basics. Read More
Instruments: Piano Violin
I'm a passionate and motivated instructor who has the abilities to "awaken" the musical gifts of students with the desire to achieve a goal of musicianship. I graduated from Grambling State University with a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters of Music from Jackson State University. I have had the opportunity to play with such symphonies such as the Shreveport Symphony, New Orleans Community Orchestra, Midland/Odessa Symphony, the EAC Symphony and I am now a member of the North Valley Symphony. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Voice Trumpet Bass Guitar
I've been teaching since 2005: Privately with students in their home or my studio, with brick-and-mortar studios, and with online lessons services (like Musika). It's most important that my students have fun learning their instrument, but I also emphasize daily practice and work on the fundamentals of whichever instrument he or she is learning. After all, if you don't work on the fundamentals, then you won't be able to play your instrument any better. Read More
Instruments: Piano
Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs.. Read More
Instruments: Piano
Once a lesson plan has been established with a student, I progress them through each lesson with specific goals. My goal is to infuse the student with understanding but also wonder and awe as to how music is created. There is always something worth praising in a student, and I am always sure to do that in our lessons after every performance. I always make sure we discuss (1) what did we like about that performance, and (2) what are things we could do to make it better. Read More
Instruments: Piano
Faber - John Thompson - Bastien - Alfred - Hal Leonard etc Shirley tries to fit the student to the method. Every method doesn't work for every one. Age and experience and ability all play important factors into the method that is used for you or your child personally. Read More
Instruments: Guitar
The way I have always approached teaching is the same way i learned music, to try and make each concept make sense by breaking down and relating basic key points of playing and improvising to each other. For example, I like to emphasize breaking down chords and the related scales in an easy to undertand and logical way. I emphasize the importance of phrasing and shaping chords while using such shred techniques as alternate picking, legatto, sweep picking and tapping. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Absolutely. My mother is a music teacher, my father is a worship leader. My brother plays in a church band, and my sister is a vocalist who has won honors at the state level.
If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I play the saxophone and clarinet in equal measure and have been doing so for years. I started with the sax at 10, but then moved to clarinet after a teacher suggested it. I kept up with both in college, and now I can teach both.
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
This is a hard question for any well rounded musician, but I do truly love playing jazz, rock, and classical. They all share many qualities, and there are pieces of each kinds of style in the other ones.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
For both the saxophone and clarinet, playing the super high notes quietly and in tune present the hardest challenges. Anyone can blare a note, but true skill comes from playing the hard to reach notes with subtlety and precision.
What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Right now it is the sax solo from Carole King's "Jazzman." To me it is the quintessential sax solo. It features wailing high notes and command of rhythm, and I hope to play it as well as it appears on the album one day.
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I had to learn to play saxophone in a few months to be in my college jazz band. I had planned to play clarinet when I got there, but the professor asked my if I could play sax instead. A few weeks later I had my saxophone and was learning how to play on the run. By the Christmas concert, I had the music under my fingers, and I was able to play in the band every semester afterwards.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I chose the saxophone because of the saxophone solo in Gene Rafferty's 'Baker Street' as well as from hearing a very gifted player at my church growing up.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I had my mother. She showed my siblings and me the joy of making music as a family, and then she allowed us to explore our own musical tastes as we grew into adults. Now my siblings and I are all musicians, and while we have some very different tastes, we all still love music.
When will I start to see results?
This is unique to every student, and talent plays a factor in this answer, but students tend to see results in direct correlation to how much time and effort they put into practice. Students who make consistent, reasonable practice time a part of their every day routine will see vastly better results than a student who uses rehearsal to "practice" or tries to cram hours of preparation time into the day before a rehearsal or tutoring session.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If the child expresses true joy at the opportunity of making music with their instrument of choice, that is a good indication they are ready for music lessons. Another good indication is personal discipline in other areas of life, such as doing homework, taking care of chores, and maintaining personal hygiene. A child who cannot take care of these things will likely not have the discipline to persevere past the first few lessons.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Recognize that while practice does not always have to be fun, it needs to be meaningful. True improvement happens when the student is alone, and intentionally practicing with the goal of being better prepared for rehearsal or a music lesson with an instructor will be a great motivation for the student.
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I decided to pursue professional musicianship after leaving the journalism world in Winter 2019. I had the opportunity to play in a variety show as a sax and clarinet player, and I truly enjoyed the experience.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Music lessons in Mesa to students of all ages and abilities.
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