Music Lessons in Short Hills, NJ

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Flute Synthesizer Keyboard

I began teaching privately in high school- mainly teaching my younger fellow students. During college I taught at two private lesson studios in New Jersey. I expanded the instruments I offered there, and met students young and old, and over time, I learned how different people of different ages and backgrounds learned and understood music. I now currently teach both privately and at a private studio in Queens. My teaching method is highly evolved, tuning into the personality and capabilities of each student, reacting lesson by lesson to offer material and methods that will be most helpful to them. Read More

Instruments: Flute

I have recently again started playing after many years. I have played in a the pit band at the Count Basie Theater for Jesus Christ Superstar, and Into the Woods for a Wagner College and Brookdale Community College productions. I have been sitting in on local jam sessions with very favorable feedback. I played at a performance at Brookdale Community College with a group, Hot Air. Enjoyment, hearing pitch and rhythm by vocalizing, and developing a register appropriate and flexible embrochure, and using harmonics to tone match are some of the techniques and strategies I would emphasize for flute specific instruction. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I first like to see what music the student is into. Most of the time students who take up drums want to learn a groove from their favorite band or song. It helps get them engaged immediately and want to play. It's good to take the first couple of lessons to gauge my students pace and see how they progress. At the beggining of each lesson it's good to just warm up with some simple playing excercises and lossen them up. Read More

Instruments: Flute

Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! 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. I prefer one on one lesson time. Parents are welcome to stay and watch if they'd like. I don't have a particular style. As previously mentioned, each lesson is based on the students needs. Praise and honesty are always incorporated into each lesson. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

For beginner students on drums I use Ted Reed's Syncopation and Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone. These books provide a great foundation for every drummer and once we put together a great foundation our potential greatly increases. I also assign a great deal of listening for my students from all areas of music. For more advanced students we do use Syncopation and Stick Control as well but there are a number of other great resources such as The New Breed by Gary Chester or Creative Coordination by Keith Copeland. Read More

Instruments: Drums Music

They include Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, Edison Machado, Ginger Baker, Bernard Purdie, Billy Cobham, Dr. Steve Gadd, Russell Kunkle, Mike Craney, Lenny White, Ricky Dawson, Paul Wertico, Antonio Sanchez, Alex Acuna, Alphonse Mouzon, Peter Erskine, Tito Puente, Mitch Mitchell, and Dave Weckl. I am professionally endorsed by HingeStix, a practice drumstick developed by Sam Ruttenberg, a professional percussionist, drummer, drum instructor, and drumstick manufacturer. I use the HingeStix practice drumstick to help students learn the proper feel of the loose grip while mastering the bounce and rebound. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Drums Mallet Percussion

For beginning students, I usually work with Hal Leonard's essential elements as well as use the piano as a tool for them to hear the pitches they are playing. Once the fundamentals are grasped we can work on introductory solo repertoire. For children I'd like to make this a bit more fun as well, introducing some easy tunes they will be familiar with or excited to play. (for example, Jason Derulo's song "Trumpets") For adults, I think its best to find out what their interests are and we can target what to work on from there. Read More