Music Lessons in Tahoe Vista, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Harmonica Ukulele Recorder Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I believe that a strong foundation is essential for steady progress and confident performance. A comprehensive approach is my preference. Therefore, when I teach piano, I prefer Faber and Faber Piano Adventures paired with A Dozen a Day for added technique. Since many students in this school district are in band or orchestra, I usually use Essential Elements for Strings, Brass, and Woodwinds. I spend a reasonable amount of time preparing my students for our recitals and many of them join in the group songs, which have included "What a Wonderful World", "Happy", and currently "The Theme From Midnight Cowboy". Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Music

For students between the ages of 3 and 7, I typically use either the Little Mozarts method or the Birds and Dogs method. For students who are older, I use a combination of methods, including Alfred's, Bastien and Faber. I have also designed and used my own curriculum for students with special needs, including students who have autism, cerebral palsy, nerve damage, ADHD and for gifted students. I incorporate classical music including Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Kabalevsky and many others for more advanced students, and especially for students who are competing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola

Goals are an essential part of teaching. Students need something to work toward and I want those goals to be realistic and motivate the student to work towards them. Having a basic outline of a lesson plan is important and so is the flexibility to adjust it to fit the individual needs of the student. My goal is not to have the best playing students, but to have students with the most growth in their own abilities. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My basic approach to teaching is to evaluate where the student will be most able to gain skill and knowledge that helps them reach whatever their musical goal is. I customize my teaching to each students needs and abilities to optimize success and progress. I found thru my years of teaching hundreds of students that the ones who feel they got something they were wanting to learn are the most motivated to keep going. Read More

Instruments: Flute

Playing duets and tunes form the basis of lessons. You will learn scales and chords, rhythm, tone and being in tune. I like to include a bit of playing without reading music, depending on what your inclination is. For more advanced flutists, we will play Bach, Mozart, Telemann, Quantz (a flutist!) and whatever music you like and bring to the lesson. I sometimes use play alongs so we can play with piano or orchestra. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet Trombone Euphonium French Horn Tuba Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music

From Ray Charles Sinatra to Boz Scaggs, The Moody Blues and the band Yes. Still...I began with Band classes like nearly everybody else. Until High school it was a cool, fun class with concerts to get a grade. At 25, I began a career as a French Horn player. I studied with members of the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet and Opera as well as fine players across the continent. I've built a broad range of classical and orchestral experiences through the "Big B's" Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok, Bernstein Bates, and the music of their contemporaries, to, performing National and World Premiers with the "Stars of the Peking Opera", Frank Zappa's orchestral/ballet and the hometown (Reno) composer, Mason Bates. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Banjo Mallet Percussion

My teaching style is improvisational in nature. I focus on creative compositions. In contrast, I present traditional music and learning. I juxtapose the two into a new style of teaching. I mix the old with the new, and thereby create my own style. Much as in the fashion of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do with my intention on music education. Read More