Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
BM, Oklahoma State University Greenwood School of Music, Music Education
2017 - Quarter-finalist in the 2017 National Trumpet Competition Small Ensemble Division 2018 - Featured trumpet ensemble performer at the 2018 International Trumpet Guild Conference 2018 - Finalist for the Ictus International Music Competition with the OSU Symphony Orchestra
I am a performer, conductor, and teacher based in Stillwater, OK. I began working on my Bachelor's of Music Education (BME) at the Oklahoma State University Greenwood School of Music, studying trumpet with Dr. Ryan Gardner and Orchestral Conducting with Dr. Thomas Dickey. I have had the honor of performing and teaching around Texas and Oklahoma, with my most recent job as a Brass Instructor at the Salvation Army Youth Education Town. My students have done everything from play in small performances to performing in full concerts. I am currently the Rehearsal Assistant for the Oklahoma State University Youth Orchestra.
My teaching experience started in 2016, when I founded my private teaching business, "Brenden N. Music". I taught private trumpet lessons, as well as student teaching in an AP Music Theory class. In 2017, I continued to teach privately, as well as working for the Oklahoma State University Youth Orchestra, acting as an extra set of ears and running wind sectionals. I most recently taught as a Brass Instructor at the Salvation Army Youth Education Town in Arlington, TX, where I worked with around 180 kids, ages 7-12, and directed three brass bands of varying skill. I teach music as a hobby, all the way to teaching those who would like to continue their music education at a university level.
For those at a beginner level, I typically start with the basics of breathing, buzzing, embouchure development, scales, basic music theory, and basic instrumental proficiency. I also use the Hal Leonard's Essential Elements book to learn basic solos and melodies. For those at the intermediate levels, I start to incorporate scales, solos, range, and standard trumpet books, such the Arban Conservatory Method, Clarke Technical Studies, and the Iron's Flexibility exercises. For those at the advanced level, I continue to improve basic skills, as well as working on advanced scales, etudes, solos, orchestral excerpts, and other books that are tailored to the students individual needs.
My teaching style is strongly centered around the idea that music is more than an activity, it is a way to communicate life skills from a teacher to a student. The ideas of practicing and performing teach students what it means to be organized, skilled, and hard working. I think that it is important for students to set their own goals, achieve them, and be praised for their success. I also teach the importance of color within music, and how students can learn to create colors from their instrument to create beautiful music.