Daniel K
5.0
(4)
Instruments: Piano, Voice, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Euphonium, French Horn
Styles: Classical, Musical Theater, Opera, Electronic, Showtunes
Daniel K
5.0
(4)
Instruments: Piano, Voice, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Euphonium, French Horn
Styles:
Classical, Musical Theater, Opera, Electronic, Showtunes
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
MA, Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Institute of Music, Performance and Musicology BM, The College of New Jersey, Music Education and Performance
VOCALIST:
2010-Present: Singer, Music of the Baroque, Chicago
2006-2009: Singer, Apollo's Fire, Cleveland
2009-2011: Singer, Vox Ama Deus, Philadelphia
BRASS:
2002-2004: Brass section leader, as trombonist, The College of New Jersey Wind Ensemble
1997-1999: Trombonist, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra
I am an experienced and passionate teacher and performer. I hold my K-12 Music Teaching Certification in Ohio and New Jersey. As a professional vocalist, I have appeared with various orchestras and small opera companies in Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and beyond. I have performed at Severance Hall, Playhouse Square, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, and Chicago's Harris Theater, but as a student, I never thought that would be the case. My teachers have included some of the finest in the Northeast and Midwest, and I thank them for treating me as an individual with unique needs as a musician. Because of this, as an educator, I believe in outside-the-box teaching. Although standard curricula direct us toward a standard and refined product, I think that most often, in music, it's best to capitalize on each of my students' special set of talents and passions. I coach them to successful performance while remembering what motivates them personally.
As a teacher in public and charter schools, I have directed choruses, small chamber ensembles, orchestras, and musical theater. I started teaching music lessons during college, where I excelled as a trombonist. Although I remain a brass teacher, I "made the switch" to singing in 2005. In 2006 I was accepted to graduate school for singing and historical musicology. I have had the opportunity to perform with some of the finest conductors and ensembles in the nation, and I bring my professional experiences into the classroom and the studio. I have accompanied my students on stage with Audra McDonald in Chicago, and I have had students move on to professional and semi-professional careers in classical music and music theater. A few years back, one of my voice students landed a major role in one of the most successful movie-musicals in recent history. My production of Little Shop of Horrors from Manalapan High School in NJ is the most viewed amateur production of that show on YouTube. The link below is from that production, where I served as vocal music director and pianist for the band. I am a very accomplished pianist/accompanist, and my students benefit from my ability to coach them directly from the piano while playing for them.
The most essential element of music is FUN. Naturally, all students meet challenges and frustrating situations. Because I have experienced this myself, I understand completely! I develop a unique approach with each of my students. I am very comfortable teaching voice, piano, and brass instruments. For all of my students, I am fully aware of the standard method books. However, in the past, I have made a special point of working from those books only until it's no longer necessary. Technique can be taught in many ways, and if a student is bored with mass-produced lesson books, I will quickly find other solutions. Composers from the middle ages to the twentieth century have written method books for children, teenagers, and adults. I have always remembered the educational materials developed by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, who wrote much more interesting study music than Hal Leonard's corporate lesson plans!
As I've said above, my teaching is curtailed to the individual needs of my students. I stress development as a complete musician, and that often includes breaking away from technique to discuss other ideas like music theory, ear training, etc. Most importantly, I can explain difficult concepts in many ways. I am a degreed educator, having studied various learning styles and philosophies. I incorporate techniques from Kodaly, Orff, Suzuki, Dalcroze, Alexander--- each student has different needs. If you can't understand music theory by studying Bach, I can teach it with Radiohead.
Marian Chatterjee
Very knowledgeable, fun and energetic. Offers good feedback and suggestions to improve my technique, even he has not studied it (I sing an Indian genre in the Bengali language).
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