Davidson S
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Organ, Synthesizer, Music, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Funk, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul, Avant-garde
Davidson S
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Organ, Synthesizer, Music, Keyboard
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Funk, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 8-80
Graduate Leadership School, Evanston IL, '83-84 Certificate of Achievement, Billboard Magazine, Songwriting '94 Best R&B band 2004
"There's a difference between playing the notes and MAKING the MUSIC" Wanna know the secrets? I've played the piano since I was 7. Gosh....that's long ago. Sax since 4th grade. I've been performing and teaching private lessons for 35+ years. Many notables; The Temptations, Shirelles, Martha Reeves, Peter Noone ( Hermans Hermits ),Inauguration in 2005 for President Bush at Union station on CNN, many more. University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas with Dr. Callahan. I teach at my home. I do have 2 kitties and a beautiful golden retriever. Proud father of 4 incredible sons!!!!!!!
I've been teaching lessons for students and also giving advise for others for 35+ years. I've been told that I have a very gentle nature. I guess it's the way I was brought up. anyway.....I teach to a students strengths and weaknesses. For example; One may have a young sax student that has very good sound right out the gate but cannot understand the language on the page. Conversely, the student that gets the language right way, but alas, the thing sounds like a duck call! those are specific issues that need to be addressed. Very different from each other. Et.Al. I guess the "thing" that brings me joy is experiencing the point when a student after a number of lessons scratches their heads and SUDDENLY they say " OH....I get it. Ya mean that...." YES. "So what this means is that this is...." YES. "So all I gotta do is this....." Yes. And then they will say " Gosh, That makes this so easy. How come no one ever showed me that before?
I teach with a very casual approach. It's not a science or math class. ( I guess it actually is in all regards ). Different student have different needs. I believe in finding out a students wants. I had a younger student who wanted to Zeppelin on the Alto. "Okay" So I showed the student exactly what to do. He had no knowledge of music but I knew that if he enjoyed it, he'd keep playing and playing. Then I can "back fill" if you will. "Here's the scale that you're playing, etc." Remember: there are only 12 notes in equal temperment tuning in western music ( That we're used to ) and only 7 letters.
Every student has different needs. I offer a relaxed style of teaching. Safe, comfortable evironment. Parents are always welcome to attend lessons for their students if need be. I have a student tell me what their goals are and we go from there. Some students may have a greater understanding of how the language on the page works. Others may have very natural ability to play the instrument, but may have more trouble with the notation if you will. Very different issues to be addressed. I do not teach from music 101. It's been my experience that each student needs to be taught based upon their abilities, not taught in a cookie cutter fashion. Great success with that approach
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