Fernando P  
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Latin, Funk, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band

I love teaching; it is my passion! But most of all, I get great satisfaction in sharing the love of music with my students.  Seeing the accomplishments, achievements, an growth of my students is the thing that continues to inspire and drive me. I encourage my students to have fun and have a say in the music selection process, because I want them to feel like they too get to choose the music that they want to learn and play. I have extensive training and experience teaching all ages and all levels; from young children to senior adults. I have taught instrumental and choral music, music theory, church worship teams, private and group lessons, and have full time public school teaching experience.     

I like to play audio/recordings for the students when possible, so that the student has an idea of the style, or the piece that we are studying.  This gives them something to reference to, but also gives them an aural aspect in their playing/practice habits. I also model for them constantly, so that they get more visual and aural reinforcement.  I sometimes give them short music concept/vocabulary assignments, such as learning the names of the notes on the staff, counting rhythms, meters, etc; all having to do with music theory and musical concepts that can be directly applied to their practical aspect of playing.  I really stress the importance of building and constantly practicing basic fundamentals on a regular basis, so that their technique can more easily develop.