Hayden D  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Saxophone, Clarinet
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde

I started teaching private lessons in college, about four or five years ago. I have taken students on several different instruments, mainly saxophone, piano and guitar. I find that it is important to encourage students to play and practice the type of music they enjoy, and to have fun performing and learning. I also believe that students should play in recitals, bands, and get other performance experiences while taking private lessons in order to improve their overall musicianship. I'm always looking to take more students of any age or experience level, and I enjoy having fun with and getting to know my students on a personal level in order to find what makes them tick.

For beginning students, I find that the simpler the methods, the better. Essential Elements is a great series for beginners, and is a good way to teach basic music theory and musical ideas. As students progress, I like to introduce solo repertoire and books that are more specific to the instrument that they are learning. I also like to find out what music the student enjoys listening to, or has a desire to play, and start to add songs in that style to their list of practice pieces. It's important to find out what students are interested in in order to keep them engaged and having fun in lessons, as well as improving their musicianship and technique.