Jennifer B  
Instruments: Piano, Flute, Clarinet
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Country, Showtunes

I have over twenty years of private lesson experience.  I began teaching private lessons to flute students in Ponca City High School while I was a student at Oklahoma State University.  I have taught privately for over twenty years with experience teaching flute, piano, clarinet, and saxophone.  While I was in Minnesota, I began teaching private piano lessons in people's home in a program similar to Musika.  I then moved to New York where I taught lessons at DeSantis School of music and then had a private studio for the ten years I lived there.  I taught band in New York, specializing in woodwinds and began teaching private lessons during the summer breaks.  I also was an adjudicator in New York state for the Solo and Ensemble contests held throughout the state.  I have taught ages 4 through adults and have a great deal of experience teaching special needs students both in the classroom and in private lessons.  Having recently moved to the Tulsa area, I am trying to build up my private students because I love teaching them, getting to know the students, sharing my love and knowledge of music, and watching them grow in their skills and love of music.

For piano students, I like to use the Alfred Books.  They have books for young beginners, older beginners, through adults.  The books also have songs the students know, and additional books with a variety of styles.  They are written in a clear, manner that explains new skills and moves slowly so students won't get discouraged.  I also add music for the seasons or in the style the students like often written by myself.  For flute, clarinet, and saxophone I generally start with the methods that they use in band, for example Yamaha method and I decide after the first few lessons what they need help with and assign more music from there.  I also talk to the students about what kinds of music they like to play and try to find music that has cd accompaniment making it fun to play at home and also developing their listening skills.  I want to make music fun so I talk to the students about the kinds of music they listen to, find music that they will enjoy that is on their level, and supplement their methods with other music.  This encourages students to practice because they are learning while having fun.