Marlon M  

5

  5.0 (4)

Instruments: Double Bass
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Musical Theater, Opera, Latin, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Avant-garde

I've had unique experiences teaching in classroom and individual settings. I also have experience with coaching both jazz and classical ensembles. I've collaborated many times with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles as a coach and collaborative performer with the students. Similarly, I've performed and coached with the EMMI Chamber Orchestra at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica, California. I've coached at various middle school and high school orchestra programs in the Capistrano Unified School District in California, since graduating from the Colburn Conservatory. This also included replacing my former bass teacher at my own high school as a frequent coach. In my private lessons I have taught aspiring classical and jazz bassists, from middle school ages to adult students, including professional musicians who play regularly on other instruments. I enjoy teaching electric bassists how to play the double bass as well. I have a passion for getting my students to relate double bass playing to everyday activities they might love to do, even outside of music. I love witnessing a student's inner discovery for the love of music and the desire to improve their skills.

My teaching direction is generally based on the individual's needs/requests. However, an in-depth look at universal bass techniques is what I implement in a student's lesson and practice assignment. I use George Vance's book Vade Mecum for introducing the positions of the double bass, thumb position, scales and arpeggios. I have found Developing Virtuosity by Latham Music, and Essentials for Strings by Gerald Anderson to be resourceful for rhythms, bowing variations, etudes, and an introduction into performance application. I use fingering and shifting exercises, and intonation exercises handed down to me by my college/symphony teachers. I focus heavily on playing comfortably, to avoid developing physical tension due to bad playing habits. If my student is a jazz player I work on walking bass lines and melodic improvisation. My philosophy is that the bassist should be able to play high and low, fast and slow, with physical comfort, in order to play all styles of music. Repertoire can vary between technical etudes, jazz standards, orchestra class assignments to professional orchestra audition excerpts!