Michael S  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Mallet Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Flamenco, Salsa, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde

My objective as a teacher is to foster a positive learning environment for all students, and my expertise aligns with the qualifications needed for students of all skill levels. Since graduating eleven years ago with a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies I have worked in a variety of teaching settings including classrooms and one-on-one. I have developed many valuable skills while teaching diverse groups of students including both children with learning disabilities and gifted children. I am adept at individualizing the curriculum to meet each student's different needs and designing resourceful lesson plans that accommodate differing learning styles and abilities.

During my time teaching at Victor Litz Music, where I taught for 12 years, I was lucky to work with one student who had severe dyslexia.  Though he had difficulty in a classroom setting, this student’s general reading and musical skills blossomed over the course of several years of instruction.  Through patience and a customized approach I was able to reach him in ways that, according to his parents, no other teacher was able to do.  The individual lessons, as opposed to a classroom dynamic, were imperative to this student’s growth because of the close attention paid to his individual behavior and learning style. This is just one example of the individualized attention I give to all of my students.