Nathaniel A  

4.8

  4.8 (9)

Instruments: Piano, Drums, Synthesizer, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Spirituals, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Samba, Bossa Nova, Marching Band

I first started teaching in the summer of 2002 when a friend from church wanted his son to learn drums. His desire was for his son to play one day on the praise team. Thankfully he stuck with it and still plays for the church to this day. That moment made me realize I have a gift for teaching. Throughout college I continued to teach out of my studio and developed my skills even more when I moved back to Maryland in 2009. I always remember the teachers who left the greatest impression were the ones who could inspire, motivate, understand, and encourage me. Those are the elements in the kind of teach I strive to be. I taught at Middle C Music in NW DC from 2013-2022 and Victor Litz in Maryland from 2011 to 2013.

General Method In General, I believe the three foundations of a student's success are 1. Proper Technique (scales, rudiments, etc) 2. Repertoire (memorized pieces) 3. Creativity (improvising, learning by ear) Parents: You MUST encouraging you child to practice or "play". When they practice, be there, let them know you love hearing them play. I can not stress enough how crucial parent participation is. The student needs to practice at least 20 minutes a day up to several hours depending on the age and goal of the student. For instance a 5 year old might only be able to do 2 ten minute sessions a day whereas a student auditioning for a touring group may need several hours a day. Piano: - John Thompson books and Bastien are my preferred piano books. - Student will also need an assignment book and a metronome. - Eventually the student will need Alfred's Complete book of Scales also. Drums/Percussion: - Alfred's Snare Book 1 - Alfred's Drumset Method - Alfred's Drum book for Kids (younger age) - Sticks - Pad - Metronome -music stand Advanced Books: Piano - Hanon -Czerny Veolicty Drums - New Breed - Art of Bop Drumming by John Riley - Funkifying the Clave by Robby Ameen - Advanced Funk Drumming by Rick Latham - Exploring your Creativity on the Drum Set by Mark Guiliana Jazz: - Abersold - The Jazz Piano Book (Levin) - Real Book 1, 2, 3