Rob S
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Marching Band, Avant-garde
Rob S
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Marching Band, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 3-80
B.M., USC Thornton School of Music, Jazz Studies
2015- Graduated USC Thornton School of Music, earned spot in Disneyland Band
2014- Sixth Monterey Jazz Festival appearance, w/USC Thornton Honors Combo
2014- USC Thornton Outreach award, recognizing dedication to mentoring young musicians
2013-14 Performed on several episodes of hit TV series Glee
2011-15- Wille and Fischetta Smith Endowed Music Scholarship, USC Thornton School of Music
I'm an extremely dedicated and passionate performing artist, composer, and instructor with a BM in Jazz Studies from the USC Thornton School of Music. I love all aspects of playing, teaching, and writing music, but my favorite part is sharing my passion with others and watching a similar passion grow in themselves. I have been playing saxophone for about 12 years, flute and clarinet for 7, and drums and piano for the past 3 years (so I can only accept beginning drum and piano students.) I love all types of music and will work with you on any genre you want to work on while improving your overall facility on your instrument! While I mainly work as a jazz musician, I also frequently perform and teach classical, pop, and hip-hop.
I have about eight years of professional performance experience, and six years of professional teaching experience. In that time, I have had the opportunity to perform with music and entertainment legends such as Robin Thicke, Fred Willard, Sinbad, Ndugu Chancler, and Edward James Olmos, as well as modern jazz legends like Joshua Redman, Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer, Bob Reynolds, David Sanchez, Benny Green, Donny McCaslin, Joe Lovano, and many more. As a teacher, I have extensive private teaching experience as well as classroom experience, and was recognized for my hard work and dedication to mentoring young musicians in 2014 with the USC Thornton Outreach Award.
My methods depends on the skill level and interest of the student. Fundamentals are key, but I always try to incorporate them with music that the student is interested in learning. I believe that music should never be boring, and practicing should never be a chore! I also believe that musicians of all skill levels can and should improvise, as it is a fundamental form of creative expression that is often overlooked by classically trained musicians.
A student will never practice if they're not having fun, and they won't have fun if they're being pushed harder than they want to be pushed. Therefore, when I start with a student, I always ask how much they want to improve and how quickly, how important music is to them, and how much time they're willing to invest daily. We continue on the student's pace, and find the most efficient and fun way to get the student's goals.
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