Ryan J
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums, Synthesizer, Piccolo, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Oboe, Bassoon, English Horn, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Country, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Salsa, Spirituals, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Marching Band, Avant-garde
Ryan J
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums, Synthesizer, Piccolo, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Oboe, Bassoon, English Horn, Keyboard
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Country, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Salsa, Spirituals, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Marching Band, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 4-80
BM, Hope College, music performance MM, University of South Florida, jazz studies
Three "best of the Air Force" awards for my original compositions // Selection of an original composition to the Chief of Staff of the Airforce's official reading list for 2014 // AF regional band musician of the year and two-time musician of the quarter // Engagements at NFL halftime shows, MLB and MLH games; Carnegie Hall, Macy's Thanksgiving parade and Rose Bowl parade // Over 2000 gigs to date in over 40 US states and 17 foreign countries
I love teaching, and I firmly believe that almost anyone can be taught to do almost anything! I have music degrees from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and USF in Tampa, Florida. After teaching at Hope for 6 years, I joined the Air Force to play with the world-class musicians that make up their bands. I spent 8 1/2 years in Colorado Springs stationed at Peterson AFB, and I loved it! I then moved to Illinois to be stationed at Scott AFB, playing with the USAF Band of Mid-America. The Air Force then moved me back to Colorado to play at Peterson again. I've been blessed to play with some great musicians all over the world in venues ranging from NFL halftime shows to Carnegie Hall to military flight lines to High School gymnasiums. Life is good, and it's always more fun with music, so let's get started!
I've been teaching most of my adult life. I started tutoring while still in high school, and I continued as a teaching assistant as a college student. I taught at Hope College for six years in a number of different subjects: saxophone, jazz ensembles, music theory, aural skills, piano class, and music appreciation. I even ran the percussion ensemble for one semester, which was a blast! I love my AF band job, but I do miss teaching full-time. While in the AF, though, I've been blessed to have several part-time college teaching jobs. I taught saxophone, sax quartet and clarinet for five years at Adams State University in Colorado. For five of my six years in Illinois, I taught saxophone and sax quartet at McKendree University. I've always maintained a private studio of students ranging in age from 8 to 80+. I love teaching all skill levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced students all give me unique challenges as a teacher that I always welcome.
I'm actually very flexible with the methods or books for all of the instruments I teach. Generally, for the band instruments, the director picks the method book. Most of the modern ones are pretty good to get students started, so I'm fine sticking to the director's method of choice and gleaning all the musical gems we can from it. Similarly with piano, there are several great method books out there, and you can learn a lot about piano from any of them. I put a large emphasis both on sight-reading and learning to play by ear; I believe these are the most important two skills any musician can have, whether he be an amateur, professional, or somewhere in between (yes, there's an in-between!). I like to focus on whatever a student has coming up for an audition or a solo & ensemble festival. If I can help players have a great experience soloing in public or help them win an audition to play with a great band (and I have a very good track record with my students winning auditions), they'll be more motivated. They'll also feel better about music in general, and the work it takes to make it happen.
I like to think I'm a laid-back kind of guy, though I can get loud and boisterous sometimes when a student figures something hard out. I wonder sometimes if I don't get more excited about a student's breakthrough than he does! My wife sometimes tells me I have no "indoor voice," lol. I don't give grades (except for my college students, because I have to), but if I did, the grade would be either "A" or "I," as in incomplete, as in do it over until it's great. I like for each of my students to move at their own pace, and if it takes you longer to learn something than it does your friends, so what? You both learned it, which is what's important. But if we try to move on before the student has adequately learned something, it'll just lead to discouragement and stress. You as the student want to stretch yourself, not snap in two.
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