Trumpet Lessons West

Instruments: Piano, Voice, Trumpet, Trombone, Synthesizer, Recorder, Euphonium, French Horn, Music, Keyboard

For the younger beginning students, I usually start with Alfred's Beginning Piano Series. Once the student has a grasp of the fundementals, I will begin introducing major and minor scales as well as solo repertoire. For my adult students I will see their level of ability and musical interests, find appropriate material based on their taste and formulate the lesson to include fun stuff as well as build proper mechanics.  For my horn lessons depending on the skill level I being with Essential Elements or the Arban book and build from there incorporating solos of the greats, and songs that they want to learn to play. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Euphonium, French Horn, Tuba

Music has been a big part of my life since I was in the third grade when I first joined the school choir. Eventually I migrated to playing Saxophone in middle school then to low brass in high school. After high school, I made the trombone my primary instrument, though I continued to play euphonium and tuba in college in various ensembles. I have had the opporunity to play all over the country including the Latin Jazz Grammys, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Central Avenue Jazz Festival, the IAJE conference, and for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). Read More

Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice, Violin, Cello, Viola, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Drums, Bass Guitar, Organ, Synthesizer, Harp, Accordion, Harmonica, Lap Steel Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Mandolin, Recorder, Lute, Electric Violin, Fiddle, Double Bass, Euphonium, French Horn, Tuba, Piccolo, Mallet Percussion, Orchestral Percussion, Shakuhachi, Oboe, Bassoon, English Horn, Conga, Latin Percussion, Keyboard, Electric Guitar, Djembe, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

Most recently Derek was the lead trombonist of the 2018 Disneyland All-American College Band. He has recently performed with Wayne Bergeron, Gordon Goodwin, Dave Holland, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Heath, Shaun Martin, Christian Jacob, John Beasley, Troy Roberts, Frank Greene, Brian Lynch, Jeff Jarvis, Steve Houghton, Jiggs Whigham, Sal Lozano, and John Clayton. Derek has had recent performances at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola, the Smithsonian Institute, and the New World Symphony. Read More

Instruments: Guitar, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass Guitar, Accordion, Double Bass, Euphonium, Tuba, Music, Keyboard, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

I seek to help a student to find their own inspiration in whatever genres and fields they find appropriate. I help students develop their own inner passion by bringing them to community events to provide musical examples outside of the curriculum that is necessary to improve skill level on all instruments. I seek to help students find what they are hearing and to give them the theory tools (scales, technical ability, chords, form, reading, etc...) to write it down or play it back. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet, Music

Learning an instrument is a skill that requires practice and dedication, but making music is something that anyone can do. My goal with each of my students is to encourage creativity and truth in music as an expression, and to provide the technical practices that can maximize their ability to express themselves through their instrument. I find that students who are inspired by their personal appreciation for music practice more and achieve higher, and my goal is to foster an environment of learning and exploration to help them find themselves. Read More