Voice Lessons in Virginia Beach, VA

Instruments: Trumpet

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Set goals for each practice session that coincide with your long-term goals. Be clear about what you wish to accomplish so you can have a better understanding of what needs to be done to reach these goals. Writing down your goals, long-term and short-term, can help this process along. This can lay a structural foundation to any practice routine. Breaking a big goal into smaller, more realistic goals allows for a pathway to be paved for success. You will then be better able to enter a practice session more confident and efficient.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Children are curious by nature. If they show a strong interest in music and have been for some time now, I think that is a good indication that they would do well starting music lessons. If a child in elementary, middle, or high school shows interest in learning a new instrument or further developing their skill set of music, outside music lessons are perfect for them! Depending on the age of your child, talk with them about music and ask them how it makes them feel. If music creates a positive experience for them, music lessons could be a good outlet for them.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I had a marvelous music teacher that is a large reason for my accomplishments in music thus far. She was my middle school band teacher who was brand new to the school. She took me under her wing and truly nurtured my love of music. Before her, I was ready to give up trumpet all together. She was the one that re-ignited the passion I have for music. She made me feel so good about music and showed me how music can connect to so many people. She believed in me when I lost hope. She continued to see my potential and allowed me to see that deep within myself. Because of her, I decided to continue my studies of music beyond high school and achieve a Bachelors degree and Masters degree in music.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
This is quite a funny story actually. In the 4th grade, every student had the opportunity to choose a wind instrument and play in band. The band teacher brought a 6th grade student for each instrument of the band in to my 4th grade classroom to talk about the instrument and demonstrate what each instrument sounded like. Flute and clarinet were among the most popular of the instrument choices. When the trumpet was introduced and demonstrated, it was different, unique, and had a one-of-a-kind sound. All of my other female classmates were choosing flute and clarinet, while I prompted to go with my gut and choose the trumpet. I decided to go the path less traveled by, and it has made all the difference.

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