Voice Lessons in Washington, DC

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Bass Guitar Organ Music Keyboard

My approach seeks to breathe air under the wings of the students' interest and attention by making them a constant starting point, while also laying the groundwork of introspection for students to develop and apply their own practices of learning, exploration, and innovation going forward. My teaching methods focus on considering embodied experiences of music, as well as a range of philosophical considerations. Students will be encouraged to think about how feelings, subjectivities, sounds, and spaces interact in complex ways, along with a series of other metaphysical questions that I believe are essential to a holistic praxis of understanding and learning music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

As far as books go, I prefer the Hal Leonard method, especially for beginner musicians. I combine visual, audio and kinesthetic learning methods to tailor to anyone's needs. After the basics are taught or they're already learned, I assess the student's level and teach the student what they wish to learn to the best of my ability. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

When I work with children, however, I focus primarily on ear training and music theory, knowing that those skills will help them out so much more as adult musicians than prematurely trying to learn advanced techniques. In voices lessons with children, I limit my technique-talk to breathing and vowels. (Of course, for those kids who have no concept of what their head voice is, we work on that, too.)Other than that, we focus heavily on solfge, learning to read music, developing a sense of rhythm and internal pulse, and other musicianship skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Music Keyboard

I find the process of exploring music and finding solutions together with my students to be intensely uplifting and meaningful, since, as mentioned earlier, each musical soul is unique. While I set clear standards of excellence, I am also patient with all levels and abilities. Indeed, teaching beginners (including adults) is a special passion of mine. A typical lesson will include warm-ups, scales, arpeggios and etudes, followed by detailed work on repertory pieces. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar

The most satisfying moment as a teacher is when a student finally "gets it", and for students, I find that lessons are the most fun when the student feels capable and not overwhelmed. I like to challenge my students and encourage them to exceed even their own expectations of their abilities. With this in mind, my overall teaching philosophy emphasizes gaining technical mastery over the student's chosen instrument, strong music reading and theory skills, along with creativity and improvisation to turn them into well rounded players who can hold their own in just about any music setting from the stage to the studio. Read More

Instruments: Voice Music

As a performing singer I have been very fortunate to have performed in many of the great concert halls of the world, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Centre, The Barbican and the Royal Albert Hall in London. I have also sung Countertenor roles with many opera companies in the USA and the UK. As a professional choral singer, I was a member of the full time choir at Windsor Castle, England, for 4 years, where I performed in many tours, recordings and royal events. Read More