Voice Lessons in Washougal, WA

Instruments: Piano Voice Synthesizer Keyboard

My desire is to bring your musical goals into focus through education and creative participation. I believe piano instruction should be geared to the student, fun and casual, yet challenging and inspiring. I also believe patience and encouragement are essentials to a great lesson experience. I teach sight-reading, music theory, improvisation and notation, and I'm comfortable in many styles, including classical, pop and rock. You will gain skills for ensemble playing, writing your own music, or simply playing for your personal enjoyment. Read More

Instruments: Voice Saxophone Clarinet

I'm a musician first and foremost.  This means that it is not my 'job', it is my life!  The first concert that I produced was when I was 16 years old, and it featured the legendary jazz clarinetist Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd.  Since that time, I have been performing, conducting, producing concerts, composing music and teaching students.  I have performed with a wide variety of classical and jazz and pop musicians: from The Brubeck Brothers, Diane Schuur, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Melissa Manchester; to the Oregon String Quartet and Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Read More

Instruments: Voice

I believe that every style can and should be approached with appropriate traditional technique. My students focus on learning to use their whole body as their instrument with proper breathing, posture, and diction. Once great technique is learned, you can use this knowledge for any style and maintain a healthy voice. With each new student we discuss to make sure I know their goals and what they would like to gain from studying the voice. Read More

Instruments: Voice Flute

For beginning Flute students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements.  Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their firset recital performance.  For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Voice

While I sometimes recommend rep for certain students, I like to begin with songs that are meaningful to them, provided that I see no way it could be harmful to their voice. If the student feels insecure (all too common of a problem) I try to help them feel relaxed and comfortable while boosting their confidence. I believe that finding one's voice can have powerful implications in other areas of life. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice

Each student is at a different level, and therefore requires different teaching methods. I like to implement the Hanon exercises for scales and warm-ups, also focusing on things like scales and arpeggios. For the guitar, I like to incorporate these concepts with chordal exercises as well, such as playing progressions to let the student's fingers grow accustomed to their forms. I then let the student tell me what his or her focus is, such as theoretical, classical, or popular. Read More