I Can Teach You
I saw the lightbulb look for the first time when I was 16, helping a friend of mine get a better sound out of his trumpet. When I did, after two weeks of trying, everything in my life was clear, in an instant. All dreams of being a paleontologist faded, and I knew that teaching music was what I wanted to do in the universe more than anything else. Since then I've taught music in just about every context imaginable, as a band director, private teacher, camp coach, guest clinician and conductor, and even to a random passerby at a Renaissance Faire. I am available for any music instruction you might need, and I am currently looking for another full time band directing position. Please get in touch.
Services Offered
- Classroom instruction-I am a fully credentialed music teacher with two years of classroom experience, a year of substitute experience, and approximately 15 years of private and small group experience. I have strong letters of recommendation, a great work ethic, and a high energy, student focused, enthusiastic approach to instruction. My primary experience is with junior high age students, but I welcome any position.
- Private instruction, instrumental, on all brass instruments, trumpet, trombone, euphonoium/baritone horn, french horn, and tuba. I have played and taught all of these instruments professionally, and I cover all aspects of musicianship, including tone quality, care and maintanence, repitoire, range, and improvisation. I welcome all ability and age levels, from young beginners to experienced adults.
- Private instruction, theory, for any musician or aspiring musician. I offer comprehensive lessons in music theory regardless of experience or knowledge level, including basic music reading in all clefs, chord structure and notation, functional harmony, figured bass realization, and basic composition. As with instrumental students, I welcome all age and ability levels.
- Small group instruction-I am available to teach at your music camp or event!
- Guest clinician and guest conducting-I love to work with bands and ensembles, and I love to conduct. I will be happy to work with your school or community concert band, jazz band, orchestra, or chamber ensemble on any musical issues they may have, including style, tone, intonation, or conduct.
Selected Previous Positions
- Director Of Bands, Cottonwood & Hamilton Schools (Hemet Unified), 2008-2009 In this position I built two band programs essentially from zero to being full featured concert bands, with active booster clubs at both schools and strong coordination with our successor high school. My students, all fourth through eighth graders and generally fourth and fifth graders, went from almost all beginners to playing easy high school music, all in about a semester.
- Director Of Bands, Columbia Middle School (Adelanto School District), 2007-2008 In this position I built a band program essentially from zero to being a full featured concert and pep band, with an active booster club, and I was responsible for directing approximately $100,000 worth of purchasing via an allotment from a California arts grant.
- Guest conductor, Vineyard Middle School, 2011-I was the guest conductor for this fine middle school group, under the direction of Eric Evans, for their end of year concert.
- Guest clinician, Corvalis Middle School, 2011-I was a guest clinician for this excellent middle school orchestra and band program, under the direction of David Yamamoto, in April of 2011.
- Volunteer brass coach, Valley View High School (Moreno Valley Unified)-I currently assist this up and coming high school program under the direction of Loren Gamarra. Aside from general work with the band at large, I have been largely responsible for the instruction of his beginning students.
- Volunteer brass coach, Temple Intermediate (Rosemead, CA), Vineyard Middle (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), and Lone Hill Intermediate (San Dimas, CA) schools-I volunteered for these schools during the 2010-2011 school year and worked with their excellent young musicians on, among other things, sight reading, tone production, and professionalism. These schools are directed by George Woo, Eric Evans, and Kelly Leyva respectively.