Private Clarinet / Flute / Saxophone Lessons

About

Whether you are a beginner, a student trying to get a competitive edge, or an adult hobbyist, I can tailor private instruction to your needs.

You have many options for teachers out there. Choose carefully. You should not trust a résumé alone. I used to take lessons from the principal player of a major orchestra. Obviously, a great player. He turned out to be a terrific guy and a terrible teacher.

The same applies to degrees from famous music schools. Just because someone went to a great school does not mean they will automatically be a great teacher. And here's another thing to consider. Many graduates who teach right out of college do it for the money, not because they have a passion, or any particular insight for teaching.

The bottom line here is that playing well and teaching well do not go hand in hand. You should be looking for someone who is certainly competent on their instrument(s) but, more importantly, committed to teaching. Someone who takes the individual problems of each student into consideration and adjusts their methods accordingly. There is no one magic way to teach since everyone learns in different ways and at different speeds.

Now, for my credentials. In brief:

I have taught privately for almost 30 years at Sunset Music in the San Francisco. I am a member of the California Music Educators Association and the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP). I have been playing all the members of the clarinet, saxophone, and flute families for over 40 years. I've played with the California, Napa, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and Oakland Symphonies, West Bay Opera, West Edge Opera, Beach Blanket Babylon, TheatreWorks, Woodminster, American Musical Theater of San Jose, The Willows, other regional theaters, and the Oakland Municipal Park Band. I also regularly play many of the productions at 42nd St. Moon Theater. I've enjoyed playing with Ray Charles, The Temptations, Kevin Spacey, Beatlemania, Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis, Della Reese, Isaac Hayes, and the Don Ellis Alumni Band.

Lessons are one-on-one and I treat each student's goals independently, adjusting my instruction to the needs of each student. All students get a solid foundation in the fundamentals which they can apply to any music style. Advanced students will get more attention on interpretation and stylistic matters. Music theory is also integrated into the instruction as it applies to your instrument and goals.

Lessons are weekly at the rate of $65/hr., $50/45 min., or $35/half-hour.

Please feel free to call with any questions you may have.