Cameron Ghahremani- Trumpet Instructor
About
Since his arrival in Los Angeles, Dr. Cameron Ghahremani has performed on a variety of shows and orchestral performances. He has worked with professional bands accompanying multiple musical productions with the American Musical and Dramatic Arts Academy, Cupcake Studios and Musical Theatre West. In addition, he has performed with the San Diego Symphony, Golden State Pops Orchestra, and the acclaimed contemporary chamber orchestra, Kaleidoscope. While a member of the selective Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Cameron has shared the stage with such world-class guest artists as Maria Schneider, Dawn Upshaw, Rafael Padron, Ben Folds, and HMI's new artistic director, James Newton Howard. The HMI Orchestra was part of the University of Miami's Frost School of Music where Cameron received the Doctorate of Musical Arts for Trumpet Performance. At Frost, Cameron was awarded a teaching assistantship where he conducted private lessons and coached the Frost Trumpet Ensemble which reached the semi-finals in the National Trumpet Competition for both years and won 2nd place for Large Division in 2015. During his time in Miami, Cameron performed with prestigious musical ensembles such as the New World Symphony, Miami Symphony, and Orchestra Miami. Additionally, he was brass instructor at the Miami Conservatory of Music, teaching brass students of all ages. Prior to Miami, Cameron studied at the McGill University's Schulich School of Music in Montreal, where he received a Master's degree in Orchestral Performance. During that time, he studied extensively with acclaimed contemporary pedagogue, Ed Carroll. In his first year at McGill, Cameron was invited to attend the Royal Northern College of Music Festival in the United Kingdom. In Manchester, he played in concert with RNCM's top brass students and solo performed in a masterclass conducted by legendary virtuoso Håkan Hardenberger. Cameron began his collegiate studies at the Eastman School of Music where he studied with pedagogue James Thompson. While at Eastman, he performed with Musica Nova under Bradley Lubman, the Eastman Philharonia under Neil Varon, and the Eastman Wind Ensemble under Mark Davis Scatterday. Upon receiving his Bachelor's in Performance, Cameron was awarded the Sidney Mear Trumpet Prize as recognition for his achievements throughout his undergraduate degree. Cameron is currently an instructor at the San Marino Music Center in Pasadena and is working as a freelance trumpet player in Los Angeles.
DEGREES, STUDIES and AFFILIATIONS:
Doctor of Musical Arts, Trumpet Performance, University of Miami - Frost School of Music, 2016
Master of Music, Orchestral Trumpet Performance, McGill University - Schulich School of Music, 2013
Bachelor of Music, Trumpet Performance, University of Rochester - Eastman School of Music, 2009
Highlights
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I try to first establish what the goals of the student are. If they are interested in a particular genre, I focus on assigning them the repertoire that will keep them involved with that style. Once we have established that, I look for different approaches to help them develop their fundamental approach to their instrument. There are multiple avenues in attaining proficiency in the trumpet and there is no one way to getting better. Sometimes it just takes a certain combination of words or approaches before a student suddenly has a moment of epiphany which is what I strive for in each lesson.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have received my Doctorate in Musical Performance for trumpet and have performed with multiple professional ensembles. For further information, my biography outlines my education and performance history.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My standard rate is 30 for half an hour and 50 for an hour lesson. For students interested in longer lessons than that, my rates are open to negotiation based on length.
How did you get started teaching?
I was awarded a teaching assistantship at the University of Miami where I taught college level students privately. I was also hired as brass instructor at the Miami Conservatory, teaching students as young as six years old.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have enountered a long range of students, from the most attentive to some who tend to lose focus throughout the lesson. I've always found its important to appeal to their ambitions and their goals to keep them engaged. I believe that the burden really is on the teacher rather than the student no matter how much they daydream.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I had a student who became very frustrated with a "wall" in their playing. They were struggling with a technical issue while we were working on repertoire and they couldn't seem to overcome it. I told them for that lesson we would take a step back, focus really only on this and we began to workshop. We went through several different approaches until he suddenly performed the technique with ease. It was like a lightswitch and he got extremely excited. It was one of those moments that make me continue to focus on teaching as a profession.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I would say to make a list of essential requirements of that teacher. Have they had experience teaching your level of trumpet playing, Do they have experience in the type of repertoire and methods that you'd like to learn, and do they have a record of employment they can give references for. A lesson is both a big chunk of time and also is an expense, and these criteria are an important baseline for hiring someone.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Why did I choose the trumpet?
What level am I?
Am I playing for fun or looking to start the path towards higher education in the future?
What type of music do I really want to play?
What am I struggling to progress with as both an instrumentalist and as a musician?
What methods do I know, and which methods would I like to learn?
What type of dynamic would I like in a lesson? (fun, work-intensive, experimental, or a mixture of all of these)