Joy Of Movement Percussion Lessons
About
Since my childhood, I have felt a resonance with highly visual musical instruments. There is something freeing about learning precise and fluid motions that can create beautiful music on an instrument. I loved to watch piano players, percussionists, hand drummers, and drumset players because I could see a physical connection between their movements and the music they made.
I have a long history of playing percussion in various capacities and have experience in a range of settings, including symphony orchestra, percussion ensemble, steel pan band, jazz combo, British style brass band, opera, and marching band. I was immersed in training in Alexander Technique during college, which furthered my understanding and experience in how intention and movement relate to music.
I have been teaching since 2012, and I have experience teaching marching and concert percussion, reading music, and music theory to K-12 students.
I am open to working with students of all ages and can mold each lesson to the student's goals. It's important to me that all students feel supported in their lessons and are able to see the progress they are making. I hope to help them find joy and creative freedom through making music.
There are two main aspects of playing that stand out to me. I love the feeling of putting energy into an instrument and being able to feel and hear the sound coming out. The connection between mind and body becomes much more clear when I engage in making music.
I also enjoy being able to express myself through music and to share this experience with others through an audience-performer perspective or by playing together. I feel a meaningful connection with audience members, co-players, and students when we share music together.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Before beginning, I like to talk to the student about their past experience playing music and in what setting, if any, they have learned before (band class, private lessons, self taught, etc). I also want to get a feel for the student's general level of technique and musicality, so I may play through some basic exercises with them.
I discuss goals and what the student wants to get out of the lessons, which could be vague (become a more well rounded percussionist or become a better sightreader) or more specific (select and prepare materials for a school audition or focus on solo repertoire on a single instrument).
From there, I can help select materials to focus on in order to make progress toward the student's goals.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I began with piano lessons in elementary school, and began to study percussion in middle school. I played throughout middle and high school, and I participated in district bands, music camps, and competitive marching band and percussion ensemble while continuing private percussion lessons.
In college, I got further experience in many settings, including symphony orchestra, jazz combo, steel pan band, marching band, brass band, Afro-Cuban ensemble, Tabla ensemble, and solo percussion. Since graduating, I have been learning to play the hammered dulcimer. I have taught in high school marching bands for 7 years and have experience teaching middle and elementary school aged students in this past year.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
For those able to pay, I charge $25 for a 30 minute lesson and $40 for an hour lesson.
I recognize that this is not possible for all students, and I am open to negotation if a student is unable to meet the costs. I greatly value what learning music can do for a student, and I do not want anyone to be turned away because of the cost. Please let me know your situation, and we can work something out.
How did you get started teaching?
I had an interest in teaching after taking lessons for a few years, and I started to sit in with former teachers and observe how they taught. At that time, I was most interested in marching band music, so I started working with a local high school in their early season.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have the most experience teaching various percussion instruments as well as music theory to high school students. I have some experience teaching percussion in middle school, and I have worked with elementary school students learning to read music and begin playing percussion.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
It is valuable to have some idea of what you want to get out of lessons so that your teacher can better help your unique learning style. However, it's perfectly alright to have no idea of what your goals are as long as you are open to discussing it with your teacher and coming to a consensus on what to focus on.
The most important advice I have is to be open to new experiences in learning and playing, and you may discover a whole musical world you've never thought about before.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Some questions I would suggest thinking about before lessons are:
Why is it important for me to take lessons?
What would I like to be doing with music a month from now? 6 months? A year?
What other musical activities might I like to be involved in?
What instrument(s) do I want to learn or better my skill?
What style(s) of music do I like, and which do I want to learn?
Who are some musicians I admire and may like to emulate?