Experience Summary
In spring of 2008 I graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Music in jazz performance. During my time at ASU, I had the opportunity to work with many world-renowned educators and musicians; gaining valuable insight into the world of professional music performance. I have had experience teaching guitar and trombone privately in Arizona since 2004 in addition to playing and recording with well-known groups in the area. Music has also afforded me the opportunity to travel and in 2009, I was fortunate enough to be selected to compete in two jazz trombone competitions in Aarhus, Denmark as part of that year’s International Trombone Festival. I was also a contracted musician on a well-known cruise line for six months in 2010.
Teaching Style
I enjoy the challenge of teaching music to children and adults of all experience levels. As a teacher, I find that I constantly have to adapt my teaching style to accommodate different student’s needs. Musically, I encourage the student to go in whatever direction they like, but fundamentally I have strict guidelines that I motivate all my students to meet. For example, I support a student’s decision to learn to improvise a blues song, or play a melody from a symphony equally. I am well versed in all styles of music and feel I can provide them the necessary materials to explore and develop their preferred genre. However, in every lesson there is a strong focus on the foundation and form of playing the instrument.