Teaching Philosophy

Growing up without private lessons and being a result of the LAUSD public school system, I am largely self-taught. I was given the advice in middle school to play as wide a variety of music as possible and I really took that to heart. At lunch and nutrition, you always could find me in the band room practicing, or more accurately, fooling around and sight reading anything I could get my hands on.

In middle school, I would scrounge around the music cabinets and in high school I would search for music on the internet. From playing out of the real book to reading method books front to back like a chapter book, I’ve read a lot, and I pride myself on being a player that can do a bit of everything. A goal of mine is to show my students everything the trombone has to offer, while also catering lessons towards their interests.

However in order to make music, I believe in consistent practice in technique. Technique can often feel overwhelming and monotonous at times and I understand. To avoid this, I always make sure technique is relevant for actual music, either currently being worked on or for a goal piece in the future. Fundamentals give players the freedom and flexibility to play the music they want to play.

From being a section leader/principal trombonist in middle school, high school, and college, I can teach many different skill levels. I understand that music is highly abstract to most people, but with thoughtful and precise analogies, I aim to create good habits in a natural and memorable way. For examples of my teaching style, feel free to look at my teaching packets in the free resources tab, which I often use with my high school students to teach major ideas.

I always want to make music less daunting and more accessible, and I hope my website reflects that.