STUDIO MISSION:
To empower and equip Students
so that they can enjoy
musical independence with
excellence
EMPOWER
I believe that every student is capable of achieving excellence in music, and the only thing that can hold them back is their own commitment and determination. I do not believe that every child is born with a fixed amount of talent that predetermines how musically skilled they can become in their life. Because of this, I will never discriminate against a student based on their perceived talent.
Research on the brain and studies in the science of expertise prove that one’s intelligence and potential are not fixed, but instead can be expanded and developed through consistent, systematic, and rigorous effort. It is my goal to empower students with this knowledge to create their musical potential and take responsibility for their music education. My primary purpose is to empower students to set big goals for themselves and believe that they have the ability to achieve them.
EQUIP
The field of music is complex and studying an instrument involves learning specific technique that is not always intuitive at the outset, and therefore difficult to learn without the guidance of a skilled teacher.
My goal as a teacher is to first, introduce the concepts and skills needed to learn the instrument in a logical and timely sequence, reinforcing and building upon them over time. Secondly, I will work with the student to explore their personal musical message and challenge them to discover how they want to use music to express themselves artistically. Finally, I will give the student a structured plan to achieve their goals, including individualized strategies that they can use in their personal practice time.
Many of the values and skills that I want to install in my students are not specific to music, and can be applied to any pursuit. Some examples of these values include:
• Consistent hard work and continual growth
• Learning to think critically to solve problems
• Setting goals and making plans to achieve one’s goals
Learning these skills will follow students throughout their lives and enhance their pursuits, both musical and non-musical.
After empowering students to set goals, I will equip them with personalized, practical tools to achieve them, providing accountability and support along the way, and helping them overcome the problems and difficulties they will face.
ENJOYMENT
The ultimate goal of learning any instrument is personal enjoyment, which includes the joy of sharing one’s musical ability with others through public and private performance.
It is important to understand that not every aspect of learning an instrument is enjoyable. In fact, most of it looks a lot like hard work and tackling technical problems that sometimes seem impossible. The joy and fulfillment of playing an instrument comes when you realize that your current level of skill is based on a rich and varied history of encountering problems and solving them, being discouraged and overcoming it, and remaining committed to your goals despite negative external circumstances.
Because musical tastes vary from person to person, it is my goal as a teacher to work with each student to find the music that they most enjoy to play and incorporate it into their curriculum along with more traditional pedagogical repertoire.
Learning an instrument requires balancing fun and hard work, never losing sight of the end goal, and working hard to overcome technical difficulties that give you the freedom to express yourself musically.
MUSICAL INDEPENDENCE
Though it is my greatest joy to accompany my students through their musical journey, the culmination of my teaching is to help students achieve musical independence. This means that they have learned all the necessary skills and concepts, and are equipped with tools and strategies to continue learning and solving problems on their own.
EXCELLENCE
While people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy music and may at some point be interested in learning an instrument, I limit myself to teaching only those who are committed to pursuing excellence on their instrument. This includes children and teenagers, young adults, and middle-agers, seniors, and retirees who want music to play an important part of their lives, whether as a career or a serious hobby. I do not limit my teaching to age, but to commitment.