Teaching Philosophy
As an applied flute instructor, I strive to create a supportive environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and self-sufficiency within all students. Using a combination of established pedagogical methods, innovative teaching techniques, and diverse repertoire, I tailor my approach to help my students reach their musical and professional potential.
While I have unifying benchmarks for fundamentals for all of my students, what they learn beyond these benchmarks is largely customized to their interests and goals. Etudes and solo repertoire are chosen collaboratively — I present options to students based on which skills they need to reinforce or learn, and students choose from these. This helps me guide students and build their skills in a sequential manner while giving some autonomy in their study. My students are better equipped to build sustainable practice habits and have successful, enjoyable performances because they are allowed some autonomy in selecting their repertoire. Another area of interest to me is helping students avoid and overcome injury and anxiety. Due to my own history with injury and subsequent work with personal trainers and Feldenkrais practitioners, I work with students to optimize their posture, breathing, and hand placement to facilitate comfortable playing and improved tone. I give students ample opportunity to perform and implement centering strategies in lessons, studio classes, and recitals to help them overcome barriers to having a successful and enjoyable performance.
A core element of my teaching is progressive exercises that enable students to understand and master their tone and technical facility. Philippe Bernold’s Technique de l’Embouchure, Marcel Moyse’s De la Sonorite, and Paul Taffanel and Philippe Gaubert’s 17 Grands Exercices Journaliers de Mecanisme are a sampling of the most impactful studies that are foundational to students’ development. Additional work with body awareness and contemporary techniques, such as singing and playing, fluttertonguing, and harmonics, further augments students’ understanding of projection and resonance of tone. Creative rhythmic, segmenting, and music reading activities help students overcome technical plateaus. Mastery of tone and technical facility empowers my students to find creativity, enjoyment, and freedom in their playing.
In over two decades of teaching, I have taught an impressively diverse population of students. Trained in the Suzuki Method, I embrace the philosophy that “every child can”. With the term “child” being interchangeable for “student”, I have guided students from all ages, abilities, ambitions, and backgrounds in developing their confidence in their own ability to learn new skills and enjoy life through their studies on flute. The successes of my students demonstrates that the adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking skills cultivated over their course of study have far-reaching applications across various professions.
While I have unifying benchmarks for fundamentals for all of my students, what they learn beyond these benchmarks is largely customized to their interests and goals. Etudes and solo repertoire are chosen collaboratively — I present options to students based on which skills they need to reinforce or learn, and students choose from these. This helps me guide students and build their skills in a sequential manner while giving some autonomy in their study. My students are better equipped to build sustainable practice habits and have successful, enjoyable performances because they are allowed some autonomy in selecting their repertoire. Another area of interest to me is helping students avoid and overcome injury and anxiety. Due to my own history with injury and subsequent work with personal trainers and Feldenkrais practitioners, I work with students to optimize their posture, breathing, and hand placement to facilitate comfortable playing and improved tone. I give students ample opportunity to perform and implement centering strategies in lessons, studio classes, and recitals to help them overcome barriers to having a successful and enjoyable performance.
A core element of my teaching is progressive exercises that enable students to understand and master their tone and technical facility. Philippe Bernold’s Technique de l’Embouchure, Marcel Moyse’s De la Sonorite, and Paul Taffanel and Philippe Gaubert’s 17 Grands Exercices Journaliers de Mecanisme are a sampling of the most impactful studies that are foundational to students’ development. Additional work with body awareness and contemporary techniques, such as singing and playing, fluttertonguing, and harmonics, further augments students’ understanding of projection and resonance of tone. Creative rhythmic, segmenting, and music reading activities help students overcome technical plateaus. Mastery of tone and technical facility empowers my students to find creativity, enjoyment, and freedom in their playing.
In over two decades of teaching, I have taught an impressively diverse population of students. Trained in the Suzuki Method, I embrace the philosophy that “every child can”. With the term “child” being interchangeable for “student”, I have guided students from all ages, abilities, ambitions, and backgrounds in developing their confidence in their own ability to learn new skills and enjoy life through their studies on flute. The successes of my students demonstrates that the adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking skills cultivated over their course of study have far-reaching applications across various professions.