Students can have many diverse needs, and it is the role of a teacher to deliver information effectively while maintaining an equitable and inclusive environment. My belief is that the content of this instruction should encourage curiosity and a drive for improvement outside of time spent together. I enjoy the challenge of determining what teaching techniques work best for each student and building them up from there. I tell my students that our goal is never perfection, but always improvement, and hold them to healthy standards that we discuss and establish together periodically. This includes intensity of instruction, preparation standards, short-, mid-, and long-term goals, and organizational/work-life balance skills. I challenge students to think critically, incorporating additional subjects such as music theory, aural skills, and technology into how they think about a given piece of music.
My instruction has a strong focus on breathing pedagogy and bodily awareness for practical application. Beyond a technical understanding of performance, it is important a student develops an understanding of musicality as well. I liken performing an instrument to acting, where the main goal is to convince the audience of your interpretation of the music. Through a well-informed imagination, it is the job of all musicians, either solo or collaborative, to communicate a vivid and colorful idea. It is through emphasizing both technical and artistic instruction that I teach students to be well-rounded, well-informed, and independent musicians both as individuals and in the ensemble setting.
