Now accepting new students! Please call 503-313-9398 to arrange a time.

Instruction in Clarinet, Saxophone, and Flute.

All ages/levels are welcome!

Bachelor of Music degree from University of Denver Lamont School of Music, 1993

20+ years of private teaching experience

Emphasis on Jazz Improvisation, a "Whole Brain" approach

& Performance Anxiety/Stage Fright coaching

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How much will lessons cost me?

A: Tuition is $25 per half hour, billed monthly. Most months have four weeks in them, so I charge $100 per month. For months with 5 lesson days instead of four, the monthly tuition is still only $100 per month. (it's like getting an extra lesson for free every few months!)

Q: Where and when do the lessons take place?

A: Mondays I teach from my home studio (the address is at the top of this page) and Tuesdays I teach at Beaverton Music, 12630 SW First Street, Beaverton OR, 97005. Weekly lesson times will be between the hours of 3:00pm to 8:00pm. At this time I am not available to teach any days except Mondays and Tuesdays.

Q: Is there an age limit?

A: At the younger end, I typically don't start students any younger than age 10. This is for a variety of reasons; mainly physical limitations: I have learned over the years that most kids' fingers aren't big enough to cover the tone holes of a clarinet until they're about 10 years old, also their breathing muscles aren't developed sufficiently to force enough air through the instrument. Having said that, there are always exceptions; if you think your son/daughter is exceptional for his/her age, we can do a few lessons on a trial basis - I don't like to turn anyone away if there's a chance they're going to really shine!

Q: How much of a time commitment do you expect from students?

A: Keep in mind that learning a musical instrument is a skill that takes lots and lots of practice. Beginning/Intermediate Students should be spending at least 30 minutes a day, each and every day. Advanced students are required to practice at least an hour a day. Think of it as homework; I see each student for exactly half an hour a week, for one day a week; the other 6 days of the week students are on their own to work on lesson assignments. The only way any student is going to improve is by steady repetition every day.

Resources

Choosing a Saxophone Mouthpiece Your mouthpiece is one of the most important tools in developing your sound as a player. Just as every mouth is different, there are many different mouthpieces out there to choose from. Here's an essay with some guidelines for how to choose the right one for you.

Saxophone Fingering Chart: From Ken Gekeler's saxophone method book; I like it because it's concise and easy to read and fits on a single page.

Saxophone Tone Matching exercises: Develops tone quality using the concept of alternating between natural and harmonic fingerings on the same notes

Clarinet Tone Studies: Develops clarinet tone quality through a series of exercises in low, middle and high registers

Clarinet Warm-up page
Bass Clarinet Warm-up page
Saxophone Warm-up page

Tongueing Exercise: develops consistent sound and air through repetitive tonguing. Start out by practicing these at a steady tempo that's comfortable for sixteenth notes; gradually increase the tempo as you work.

Diminished Arpeggios 1Clarinet
Diminished Arpeggios 1 Sax
Diminished Arpeggios 2 Clarinet
Diminished Arpeggios 2 Sax

ii-V7-I arpeggio study: arpeggios in ii-V7-I pattern in every key

5 Principles of Phrasing in Improvisation