Teaching Philosophy

My goal as a teacher is to create confident flute-players, creative-thinkers, and masters of practicing. A student who learns to practice efficiently carries these problem-solving skills throughout all areas of their life. When my students make a mistake, the reaction is not.. “You made a mistake! You must not have practiced! That was awful!” Instead, the reaction is, “How fascinating! Why did we make that mistake? How do you think we can fix it?” My students learn to take ownership of their unique processes of learning and become more resilient to failure and making mistakes. The phrase “practice makes perfect” is altered to “practice makes permanent.” It matters just as much what we learn at home as it does in our weekly lesson!

Every student is provided a lesson plan developed specifically to their needs. I work to ensure that each of my students receives thorough training in the following areas:

Fundamentals: Tone, Technique, Vibrato, Articulation, Breathing, Posture, Dynamics, and Intonation
Phrasing: Crafting the perfect phrase, allowing for ideal communication of expression
Repertoire: A balanced mix of repertoire from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary eras. Some Jazz, Pop, and World music may be incorporated also.
Solo Performance Skills: Students will practice performance skills in Studio Recitals, and some may also be involved in competitions or auditions.
Ensemble Skills: Duets, Chamber Music, or music from Band/Orchestra
Basic Music Theory/Aural Skills Training: Beginners will be able to recognize basic notes and rhythms. Advanced students will learn to read scores, understand basic chord structures, forms, and harmonies.