Approach

My approach to teaching comes from a background in songwriting, production, improvisation and performance. My formal years in studying traditional and classical music have given me technique, the means to become a fluid and dynamic performer. Studying jazz and improvised music has shown me how to be expressive, giving me the means to communicate emotion, environment, or an idea into sound. Songwriting and producing have given me agency to write, arrange and record an idea, from start to finish. 

I like to incorporate all of these elements into my lessons. Whether you want to take continuous lessons or just one to a few lessons, we can develop a path that works for you. In lessons, I like to do a hybrid approach of formal training, note reading and technique as well as accompaniment, songwriting and improvisation. Depending on your goals, we can ebb in one direction or the other. 

This comprehensive approach looks different for every student depending on their goals. If it’s learning a song it could involve any of these approaches: listening to the song together, picking apart the different instruments and sections, learning one or all sections, playing the song together, discussing the melody, harmony, rhythm, accompaniment and other techniques used in the song, practicing any of these techniques out of context from the song, improvising creating melodies or accompaniment on the song, and composing something using any one of the elements in the song. There’s so much to unpack in just one song! 

Piano

Playing piano for 30 years has given me a breadth of experience, performing music by Debussy, Bartok, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Alice Coltrane, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Roberta Flack, Burt Bacharach, Erykah Badu, Coldplay, Frank Ocean, Adele and everything in between. While playing in jazz combos taught me how to be an active lead voice, touring in bands taught me how to be a supportive voice. On piano we can learn to “sing”, interact, accompany oneself or others, read music, improvise, communicate musical ideas, play texturally, and any other curiosity you may have.

Drums

My earliest experiences playing drums are playing along with my dad. He would show me a beat, I would learn it as best I could, and we would play together. This immersion into playing music immediately was one of the best musical experiences I’ve had. I eventually started playing drums in rock and punk bands, then studied with a couple teachers for a short time. The hands-on learning approach I had worked well and it’s something I like to use with my students, while learning fundamentals along the way. We can learn time, feel, independence, dynamics, fills, grooves, how to arrange a drum part, how to support other musicians and how to solo within a band or play alone.

Composition & Songwriting

I began writing and recording music in high school, when I realized I could. I recorded my band's first 2 albums of music we wrote together on a Fostex 4-track cassette recorder. I started writing my own music eventually recording on the first computer I got right before college. Without a band in college, I spent a lot of time alone writing and recording. I spent years writing music by myself both on and off the computer and with bands. When I moved to LA, I started writing professionally for projects I wasn’t in. Writing and recording has become a passion of mine and I incorporate a bit of it into all lessons. In songwriting and composition lessons we can deconstruct music, studying the melody, harmony, lyrics and textures used to make any given recording, identify the elements that are impactful, explore what moves you in music, and how to develop a “voice” compositionally. We’ll write using exercises I’ve developed to explore all the different possibilities of songwriting and composition. I can also be a guide for songs you may have already written. Composition and songwriting lessons are not instrument specific.

Lessons in piano, drums, composition and songwriting are designed to accommodate all styles, interests, and abilities. I can meet you wherever you are in your musical journey, from experienced players interested in pursuing a career in music, to hobbyists who enjoy playing music, to absolute beginners who’ve never played a note of music in their life! 

If you’re interested or have questions, feel free to contact me using the form on this page.