Education/ Teaching/ Workshops

In addition to working as a composer and conductor, I have done a lot of work as a guest lecturer, guest conductor, and private teacher. Whether you’re a professional musician/ensemble, an emerging talent, a collegiate/high school ensemble, a devoted hobbyist, or just beginning on your journey, I hold myself to a set of guidelines to bring you a personalized experience, encouragement of growth, and enjoyment of music. The most important of them are:

  • To teach a student how to eventually teach themself… and think for themself

  • To meet an ensemble or student where they are. This means acknowledging their best strengths, compassionately and gently targeting areas for improvement (we all have them), respecting what they want to learn or do, and being present to whatever may arise.

  • To begin with whatever music someone may love, and expand the musician’s horizons through the rich repertoire of music that’s out in the world in a (hopefully) organic matter.

If whoever I work with walks away with something positive- it could be a new skill, a sense of accomplishment, something they can apply to their daily life, inspiration to check out another composer’s music, an inspiration to create, a push to persevere through difficulties or a plateau, or even just a greater enjoyment of music… then I feel I’ve done my job.

 

  • Masterclasses/Lecturer

    I have been invited as a guest lecturer at several universities and high schools to speak about the craft and journey of a composer. I offer both in-person lectures as well as remote (via Zoom). Topics have included/can include: Creating a personal story with your music, the composition process, sketching music as a means to personal growth, the current New York big band scene, how to start your own big band (and what you should/shouldn’t do), coping with mental illness/psychological struggle while working as a musician, music as energy (and the healing potential it has), as well as insight into my own writing

  • Guest Conducting

    Over the last decade, I have been privileged to work with many ensembles outside of our own jazz orchestra, including professional ensembles, college jazz bands, and high school ensembles. I emphasize musicality/expression and offer fresh perspectives on hearing and approaching the music with the musicians I work with. I’ve been known to think “outside the box” when troubleshooting passages, convey musical concepts through visual imagery, and I’m determined to help musicians bring out the composer’s message as truthfully, clearly and beautifully as possible

  • One-on-One Lessons

    I offer composition, conducting, and piano lessons to students of all ages and levels. I have over a decade of private teaching experience, teaching anywhere from 10-20 students on a weekly basis. Musicians I have been fortunate to work with have ranged from composers who have had their pieces premiered by our own jazz orchestra (!), to professional composers seeking another set of ears for their works, to piano students learning rich music from composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel, to five year olds learning the layout of the piano for the first time, to adult students that are discovering (or rediscovering) their love of music and the piano! I take a holistic approach with piano students, incorporating theory, analysis, improvisation, composition (if desired), and body awareness (very important as a musician!), while also crafting a personal trajectory that acknowledges strengths, gently works on skills to be improved, and gears towards the goals of the student. And it doesn’t matter if you live in New York, Los Angeles, Europe, or even Australia; I offer lessons virtually via Zoom. I also offer in person lessons from my home in Boonton, NJ (approx. a 45 minute bus ride from NYC)