Music brings out the best

I believe that music can represent the absolute best of humanity, and I have seen it bridge gaps between people like few other things can.

When I was young, I wanted to be able to make the beautiful music I discovered in...
As a teacher, I value a certain degree of flexibility in my approach. I believe each student is unique, and has unique interests. If lessons are to be something rewarding, what the student gets out of the lessons should coincide with what he or she values. A one size fits all approach won't do.

I am a classically trained musician, and my expertise lies in classical music (Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, etc.). As part of my teaching regimen (which includes reading music, of course), I include an emphasis on improvisation skills and ear training. Improvising is a valuable skill that is unfortunately neglected in the classical world. A student that can improvise...