Pedagogical Philosophy

After years of studying with some of the best performers and pedagogues in the tuba and euphonium community, I have been inspired to teach the next generation. It has instilled me with many viewpoints about music and about the profession we call music. I have distilled those inspirations into my own unique pedagogy and approach. 

My main inspiration is that I want all of my students to be independent, thinking, and feeling musicians. I want them to create their own voice from knowledge and study. Applying all aspects of the music curriculum to lessons, such as music theory and musicology, allows students to create informed decisions about the music they perform. I want my students to be competitive in any market they choose to pursue. Music is no longer just about the concert hall; I want my students to be at the forefront of the upcoming market. 

I will ask students to learn and perfect all basic techniques needed for a modern brass player. From there, we will expand the basic techniques into necessary modern brass techniques, and finally finish with the extended techniques needed for modern brass players. The use of etude books, orchestral repertoire, solo repertoire, taught exercises, and a fundamental routine will accomplish this that will be done every day. I expect students to show improvement on a daily, weekly, and monthly level. The expectation and evaluation for every student will hinge on their own improvement level. Every student has different needs and different levels and rates of achievement. Therefore, each student will be evaluated separately and with personal expectations.