Learn what makes your brain click
Growing up with two professors as parents, I have always held education in high regard. Whether your goal is to become a professional musician or just to have fun making music, I believe that a strong musical education is key for a person to learn who they really are and how their brains like to work.
Play what you want when you want
I am a strong believer in having a strong fundamental foundation to build your playing on. Just like with language, musicians must be fluent on their instrument. This is achieved through the regular practice of scales and other simple patterns. I create a short fundamental routine for each of my students tailored to their abilities and goals. I begin most lessons covering an aspect of these routines, and often change them lesson to lesson to help the student grow.
To be a well rounded musician, aspiring trombonists must study études and solos. Depending on level, I will provide the student with etudes and solos that both interest them and push them to grow. All students will also be encouraged to explore improvisation, as it is the true test to see how connected your ears are to the instrument. If a student is more interested in playing Jazz than Classical music, their routine, études, and solos will be tailored to those goals.
What we’ll be working on
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Students can expect to be guided into a routine that will attack their weaknesses and encourage them to grow. Some books that may be used include: Arban’s The Complete Method for Trombone, Marstellar’s Basic Routines, Schlossberg’s Daily Drills and Technical Studies for Trombone, Remington’s Warm-up Studies.
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A pillar to learning to play the trombone, students can expect to be assigned at least one étude to work on between lessons. These études will put emphasis on connecting the fundamentals they practice to the music they want to create. Some books that may be used include: Bordogni’s Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Blazhevich Clef Studies for Trombone, Kopprasch Sixty Studies for Trombone, Tyrrell’s 40 Progressive Studies for Bb Tenor Slide Trombone, and any of the Tommy Pederson études for Tenor Trombone.
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This is where the students will be encouraged to be their most expressive. Depending on their goals, they will either get to choose their own solos to learn, or this will be determined by a competition that the student has decided they would like to enter.
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All students will be encouraged to listen to the music they love and try to figure out how to play that by ear. This is key to truly being able to play what you want when you want. Students wishing to play more jazz will be encouraged to play along with certain recordings that will help them discover their own voice.
Let’s work together
I am currently located in Boston Massachusetts.
I am open to teaching lesson both in person and via Zoom.
My Mentors
Lawrence Isaacson
Currently a Professor of Trombone at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Isaacson was member of Empire Brass, he also served as Principal Trombonist of the San Francisco Symphony for one year and Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
I began working with Lawrence Isaacson after my junior year of college. This was the year that the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Meeting weekly, he has introduced me to a wide variety of method books as well as helped me to discover multiple ways to fix different technical issues. Beyond technique, Isaacson has pushed me to find new colors of my sound that help me to create the music I hear in my head.
Ohtae Kwon
Founder of the Los Angeles Brass Academy, Ohtae Kwon is a world renowned teacher who has had students win international competitions.
I began studying with Ohtae after finishing my undergraduate degree. His teaching stems from the Marstellar tree, which is completely different from the Jacobs lineage I grew up in. Constantly demanding extended techniques, Ohtae Kwon has shown me that you need to practice things that are more difficult than what you actually need to do in a performance.
Carl Lenthe
Carl Lenthe recently retired from being Professor of Trombone at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Before holding that position he was the principal trombonist of the Bavarian State Opera and Bamberg Philharmonic Orchestra.
Carl Lenthe was my primary instructor for my undergraduate training. He not only shaped my trombone playing, but helped mold me into the person I am today. His philosophy centers around developing the inner ear, meaning hearing what you play before you pick up the instrument. This invited me to think more clearly about what I want things to sound like, and therefore have a more musical approach to technique.
Denson Paul Pollard
Denson Paul Pollard is a Professor of Music in Trombone at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and bass/tenor trombonist/bass trumpet player with the Metropolitan Opera.
Professor Pollard taught the first class of my collegiate career, a trombone warm up class which met every Monday at 6:30am. In this class Pollard instilled the importance of consistent practice. He showed me his approach to organizing his practice sessions, as well as the wonders of the infamous Arban book. Beyond technique, Pollard is one of the greatest musicians who happens to play trombone. In lessons, he not only pushed me to improve my technique but demanded that I always said something with what I was playing.
Peter Ellefson
Currently a Professor of Trombone at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Prior to IU, Ellefson was a member of the Seattle Symphony for 10 years and taught at Northwestern Bienen School of Music.
One of the most organized people I have ever met, Ellefson helped me to learn how to concentrate. During my time in Indiana, I would make sure to meet with Ellefson at least once a semester to hear what he thought about my playing. I was also in his excerpt class where he helped develop my sound in large ensembles.
John Faieta
John Faieta was one of my first trombone teachers. A founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, Faieta has performed with the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops, the Cleveland Orchestra, and many others.
John Faieta exposed me to the glorious sounds that can be created on the trombone. The thing that I am most thankful for is that he showed me what a true mentor is. He is there for me, and always promotes the idea of protecting your mental health. He continues to support me in all of my goals.
