Teaching Thoughts

I work with students to help them discover the joy

of performing in any capacity.

Any student that works with me will receive highly individualized, engaging instruction.

I diagnose and provide multiple solutions to heal weaknesses in playing.

I truly care about molding bassoonists into compassionate, knowledgeable, and successful musicians.

I encourage my students to instruct others in as many settings as possible. I strongly believe that we become better players through instruction and sharing of knowledge.

I impress upon my students that a live music performance should present a musically engaging experience for their audience, not a sterile, perfect representation of each piece. The performance experience should be enjoyable by all, even the performer!

I believe in the well-rounded bassoonist. From solo to orchestral playing, and everything in between, I prepare my students to be confident in diverse musical settings.

I encourage my students to always implement as much contrast as possible and to take risks in their playing. We must "go for it" to achieve an energy that engages our audience and allows us to thrive in a performance atmosphere.