My approach to teaching is centered on students’ individual musical growth. After working with students in various settings from large concert ensembles to jazz combos, I believe that each student has unique needs, goals, and meaning for their music-making. A music teacher’s role is to investigate their student’s interests and needs, so they can use their experience and expertise guide student’s toward a fulfilling relationship with music-making built on the student’s values. In other words, music teaching is a collaborative process between teacher and student in which pedagogy remains flexible and responsive to the students’ developing musical concerns and interests. The end goal of music teaching is to empower students to make purposeful choices with their music and to develop sustainable approaches to practice and performance that students can use to achieve long-term goals. |