In my teaching, I encourage an inspiring environment within which students feel free to explore and express their creative aspirations.

I aim to provide a mutually respectful teaching environment for students to discover and explore new concepts. It’s a place where successes are celebrated and failures are embraced; providing the students the opportunity to learn by trial and error. I believe in mastery of a concept before moving onto the next; this develops a robust technical foundation. This is particularly applicable to my trumpet students regardless of age, skill level, or ability. Students need that safe space to practice in the presence of a supportive teacher.

Every music teacher wants their students to become better musicians. To an audience, that could mean students simply sounding good on their chosen instrument or voice. To music teachers, that could mean students mastering techniques. While all that is valid, I also strive to tap into each student’s tacet knowledge to find what inspires them, ultimately igniting a curiosity that bolsters self-guided learning. My most successful students are actively involved in their own artistic direction. They ask questions, are open-minded, and are genuinely interested in exploring beyond the prescribed curriculum.

I challenge students to apply learned concepts to their own creative output; students gain a sense of ownership over their studies. I am a big proponent of improvising and composing; a professor once defined improvising as “composing in real time.” Improvising as a call and response between student and teacher is not far off from playing duets. Both exercises allow valuable interaction and insight. Composing grants students the opportunity to explore concepts and how they relate to their developing artistry. Analyzing student compositions further helps the teacher assess the student’s understanding of those concepts. I really get to know a student through their improvisational and compositional choices, while also gaining valuable insight into what might inspire them next.

I find it most effective to employ the gamut of teaching methods but find myself most often toggling between demonstrating and facilitating. I gravitate towards teaching performance-oriented classes. Although some form of lecturing is necessary, I believe students should utilize the bulk of class-time digesting and incorporating a concept into their performance. When introducing new music to an ensemble, I like to provide some context. That could be a brief historical account, listening to (at least) one relevant recording, or a quick analysis of the sheet music. We’ll then play through the music together, addressing any problematic sections along the way. When the students feel comfortable with the written content, we’ll explore how we can make the piece unique.

In the arts, assessing student growth can be highly subjective; my assessments are largely based on observation. I’d prefer to see a student trying, making attempts, learning from mistakes. Some students will take longer to grasp a concept and apply it to their performance. Independent practice (outside of class) is a fantastic avenue for students to learn for themselves. Ultimately, I aim to foster a growth mindset; not only for students, but for my teaching as well.