I teach all areas of percussion, piano, and winds (band).
I have been teaching music for over 30 years now. My first drum student took lessons with me when I was in high school!
I am a percussionist. I have a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance, and a Bachelor of Music Education, instrumental emphasis. I am a band teacher. I have also played piano since I was 6.
I have taught students who pick up music easily, and students who can't keep a steady beat. I have taught students with various learning issues, students with ADHD, and students with autism. They have all been wonderful students, each one teaching me right along as I teach them. My profession is a blessing in my life!
Percussion: Snare Drum, Drum Set, Marimba
Percussion instruments are my favorite! Especially marimba and drum set! I love teaching all aspects of percussion.
As I play drums in a gigging rock band, I am very comfortable with beginners through advanced on drum set. I feel that the best set players have a strong foundation in snare drum technique. Students who wish to play set but don't have a snare drum background will start with snare drum.
I also start mallet students on snare drum technique. Once we hit a certain proficiency, then we'll start with bells, eventually move onto marimba, followed with 4 mallet grips. I use the traditional and Stevens/Musser grips.
Snare drum alone is a fascinating instrument! There is so much life in that one drum! And snare technique so easily transfers to the other percussion instruments.
I do not currently own timpani, and therefore do not teach timpani directly. When students have questions about timpani parts for band, we talk about technique, go over grip, tuning, and how the part should go in general.
Piano
I started playing piano at about age 6 and took lessons off and on through college. About half of my students are piano students. Many students take more than one instrument from me. Piano and percussion are a great combination!
Wind Instruments
I am a band director by trade, and I currently teach 5-8 band at Twin Cities German Immersion School. As wind instruments are not my main instruments, I prefer beginning and intermediate students only. I am also available for short term lessons for students looking to switch band instruments, or starting late and needing to catch up to the rest of the band.
