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I believe that the purpose of education is to give students the skills to mindfully interact with the world around them. Education is not solely about the student's chosen career path. I believe my role as a teacher is to give my students the tools to create the lives they want for themselves as professionals in the music industry and as adults in general society. I aim to help students build their skills in critical thinking, self-regulation, compassionate conversation, and mindful reflection. These are life skills that will benefit the student regardless of career path and give students a professional attitude that makes them appealing to employers and colleagues. Critical thinking skills are built by asking students to constantly reflect on their own work and evaluate information in front of them. This includes in-class discussion on assignments, readings, and practice journals in which students write daily notes on what they found worked and did not work in their practice session. These journals are regularly turned in to me so I can offer ideas of improvement. I see self-regulation as the process of creating healthy discipline in the practice room. I have found that when I help students set up a practice routine template, the students take control over how their practice fits within their schedule, thus making them more successful in the practice room. Finally, compassionate conversation is a fundamental life skill. A mind open to diverse experiences, opinions, and musical approaches is a mind that will be respected. I have worked with numerous professionals who have not extended this respect to others and therefore are not called to return for the job. Conversations within my classroom are expected to be handled with professional courtesy. I see myself as the moderator for these conversations.

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My studio curriculum is formulated using the philosophy of access. This philosophy is about applying student-based learning to performance-based training. Student-based learning paces the material appropriately for each student so they become capable and confident performers. This involves finding repertoire that pushes a student a bit without overwhelming them, finding the pace of growth that works best, and setting realistic goals. Performance-based learning focuses on technical execution. This ensures proper technique by regular practice and informal assessment in lessons. Together, the student and I organize an appropriate and realistic practice schedule (student-centered) and then they are responsible for following the schedule to develop technical skill (performance-based). The amount of time needed to establish proficiency is less important to me than establishing correct and consistent technical foundation. While simple, this curriculum has allowed my students independence and built their trust in me as a mentor in both musical and personal arenas. 

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My bassoon curriculum consists of three larger portions: private lessons, reed-making sessions, and studio classes. These sections each contribute to the student’s professional development. Some aspects may be combined with the others, such as reed-making help during private lessons, but having separate times for each allows me to give each student appropriate attention.

 

I customize private lesson curriculum for each student based on their skills and needs, but I approach that construction with three core goals: develop technique, build musical intuition, and introduce each era and genre at an appropriate time. I help each student build a warm-up routine that they can accomplish every day. Each of my undergraduate students should expect to learn or re-visit the standard pieces in our repertoire including the Mozart concerto, the Saint-Säens sonata, at least one Vivaldi concerto, a 20th century French piece, and a piece post-1950. It is important that my students learn performance practice skills, so at least one piece from each era must be included within the years they are with me. In addition to their solo repertoire and the warm-up routine, I assist my students in selecting appropriate etudes that help bridge both technique and musical development. In an effort to give students more control over their curriculum, I allow my students to choose their set of etudes once they have completed the Milde scale and concert studies. Each student will be different in their lesson curriculum based on a variety of factors. I do my best to build a lesson curriculum that is both reasonable and stimulating.

         

My instrumental studio classes include a varied schedule of performance classes, literature discussions, mock orchestral audition prep and practice, and guest masterclasses. A variety of class discussions keeps students engaged and allows us to continue finding the most relevant information. These classes are also a good space to discuss daily issues that professional musicians face such as marketing and entrepreneurship, injuries and overuse, and handling stress.