I believe that as teachers, it is our responsibility to help our students cultivate the skills necessary to contribute positively to the music community and to society as a whole. No student is created the same, and therefore my goal as a teacher is to meet each student where they are and help them improve from the moment they walk through the door.

The foundation of my teaching philosophy is helping students progress from point A to point B. For some students, that improvement may be more subtle; however, every student has the ability to grow. The first step toward reaching that goal is by working with every student to develop a mastery of the fundamentals. The great trombonists, and musicians, are those who do the simple things at a very high level. This includes making a great sound, playing with accurate intonation, clear articulations, clean slide technique, and great rhythm. If the student can obtain a high level of fluidity with these skills, then working on materials such as etudes, solos, and excerpts will become significantly easier.

Another crucial element of my teaching philosophy is developing the skill of active listening. Listening to all types of music is the first of many steps a young musician can take to better inform what they do on their instrument. Listening not only to trombone players, but to other instrumentalists such as pianists, cellists, and vocalists, can assist in developing a better understanding of the many different approaches to playing a phrase. As both a performer and a teacher, I have seen first-hand how the landscape of classical music is continuing to evolve. An important step students can take to prepare themselves for post-college life is listening to a wide variety of music. Students who are exposed to a variety of musical styles and performers will not only broaden their musical knowledge but will also improve their performance on the trombone.

My teaching philosophy is also rooted in the practicality of utilizing all components of a student’s collegiate musical education in their weekly trombone lesson. This means incorporating music theory, music history, aural skills, piano, and conducting into their lessons. I encourage the students to analyze the music using skills learned in theory so they may better understand how the music works, the function of certain notes, and why the composer wrote what they wrote at a specific moment. Understanding the history of the composer and the time period in which the music was written can help inform their interpretation of the work. Additionally, having the student conduct and sing passages can help them consider the phrase from different perspectives and how they might convey this to the listener. Having students approach music this way can lead to them developing a deeper understanding and connection with the repertoire they are performing.

The final component of my teaching philosophy is collaboration. When given the opportunity to make music with one another, the student will better understand what they and their collaborators have in common. I plan to establish chamber groups within the studio organized by year so that the students can develop meaningful personal and musical relationships with others in the same year. I believe in using the trombone choir as a way to celebrate the sound of the trombone and to use it as a tool to promote the teaching concepts addressed in weekly lessons. Ultimately, I believe in using collaboration as a vehicle for meaningful music making that will carry over into solo and ensemble playing. In addition to this, collaboration helps establish a support system within the studio where each student is there to uplift and sharpen one another.

My goal as a teacher is to set an example for the students by providing them with an education that is centered around this four-pronged approach. By using this structure and meeting the students where they are at, they can receive a personalized yet well-balanced trombone education. My goal is to develop well-rounded trombone players with a passion for music making of all kinds.