I believe in a well-rounded music lesson that incorporates elements of music history and theory to inform technical and musical decisions. Technical skills are developed out of standard pedagogical texts and scale studies, as well as some of my own exercises. Students should expect to learn selections of the following, based on beginning skill level:
Instrument setup, care, and maintenance
Posture and basic embouchure/hand position
Fundamentals of air support, tone production, articulation, and intonation
Vibrato
Scales, arpeggios, and related studies in all twelve major keys and three minor forms
Technical etudes selected from Weissenborn, Milde, and Rubank studies
Standard solo repertoire from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary genres
Commonly-asked orchestral excerpts
Audition material for All-District Band, All-State Band, and youth honor ensembles
Reed adjustment methods and skills
Introduction to contrabassoon (pending instrument availability and ensemble need)
Studio Policies
Students and parents can expect me to be timely and respectful in teaching and all communication, to effectively evaluate performance and growth, and to create a supportive environment for learning. I actively evaluate my own teaching methods and adapt approaches to meet student needs. No two students receive the identical lessons or follow identical repertoire plans.
Students are expected to come prepared for each lesson, both in terms of equipment and performance. A prepared student has learned the technique of assigned studies to the best of his/her ability and has formed opinions on musical gesture and interpretation. He/She also brings the following to each lesson:
Bassoon
At least two working reeds
Pencil
All assigned music
Tuner, with the ability to drone
Metronome
Weissenborn Complete Method (or other assigned collection)
Good attitude and readiness to learn
Parents, please take note of the following payment policies. Payment is due at the beginning of each lesson - if a student's account is not paid in full, the lesson will be rescheduled. Please make all requests for rescheduling or cancellation of lessons at least 24 hours in advance and remind your students to place reed orders two weeks in advance. This will enable me to avoid charging fees for travel and time without teaching.
When possible, lessons are taught at the UNI School of Music with a secondary preference to the student's school with the permission of the band director.
University Students
For information on the bassoon studio at the University of Northern Iowa, please visit our studio website.