FAQs

All private music lessons must be paid in advance. I will send you a direct PayPal link to pay for the lesson. 

Any lesson cancelled by me will be automatically refunded, and I will reach out and see if you would be available to reschedule. If you have a conflict with your lesson time, please reach out to have your lesson rescheduled at least 24 hours in advance. If you must cancel a lesson, please provide at least 24 hours notice. Cancellations not made prior to 24 hours before the lesson, or any "no-show" lessons will NOT be refunded.

Lessons may be rescheduled up to 24 hours prior to the lesson. Please email with your request to reschedule and I will work with you on setting up a new date and time. Any lesson cancelled by me will be automatically refunded, and I will reach out and see if you would be available to reschedule. 

A parent or guardian over the age of 18 must be present for the duration of any at-home lesson with a student who is a minor (under the age of 18). I will not begin a lesson if there is no adult-aged parent or guardian present. Virtual lessons (through Zoom) must be approved by an adult parent or guardian, but do not require a parent or guardian to be present. 

If you are considering buying or renting an instrument for your student, there are several factors to consider. Music is an investment that will pay off for your student in many different ways, but the upfront cost is often high, and the list of supplies needed can be overwhelming. If your student plays the flute, this is a bit easier for you! You will just need a flute in good working condition. If your student plays the saxophone or clarinet, they will need the instrument, a mouthpiece for the instrument, a ligature (used to hold reeds to the mouthpiece), and reeds. Used instruments are absolutely okay and a great way to save money! If buying used, try to see if the seller will meet you at an instrument repair shop (near me we have Tarpley Music, Better Than New Band Repair, Strait Music, Music and Arts, etc.) so that they can help ensure the instrument is in good working condition and will not need costly repairs. A used Yamaha instrument in good-playing condition that you can find for a few hundred dollars on Facebook Marketplace can last your student through the end of high school and beyond, while a cheaply made instrument purchased for the same few hundred dollars new on Amazon or through a Big-Box Store will more than likely break within a few weeks of use if it even plays at all (four Amazon “Mendini” and “Cecilio” brand instruments were broken on the first day students brought them to my school last August). These instruments are also non-repairable when they get damaged, as the companies who manufacture them do not manufacture replacement parts in hopes that when they break (and they will!), you will just purchase a replacement instrument. 

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AVOIDING THE FOLLOWING BRANDS: Mendini, Cecilio, Glory, Hisonic, Herche, Nuvo, Eastrock, Hawk, Slade, Eastar, Jean Paul, or anything else that sounds like the name of a magician, karate dojo, heavy metal band, or comes in some sort of bright non-traditional color. These instruments often arrive broken, break within weeks of use, and can NOT be repaired.

Below is a list of brands I consider to be of good quality that can last for years of musical enjoyment, and are also servicable by instrument repair shops. I am not endorsed by any of these companies, and gain nothing from you purchasing anything that they sell. I simply believe the companies below are reputable manufactures  of high quality musical instruments and instrument accessories. 

Flute Quality Instrument brands:

Yamaha, Eastman, Jupiter, Pearl, Gemeinhardt, Trevor James

Bb Clarinet Quality Instrument brands

Bakun, Buffet, Selmer, Yamaha, Eastman

Bb Clarinet Mouthpieces and Ligatures

Vandoren M13Lyre Mouthpiece, Vandoren 5rv Mouthpiece, Vandoren M/O ligature, Rovner Dark Ligature, Vandoren Optimum ligature

Saxophone Quality Instrument brands

Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Selmer, Eastman, Cannonball

Saxophone Mouthpieces and Ligatures

Vandoren Optimum AL3 Mouthpiece, Selmer S80 c* Mouthpiece, Vandoren M/O Ligature, Vandoren Optimum Ligature, Rovner Dark Ligature

• The Better Sax Classic is the best budget mouthpiece I have found for young students. It seems to be based on a Selmer C* design from what I can tell, but plays well, is hand finished, and very affordable!

One of the most helpful things someone can do to get better at playing any type of music (and especially jazz!) is by  spending time actively listening to the masters. I am heavily inspired by the saxophone greats Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Phil Woods, Charlie "Bird" Parker, and Cannonball Adderley. 

Right now I am checking out stuff by the modern masters like Chris Potter, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Joel Frahm, Eric Alexander, Chase Baird, Patrick Bartley, and Dick Oatts.

Alto Sax: Yamaha Custom Z

Drake Phil Woods Artist Series Mouthpiece - 5M (great vintage NY Meyer copy)

Vandoren AL3 (classical)

Boston Sax Shop (Black Label) 3 Reeds

Vandoren V21 size 3 (classical)

Olegature

Rovner Versa-X (classical)

Tenor Sax: Yanagisawa TW01

Vintage Otto Link STM 7*

Boston Sax Shop (Black Label) 3 Reeds

Francois Louis Ultimate Ligature

Soprano Sax: Yamaha YSS-475

Vandoren v16 S7

D'Addario Select Jazz 3 Light

Vandoren M/O Ligature

Bb Clarinet: Vintage Selmer Signet

Vandoren M30 13 series Profile 88

Vandoren 56 Rue Lepic Size 3

Rovner Versa-X Ligature

Flute: Yamaha YFL-282