Bassoon with Scott B.

Scott Alexander B. is a passionate performer and teacher, dedicated to energetic performance and exploration of music of all types. Mr. B. studied with principal musicians of The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Minnesota Orchestra, The Baltimore Symphony and attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music. At 19, he was the youngest member of The American Wind Symphony Orchestra during their 2000 summer tour of over 30 cities in the US and Canada. The next summer, he received a grant from Peabody to found and direct a summer chamber music program in Minnesota. He later transferred to UCLA and was awarded a Gluck fellowship for chamber music performance and education. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in ethnomusicology. In addition to private teaching, Mr. B. is an active freelance bassoonist and conducts woodwind and chamber music clinics in schools all over the Bay Area. He has also performed in traditional Ghanaian, Chinese, Balinese, and Javanese ensembles, and is an acclaimed singer-songwriter with 5 albums and hundreds of performances to his credit. Why Bassoon Lessons? The bassoon is an incredibly difficult instrument to play. With a delicate double reed that needs frequent adjustment, and literally hundreds of different fingerings, the instrument is nearly impossible to learn to play without regular private instruction. Bassoon can also be an incredibly rewarding. With its exceptionally large range and unique tone color, there is a plethora of excellent solo and orchestral repertoire for the instrument. Vital to every orchestra, bassoonists are often in demand. Contrary to the intense competition among oversaturated pools of violinists, pianists, clarinetists, etc. playing bassoon will help you get into college and receive generous scholarships. My teaching philosophy has always emphasized practice technique, meaning I don't feel is simply enough to explain how to play something, but also how to practice, and practice efficiently. I use a variety of methods including, re-articulation, singing, conducting, movement, and memorization. I also include theory, solfege, and music history in my lessons. I believe this approach enables students to envision their own ability to master difficult repertoire while keeping stress and frustration in check. Above all, I teach love of music. I am confident that I can inspire students not only enjoy music, but also derive a stronger sense of self and community from it. The reason I don't give lessons any shorter than one hour is so that we can spend the first 10-25 minutes working on the reed. Bassoon reeds are extremely sensitive and if not adjusted properly, can be similar to trying to sing with a bad cold. Regular lessons help me make sure the students’ reeds are working properly and not making things any more difficult than they have to be. This also helps the student to learn how to adjust their own reeds (and even make them) over time. Since reeds are relatively expensive, being able to adjust them and make them last longer can save a significant amount of money.