Tempe, AZ Bassoon Lessons

06/08 Rockaway-Five Towns Symphony, Lynbrook, NY
• Music Director, Conductor
• Conducted weekly rehearsals (night) and 3-4 concerts during the concert season

10/03-06/08 Globe Institute of Technology, New York, NY
• Adjunct Professor of Music

06/07-08/07 JCC of Cherry Hill, NJ
• Musical Theater Director
• Taught acting, improvisation, singing. Produced musical shows.

10/06-06/07 JCH of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY
• Musical Theater Director
• Produced musical theater shows
• Taught students of ages 5-12 various vocal selections

09/00-06/07 NYC Board of Education, District 20, P.S.200; P.S.179
• Band / Orchestra Director
• Taught all woodwind, brass and percussion, violin, piano

05/99-06/06 School for Musical Performance, Brooklyn, NY
• Instructed students on Piano, Guitar, All string and wind instruments and vocals.
• Prepared students for the auditions to the prestigious schools and other music organizations.

1993-1997 St. Petersburg Radio Orchestra, Russia
• Principal Bassoonist
Other work experience:
• Performed as a bassoonist with The Kirov Opera & Ballet Theatre, the Mussorgsky Opera & Ballet Theatre, The St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, The Chamber Opera Orchestra of St. Petersburg and other Symphony and Chamber orchestras of St. Petersburg, Russia
• Performed Solo Recitals in Russia, Poland, Norway and United States

Education:
06/98 The St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music, St. Petersburg, Russia
M.A. in Music: Major – Bassoon Performance; Minor – Conducting
06/91 The St. Petersburg College of Music named after Rimsky-Korsakov, Russia
B.A. with a Double Major in Orchestral Performance (Bassoon) and Music Education

*** Lesson Details ***
Hi there!
Would you just like to learn a few songs on the piano, violin or guitar? Or you'd like your child be become next Joshua Bell or Evgenij Kissin? My lessons are designed with each individual student in mind. I will start my lesson with introduction and proceed with warm-up routine. I always make sure that the student is comfortable with the pace that I am offering. I am mixing elements of music theory, history and performance techniques in order to help my student to embrace the beauty of music making experience. All my students are ready to perform at the recital after just 3-4 months of lessons.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I teach using Fisher Baby Grand Piano. Fender guitars. Major brands band instruments; yamaha, selmer, gemeingardt, etc.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Fender Guitar, Yamaha Flute/Saxophone, Casio Digital Piano, Custom Violin made in England.

*** Specialties ***
suzuki violin, classical, jazz

and New Jersey and has taught at the secondary level in both states. In addition to both instrumental and choral ensembles at Penn State, Thomas was a student leader in the Penn State Blue Band and a member of the brass section of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps in 1993 and 1994. He served as an Associate Director of the Warren Junior Military Band of Youngstown, Ohio from 1995 to 2005. He also served as a visual staff member for the renowned North Penn Marching Knights of Lansdale, PA for one season in 2004.

He is a current adjudicator with Drum Corps International and Cavalcade of Bands. He is a member of MENC, PMEA, NJMEA, ASCAP, CASA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the National Band Association. He appeared in the Marquis Who's Who Among American Educators in 2004 and 2005, an honor rarely bestowed upon teachers, as students who appear in the Who's Who Among American High School Students must nominate them. He currently is a music teacher at the Center for Performing and Fine Arts of the PA Leadership Charter School in West Chester, PA and resides in Downingtown, PA with his wife and two sons.

Thomas will happily work with students on the autism spectrum or students with ADD.

*** Lesson Details ***
My lessons are tailored to the needs and interests of each student. If a student is involved in school music ensembles, we will work with their lesson books from school in addition to material outside of the books, including SmartMusic, Noteflight, and teacher-created materials. We will focus on building proper tone production and individual technique - something that often is difficult to learn in a large ensemble setting.

I am capable of starting a beginner student on any band instrument including percussion, any classical string instrument (violin, viola, cello, string bass), and piano. I can begin a student on drum set and work with them through their first method book, but I would then recommend they find a specialized drum set teacher after a period of six to twelve months.

For advanced students, I work from selected conservatory etude books on developing advanced skills and can work with students on audition pieces for honors bands/orchestras or college auditions.

My lessons are a half-hour once a week, with the option of working for 45 minutes or 60 minutes.

*** Specialties ***
music, band, orchestra, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, violin, viola, cello, string bass, piano, Percussion
classical, jazz improvisation

ist Jazz Festival, directing Jazz Ensembles I-II, Jazz Combo, Jazz Improvisation lessons, Jazz Pedagogy, online Jazz Appreciation, private saxophone lessons, saxophone quartets, private oboe lessons, and group guitar class.

Spaeth completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance at the University of Kansas in 2014, and his Master of Music Pedagogy and Performance from Oklahoma State University in 2011. He graduated from Harrah High School in 2002, earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2008, and was a 5th-12th grade Head Band Director at Fairview Public schools. He is currently a member of the North American Saxophone Alliance, the Jazz Education Network, Music Teachers National Association, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, and an Honorary Member of Tau Beta Sigma. He has held previous memberships with Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Delta Pi, and the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association.

While at KU, Spaeth was also a graduate teaching assistant for the saxophone studio and jazz studies program. His responsibilities included Assistant Director of the KU Jazz Festival, directing Jazz Ensembles II-III, directing Jazz Combo III-VI, directing Saxophone Quartets II-III, teaching private saxophone lessons, assisting in saxophone studio class, and teaching the music education woodwind methods course. His Lecture Recital Document, A Performer’s Analysis of Selected Jazz Works for Saxophone Quartet, featured an interview with Bob Mintzer. Spaeth was a member of KU Jazz Ensemble I, KU Saxophone Quartet I, and KU's Helianthus New Music Ensemble. As a member of KU's Jazz Ensemble 1, Spaeth has performed with Dave Douglas, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Alex Sipiagin, Steve Owen, Gary Foster, Steve Houghton, Clint Ashlock, David von Kampen, Peter Epstein, Jeff Miley, James Miley, Roger Shew, and Brian Hamada, Brandon Draper, Rich Wheeler, Beau Bledsoe, Jeff Harshbarger, and Matt Otto. In July 2014, Spaeth went on a European tour with KU Jazz Ensemble I featuring Steve Leisring and Deborah Brown. Together, they performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Vienne Jazz Festival in France, and performed in several cities in Germany. Recordings by this band resulted in KU winning the DownBeat Student Award (Graduate College Large Jazz Ensemble Division) in 2015.

While at OSU, Spaeth was a GTA for the saxophone studio and music theory programs. His responsibilities included Music Theory I-IV tutoring and grading, sight-singing grading, piano labs, classical and jazz saxophone lessons, saxophone quartet coaching, saxophone studio Webmaster, and saxophone studio class. Spaeth was a member of the OSU Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble 1. He had a regularly performing jazz trio and played in OSU's X2End saxophone quartet. The X2End quartet performed locally at the 2011 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in Washington D.C., at the 2011 NASA Region IV Conference, and has won the state and division rounds of the 2010-2011 MTNA Chamber Music Competition. The X2End quartet went on to win the 3rd place prize at the national final round of the MTNA Chamber Music Competition. They also were the Division II Chamber Ensemble winners at the 2011 Hubbard Music Competition where they were awarded the 2nd place prize in the overall finals. Spaeth's final degree paper at OSU was a study of composer/performer collaboration. He traveled to Texas, Michigan, and Ohio to interview saxophonists and composers including David Dees, Peter Fischer, John Sampen, Marilyn Shrude, Joe Lulloff, and Charles Ruggiero. He has presented his lecture at the 2011 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, the 2011 NASA Region IV Conference, and the 2012 OSU Single Reed Summit. As a member of OSU's Jazz Ensemble 1, he has performed with Bob Sheppard, Conrad Herwig, Wayne Bergeron, and Andy Martin.

While at SWOSU, Spaeth performed as a member of the marching band, wind ensemble, Jazz Ensemble A, saxophone quartet, and his own jazz combo named Five-Seven. As a member of SWOSU's Jazz Ensemble A, he has performed with Dan Haerle, Bob Bowman, Jack Mouse, Fred Forney, Janice Borla, Eddie Daniels, Pamela York, Lynn Seaton, Carl Allen, Dr. Michael Cox, Tom Williams, Dr. Robert Chambers, Dave Hanson, Drori Mondlak, Delores Williams, Byron Stripling, Frank Wess, Kenny Drew Jr., Dennis Mackrel, Bill Watrous, Rich Eames, Jennifer Leitham, and Randy Drake.

Spaeth's primary saxophone instructors have been Vince Gnojek, Dr. Jeffrey Loeffert, Dr. Ann Bradfield, Dr. Keith Talley, and William Rodney Hull. He has had additional instruction in lessons and masterclasses from Gary Foster, Dr. Joseph Murphy, Dr. Michael Cox, Bob Sheppard, Johnny Salinas, Dr. Kimberly Goddard Loeffert, Dr. Geoffrey Deibel, Dr. Jonathan Nichol, Dr. Griffin Campbell, Dr. James Laughlin, and Dr. David Dees. Spaeth's jazz directors have included Dan Gailey, Bob McCurdy, Dr. Jonathan Martin, Dr. Keith Talley, and Dr. Terry Segress.

​Spaeth enjoys recording several instruments in his home studio and composing new music. His compositions that have been performed include his big band arrangement of Cat Battles by Joshua Redman, September in the Refrain (alto saxophone and electronics), Funk-o-matic (jazz combo), Smooth (jazz combo), and The Deadline Arrives at Dawn (alto saxophone and electronics). As an advocate of new music involving the saxophone, he has participated in a commissioning consortium for Alone Together by composer David MacDonald through Kick Starter. In 2013, Spaeth performed the premier of Cuento #3 by Nelson Ramirez Diaz. During summer of 2014, he recorded selections from Dr. John Walker's "The Alto Saxophone in the Attic," published by Carl Fischer. At the 10th Annual SDSU/Brookings Optimist Jazz Festival in 2015, Spaeth directed SDSU Jazz Ensemble I's premier of Dog, Tired by David von Kampen.

​Dr. Spaeth is a Conn-Selmer Endorsing Artist. He hosted the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 3 (ND, SD, NE, MN, IA) Conference at South Dakota State University on March 17-18, 2017. On Saturday, April 8, 2017, Spaeth performed Dreams in the Dusk by David Biedenbender with South Dakota State University's Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Jacob Wallace. On Monday, February 6, 2017, Spaeth performed the premiere of Lhotse for alto saxophone and percussion by Steve Danyew with Dr. Aaron Ragsdale. In April 2017, Spaeth performed solo tenor saxophone and orchestral clarinet in Ethan Bortnick's national PBS Special called "Generations of Music," which featured special guest, Peter Yarrow, from Peter, Paul and Mary.

a young bassoonist is paramount; it is key to making great music and being successful from day to day.

s performed various orchestral and chamber concerts at venues on both the east and west coasts including The Hollywood Bowl, Royce Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Bovard Auditorium, Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, Hilda and Douglas Goodwin Recital Hall, Leith Symington Griswold Hall, Joe Byrd Hall, and the Cohen Davison Family Theatre.

Sloan is currently pursuing his Master in Bassoon Performance Degree at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, CA under the tutelage of Shawn Mouser. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Phillip Kolker. When he isn’t bandaging himself from reed making mishaps, he can be found singing with his award winning acapella group the SoCal VoCals, or with the Chancel Choir of Pasadena as a Bass Choral Scholar.