Oakland Language Lessons

, orchestra, and band. I also have organized, wrote/arranged for, and performed with a variety of bands in my home state of New Mexico, as well as Japan, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Since 2006 I have been an active teacher. This profession has taken me everywhere from working with classical guitar classes in New Mexico high schools to Elementary students in Japan to a variety of private students of various musical instruments and genres everywhere I've been. Since relocating to the Bay Area in 2010, I've had the pleasure of working with lots of great students from kids to adults with a wide range of ambitions. Since 2012 I've been running my own full time studio.

Philosophy of Learning

Lessons are generally designed to work towards giving students the tools to accomplish their goals and become increasingly independent over time. While all students will study similar fundamentals regarding technique, theory, and performance, every lesson is as different as every person. What kind of music do you want to make? I'll tell you what you need to do to get there, and help you take the steps to achieve your aspirations.

I also love to help students put together a song, record, and produce it for them so that they can have a recording to share with their friends and family.

I also hold events for my students. (Check out our pictures and videos below!)
Younger students have opportunities to perform for friends and family at my studio every few months. Once or twice a year we'll also stage a larger event off site for more individual students and bands classes to perform.
Adult students also occasionally have events where they get a chance to get together and play music as well.

Aside from in-studio lessons, students also have the option to sign up for online lessons via Skype.
(*Online lessons offered during different times than in-studio lessons.)

*Unfortunately due to scheduling issues, I'm not currently accepting students for bi-weekly lessons. I can do regular weekly lessons, or occasional drop-in lessons, but bi-weekly appointments make it really hard for me to give the best scheduled times to my existing weekly students. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

My studio is equipped with:

*Music Stands

*A P.A. System

*Vocal and instrument microphones

*Guitars, Basses, Ukulele, Banjos, etc

*Two guitar amps and a bass amp

*Various percussion including a fully equipped acoustic drum set

*A Roland V-Drums electronic drum set

*An electric piano console and Yamaha organ

*A MicroKorg Synthesizer

*A Tuba, Trombone, Cornet, Saxophone, and Flute

*An extensive physical and virtual music library

*A recording system that students are not only welcome to use but encouraged to

*HD Webcam and condenser microphone for high fidelity online lessons via Skype

redential And ESL Certification. I do private tutoring and teach classes.

*** Lesson Details ***
I believe that learning how to breath is the key to good singing. After 3 months of study, my students will have learned how to breathe, which improves both their singing and speaking voices. Good breathing is the key to good singing and a healthy voice. With a healthy, well-trained voice, my students can be valuable members of any vocal ensemble, and enjoy their singing, For solo singing, good breathing is most important, whether singing opera, musical theater or pop music, because it gives a beautiful, full quality to the voice.
I always begin a lesson with warm-up exercises, to check breathing and vocal placement. Once the (vocal) engine is warmed-up, then we begin to sing. I try to get to know my students, so that, together, we can choose music that will enable them to reach their goals and is both fun and challenging for them to sing.

In addition to music, I also teach English (ESL), Accent Reduction, German, U.S. & World History. I have my CBEST Credential And ESL Certification. I do private tutoring and teach classes.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Separate studio with Piano
I have a MacBook Pro laptop computer + stereo speakers, to provide recorded accompaniment, when necessary.

*** Travel Equipment ***
If a student wishes to have on-site lessons, I require that a piano or keyboard be available for the lessons.
I usually travel with my MacBook Pro laptop computer & stereo speakers, to provide recorded accompaniment, when necessary.

*** Specialties ***
I am a trained opera/oratorio singer, but I teach Broadway, Pop, choral and classical singers.

I have had many international students who didn't speak English well. Music is an international language that helps me communicate with all of my students!

t them dig deeper through this two-way communication. In my class, you can learn with joy, making a steady progress step by step. I will also introduce a most-fit textbook to you, with plenty of supplementary learning materials provided, as well as a customized teaching plan offered based on your goals and learning progress.
Course benefits include:
- 1-on-1, or 1-on-more tailor-made executive private tutoring lessons
- Most flexible option and suited to busy lifestyles
- Having lessons on your preferred timetable
- Focusing solely on your learning requirements and obstacles
- Opportunities to practice in the class with timely feedback

Now I am accepting new students in my private violin / Chinese class.

n San Jose, Monte Vista, Dougherty Valley, Foothill, Pleasanton, and more.

List of all schools I currently tutor and have tutored students from: www.wyzant.com/resources/blogs/467949/0705542376

I specialize in tutoring ALL subjects, math, science (chemistry, biology, physics, anatomy/physiology), English/reading/writing. I am also a test prep MASTER and a full-time tutor for the SAT/ACT/AP, MCAT, GMAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, ISEE/SSAT, TOEFL, TEAS, GED, CLEP exams (and more!). I have scored in the 99th percentile on all of these exams and my students have all achieved excellent results from my tutoring.

I have had great success tutoring students in multiple subjects for overall grade and study skills improvement + academic achievement. I currently tutor students of all grade levels, including college students, grad students, and adults.

**NOTE: LIMITED SPOTS/TIMES AVAILABLE! I currently only accept students on an APPLICATION basis depending on availability and other factors. I may not be able to accept you/your student at a given time. **ONLINE TUTORING SESSION SLOTS ALSO LIMITED**

- I also offer piano lessons (11+ years experience) and computer/tech assistance.

References are available upon request.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Education & Credentials ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I graduated with a degree from UCLA with high honors (Dean's Honors List, Magna Cum Laude) in Integrative Biology & Physiology. I also took many classes at UCLA in education, linguistics, history, and English. I had a cumulative GPA of 3.838 with 265.5 completed units at graduation and was a 10-time Dean's Honors List Recipient. I also was a member of the UCLA Regents Scholar Society, the Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Societies, the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society, and Christian Students at UCLA. I worked as a TA for several undergraduate classes at UCLA, including Education 92F and Life Sciences 2-3. I also have gone through rigorous UCLA and Stanford University graduate-level coursework in science, math, educational strategies, and curriculum & instruction.

I have scored at the 98th percentile on the SAT I/II tests and received the highest score of 5 on multiple AP exams (see below for more details) as a high school student, achieving the AP Scholar with Distinction award by the end of my junior year. I have been the recipient of over $350,000 worth of many university merit-based invitational and scholarship honors and awards. Some of the most notable scholarships I have been awarded are the Regents Scholarship from both UCLA and UCSB. Both provided me with a large monetary award (full-ride), priority enrollment, 4 years of room and board, and many other privileges, honors, and incentives.

The SAT examinations that I have scored at 98th percentile or higher are as follows: SAT I; SAT II - Math 2; and SAT II - Biology (M). I also took many AP exams during high school, achieving the AP Scholar with Distinction award by the end of my junior year. Some of the exams that I have taken include: AP Physics B (Score = 5); AP Chemistry (Score = 5); AP Biology (Score = 5); AP Calculus AB (Score = 5); AP Statistics (Score = 5); AP US Government & Politics (Score = 5). I continuously study and retake the SAT, ACT, and AP Exams to stay on par with both the big and small changes each year to the exams.

~~~~~~~~~~~ My Personal Message to You ~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the wisest teachers once said that poor grades, study habits, and test scores are not life-threatening, but they are college-, job- , career-, and quality-of-life threatening. The most competitive students take a pro-active approaching to academics and tutoring while the least competitive take a reactive approach. All you need to do is watching the documentary 'Two Million Minutes' by Bob Compton to realize why students in other countries such as India and China surpass American peers in almost every subject, especially language (writing, grammar, etc.), math, science, and engineering-related subjects. They attend extra classes and tutoring from 6-7 AM in the morning to almost midnight.

In today's fast-paced and competitive job market, there is simply too much to lose by not investing now in your child's or your education. If a student is struggling, it makes sense to get him/her the help needed so that the time spent in school is worthwhile. Great grades and test scores can open doors that may have been previously closed and are also significant factors when determining scholarships, so investing time and effort now can pay off substantially in the future. Finally, let's not forget the most important part in all of this: the student. The confidence, knowledge, and skills that a student gains through effective tutoring can last a lifetime.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch. Every day spent waiting is another class or lecture's worth of material that you might potentially fall behind or another low quiz/test/exam score that will only make it harder to recover from. I have had too many students who could have received the grade(s) they wanted had they contacted me from the beginning.

**My Vision***
I seek students who share a love of learning. I am not looking for the finest musicians or highest IQ's, because those gifts are not required to learn and grow. My greatest experiences as a teacher have come from when I work with students who just want to learn more.

***My Requirements***
I hold my students to high expectations when it comes to practicing. Each week, I give students individual assignments that I know will improve their learning and playing abilities, and I expect those assignments to be fulfilled by the next lesson. A failure to do so will result in frustration for both myself and my student.

However, I know that nobody is perfect, and I myself have had my share of weeks where life happens, and I simply don't progress as much as I would like. As a teacher, I understand this perfectly, and I will always strive to listen to my students, and work with them through their difficulties or struggles.

***What To Expect From Lessons***
I bring a lot of energy to lessons! I am very passionate about teaching and helping students grow, and I make sure to bring that to every lesson. I give concise, direct feedback to students, making sure to give them the information they need to understand how they can achieve their goals and grow.

I am very perceptive of students' feelings, and I take care to be sensitive to their needs each week. My worst fear as a teacher is to cause hurt feelings, so I will do everything in my power to avoid that!

I am an expert in the field of music and the flute, so you can be rest assured that the quality of instruction will be the highest.

to keep learning.

When I’m not teaching, I love reading, exploring the California coast, writing poetry and singing loudly.