Whitman Music Lessons

ed violin teachers who have sought me out to improve their techniques for best teaching practices. From my 30+ years of private violin teaching and observing how children learn, I developed a super fun groundbreaking class in New York City for 2.5 to 5 year old beginners called Crackerjack Kidz! And a few years ago, I wrote a text to accompany young students and their families.

I continuously work to be a master teacher dedicated to the very best methods, using a variety and combination of techniques and strategies tailored to the student's musical success and enjoyment.

My specialties include music-based early childhood development, adult beginners and continuing learners, intermediate and advanced players, and chamber music coaching.

I welcome you to start your family's musical journey with me!

*** Lesson Details ***
While each lesson is different, we always try to spend a little time warming up, making sure we're comfortable and free of tension, reviewing what we've worked on, and layering in new concepts each time. We also learn age appropriate music theory (the "why's" of how music works), we exercise our imaginations, and we learn how to effectively practice.

We learn to think, solve problems, hear the music in our minds, and coordinate our bodies to play beautifully! Along the way we learn skills for life, the joy of accomplishment, and love of ourselves and others!

Whether you're a toddler or a senior, violin can always teach new things and help students appreciate more about themselves and the world!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music room with keyboard and computer. Parents can sit it on lessons, and are enouraged to do so with young students.

*** Specialties ***
I'm a classically trained violinist and a master teacher with over 30 years of experience. I've been teaching Suzuki violin to children ages 3 and up for my whole career, and I'm also extremely comfortable with traditional methods for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students of any age.

My specialties include:
music-based early childhood development
adult beginners and continuing learners
intermediate and advanced players
chamber music coaching.

with bands around the northeast U.S., & have performed with internationally acclaimed artists such as Nona Hendryx, Simon Shaheen, & Richard Devine. In the past 6 years, I've performed in 8 countries - USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, Turkey, & Ghana.

career, I have experienced a variety of performance injuries involving my hands, arms, and torso. Through these experiences, I have gained experience in injury prevention and recovery relevant to flutists at all ages and levels. This has helped me develop more efficient and healthy approach to my own playing and greatly informed my teaching methods in the process.

My musical experiences make me well suited for teaching students of all ages to achieve individual goals. I loved the teaching I did as a part of the Eastman Community Music School and I love sharing all that I have learned with others! Being a very organized and structured person, I generally propose a steady practice regimen based on both long term goals and short term achievements! I also believe in letting students go at their own pace and constantly adjusting those milestones as required. I believe that the ultimate goal of any teacher is to give the student the means to teach themselves. This philosophy places great emphasis on practicing techniques to make students more self-aware and able to trust themselves in the practice room.
Thank you so much for reading and feel free to contact me with any questions!

that all individuals learn and grow at their own pace.

ements of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and other 20th centurty classical works. Braddock leads an eight-piece electric guitar ensemble that plays his original compositions. He has twice been featured in Guitar Player Magazine.

Nathaniel teaches privately, at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and was head of the Chicago Waldorf School’s guitar program from 2005-12. OTS classes include African Guitar Styles, Fingerpicking Around The World, Fingerboard Theory, and British Folk Revival. He periodically offers more specialized fingerstyle guitar classes such as The Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Davy Graham, John Fahey and Bert Jansch. His ensembles include Reggae, Afropop, Instrumental Rock, and “Kill Yr Idols”–a survey of influential punk and underground rock. Nathaniel also teaches fingerstyle, theory, songwriting, jazz, classical, and rock guitar privately. Braddock also offers workshops and masterclasses in Europe and N. America on African popular guitar styles and is a guest lecturer at Northwestern University. Braddock has co-presented workshops with Ghanaian Palm Wine guitarist Koo Nimo, and Tinariwen guitarist Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, and Malian sensation Sidi Toure.

d. After two years of dialysis, I had a successful kidney transplant in 2007! I credit the experience for adding depth, purpose and identity to my songwriting.

When teaching songwriting, I like to take a holistic approach. Students learn to recognize, explore and apply the four basic building blocks of songs, Rhythm, Melody, Harmony and Lyrics. My lessons also focus on helping students express themselves authentically and discover their original musical identity. Above all I believe that songwriting should be fun and stress-free. I aim to create an atmosphere in which the student feels relaxed and confident.

My goal is to get you to where you want to be. I believe that anyone with a desire to write songs can: I will give you the tools, and you decide what you'll decide what you want to build with them.

I look forward to working with you and helping you along your songwriting journey.