Clifton, NJ Flute Lessons

elen O’Connor, Alexa Still, and Jean Rosenblum. Roberta resides in Brooklyn, New York where she teaches privately and is on faculty at Great Neck Music Conservatory.

Roberta has performed with groups including Duo RoMi (with pianist Mirna Lekic), the Portland String Quartet, SEM Ensemble, Wet Ink Ensemble, Argento Chamber Ensemble, Wordless Music Orchestra, Ensemble Moto Perpetuo, Lunatics at Large, Kagel Nacht, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Cheyenne Symphony, and the Greeley Philharmonic in venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tulley Hall, Merkin Hall, The Kennedy Center, Bargemusic (with tenor Robert White), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a guest artist, she has appeared at Bloomsburg University and the University of Southern Maine. She has recorded on New Dynamic Records, Meta, Bridge, and Innova Records.

Roberta has been a Bang on a Can Summer Institute fellow and a participant in the Institute and Festival of Contemporary Performance at Mannes College, as well as participating in festivals at Banff and Domaine Forget. Roberta recently won the Artists International Special Presentation Award and was presented in her debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Other awards include: Purchase College’s Baroque Concerto Competition, Bay Chamber Summer Music Woodwind Prize, Dante Alighieri Society of Denver Music Scholarship, and the Emily K. Rand Award.

*** Lesson Details ***
In my studio, I believe that my role is to steer students toward a deeper understanding of themselves, their instrument, and their relationship to music. I tailor my teaching to the needs of my individual students, who currently range from age 4 to adult, often adding improvisation and extended techniques to increase my students’ awareness of the potential of the flute as a channel for one’s creativity.

With over a decade of teaching and a doctorate in flute performance, I have extensive experience teaching flute lessons and recorder lessons to students from beginners to advanced. I teach at my studio in Brooklyn or can come to your home in New York City. I have previously taught in Colorado, Westchester, NY, and throughout New York City. I've been on faculty at The Harmony Program and the Denver Public School’s Saturday Music Program, where I taught beginning flute classes to public school children. I have given masterclasses at the University of Southern Maine and the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School, and have taught music classes at Purchase College and Hostos Community College.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have a studio with music stands, flutes, recorders, an upright piano, and place for parents to wait. Street parking is available, and I'm less than a block from the subway.

Students are expected to bring their instrument, music, and a notebook.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I bring my flute. Students need to have a music stand, music, a notebook, and a working instrument.

*** Specialties ***
I am well-versed in all areas of classical music, especially new music. My primary instrument is flute, but I also enjoy teaching beginner piano, recorder, and music theory.

ty after moving here from Philadelphia in early 2001, after graduating from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 1999 with a Bachelors in Music Performance.

Throughout my musical career I have worked in a variety of capacities in addition to being a performer, including working as a composer and recording studio engineer. My main area of expertise is performing as a jazz saxophonist on alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones, and I regularly play throughout New York City in restaurants, jazz clubs, bars and other music venues.

As a private music teacher, I place an emphasis on giving the student an in depth understanding of his or her instrument, and I place the utmost importance on explaining advanced concepts in the simplest of terms in order to insure that the student fully comprehends the objectives of each lesson. Such concepts that I cover regularly are sight-reading, ear-training, technique, and creativity.

As a regularly performing musician in New York City, I can be seen every Sunday night at Ba'sik (a very popular bar in Williamsburg Brooklyn) where I lead an open jazz jam session. A few of my adult students have even been able to reach a level in jazz improvisation that they've been able to come out and sit in with the band.

YOUNGER STUDENTS: I’ve found that in most cases, it is very difficult for students younger than 8 or 9 years old to learn instruments like the clarinet, saxophone and flute. Occasionally, an exception can be made if a younger student is taller than average for his or her age, but most of the time the size of a student’s hands, as well as his or her amount of a physical strength, are not adequate enough until around the ages of 8 or 9. A worthwhile alternative, if a student is absolutely enthusiastic about learning a woodwind instrument, is to begin them on an instrument called the recorder. The recorder is a real instrument, but it is a more primitive, smaller, and simpler of an instrument than the saxophone, clarinet, or the flute; however, it is a great way for young students to begin learning the basics of playing a woodwind instrument and also learning important musical concepts such as reading music notation, pitch, and rhythm. I have also been introduced to a new line of instruments that are developed for younger students by a company called Nuvo. These instruments are smaller and simpler analogs to the saxophone, flute, and clarinet, and they can function as the next step in a younger student’s progression between the recorder and an actual saxophone, flute, or clarinet. The specific instruments that I deal with are called the jSax and the DooD by Nuvo Instrumental. I was asked to demo these instruments and you can check them out if you scroll down to the video section of my profile and look for the videos entitled “jSax and DooD review and demo. Nuvo Instrumental” or “jSax and Dood demo. Nuvo Instrumental”.

In addition to teaching woodwind instruments and jazz improvisation, I also have experience teaching Sibelius music writing software, and audio engineering and editing with Pro-tools LE and Logic Pro X.

PLEASE NOTE: Because the NYC area is very different geographically from other parts of the country, especially in terms of transportation, I may appear outside of your area in terms of where I am available to travel. If you are very interested in taking lessons with me, but you are outside of my travel zone, please feel free to follow up with a Takelessons counselor and have them contact me personally to see if we might make an exception. I am available to travel to virtually all areas of Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan as well as Jersey City and Hoboken, depending on if the day and time selected allows me acceptable travel time between other scheduled lessons. If my location in Astoria Queens is not convenient for you, and you are unable to have lessons in your home, then there is also an option where I can most likely find a very affordable teaching studio in an area that is more convenient for you that we may rent by the hour and split the cost for your lesson.

*** Lesson Details ***
Any student, regardless of age or experience level, learns best when engaged in an activity that he or she understands and enjoys. Part of my success as a teacher can be attributed to my willingness to take into account every student's particular musical interests and strengths, and attempt to teach directly to those areas. For instance, in the initial stages of developing a student and teacher relationship, I like to request that the student compile a "wish list" of approximately ten pieces of music that he or she would like to be able to play. This list may include pieces in such genres as classical, jazz, and popular music, just to name a few. It is through this list that the student can begin almost immediately learning exactly what he or she likes, and by default, I can then teach the student all of the technical components needed to perform on his or her instrument, as well as determine the specific areas where the student needs to receive more focused instruction. More importantly, this "thinking outside of the box," customized approach provides a fun atmosphere and enables the student to enjoy learning the art of playing music by not being solely dependent on instructional booklets which many students, regardless of age and experience, find boring and tedious.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Additional saxophones for students who do not currently have a saxophone to use during a lesson. Recording equipment, including software and microphones. Mac book pro with music writing and recording software. Full 88 key keyboard.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Additional saxophones. Macbook pro with recording and music writing software

*** Specialties ***
music, music theory, home recording, saxophone, clarinet, flute,
all styles

and your family to achieve your music education goals!

asize a strong practice regiment. Your child will understand that while learning music and an instrument can be fun, there will be some work involved if they want to become great. I usually use either the Alfred or Rubank method books to supplement a curriculum that I tailor make for each individual student. Any question or confusion a student has about anything during the lesson will be explained in detail and dealt with until he/she understands the concept. I've had many students pass all levels of the ABRSM and NYSSMA exams as well as receive academic scholarships for musical excellence.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Lessons in the living room, drums set, piano,

*** Travel Equipment ***
I require that students buy the books I suggest, but if it is necessary, I can provide photocopies of pages from the books that I own. I also require my students to provide all writing equipment.

*** Specialties ***
all methods and styles. I've played clarinet and saxophone for orchestras, symphonic bands, and jazz bands. I've played drums for jazz, rock, and acoustic sets.

Americas, and the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra.

they are having fun in the process.

Besides playing and teaching the saxophone, I also teach the clarinet, and flute, as well as music theory and electronic music production with Ableton Live. From my wide experience as a performing musician I can teach in a variety of genres, including jazz, classical, pop, and World Music.

I have been fortunate to have taught students all over the world, including Singapore, Africa, and the UK, many times performing along the way. I have led my own band for many years, with performances around the world, and with which I have recorded numerous albums, which can be found on Spotify and iTunes.

When I am not playing or teaching music I love to hang out with friends, be outdoors, and travel to places I have never been before.

I look forward to meeting you and helping you realize your goals in music.

oloist with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band as the winner and scholarship recipient of their 2016 concerto competition. As the grand prize winner of the 2018 Pearl & Julius Young Concerto Competition, she will perform as soloist with the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey in 2019.

Stone has been featured on NPR’s From the Top with host Christopher O’Reilly, and she is also a 2016 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Scholarship recipient as well as a 2016 and 2017 National YoungArts Foundation winner. Currently, she is principal flutist of the New York Youth Symphony and performs in the Juilliard orchestra and various chamber groups, including AXIOM, Juilliard’s new music ensemble. Outside of music, Mei enjoys reading, baking, and running marathons.