Bassoon with Daniel B.

My love and passion for teaching has been with me since I discovered the art of pedagogy. I have learned from so many professors over the years- whether it was chamber music, reed making, orchestral excerpts or solo repertoire-and I continue to learn through my teaching and performance experiences. I believe that preparing students for a life in music after their academic studies is one of the most important skills a teacher can have.     My philosophy of teaching is simple and pure. Be positive, clear, a cheerleader to push them ahead and work harder for a career in which they love. Every student is different, so it is important to me to learn about the student’s background and career goals and evaluate how best to accomplish them with a clear semester-by-semester approach that addresses their strengths and weaknesses.           Pedagogical history/lineage and reed making are among my favorite topics. I have studied reed making with many top performers in North America. Through reed making you learn a lot about the history of the bassoon, sound concepts, performance techniques and other traditions that are passed down orally and may have faded away because of the homogenization of musical study. These are important things for students to know and learn and I feel grateful that I have the knowledge and opportunity to pass this information along to students.  As a young teacher, I find that that my peers are neglecting this very important part of pedagogy.