Saxophone with Dave G.

Thank you for visiting my page! You've come to the right place. Over the past several years, I've helped dozens upon dozens of music students of all ages and skill levels improve their skills at playing saxophone, clarinet, and flute. Along with basic theory, tone production, music reading, and intonation, I teach jazz and beginning improvisation, concert band, blues, soul, and R&B. My school-age students win chair placements, place well in auditions, and some win awards. Some examples: recently, one of my sax students won the M.J. Brown Family Performing Arts Music Award, and an 11-year-old flute student won both Most Improved Jazz Student and Outstanding Achievement in his orchestra class. My adult learners have fun re-connecting with their instrument of choice. Most students have been with me for one to three years. Students thrive on structure and goals, and I have developed a unique approach to practicing that gets results. I teach all ages and skill levels to play saxophone, clarinet, and flute. I cover many styles, from concert band, to jazz, blues, soul, and R&B, theory, tone, articulation, and more. I am experienced with preschoolers to middle school-age children, high school and college ages, nervous adult beginners, and special needs students. I recommend the following lesson structure: • First-time beginners: one 30-minute lesson per week • Older beginners to intermediate students: one 45 minute lesson per week • Advanced students: 60 minutes once each week My approach to lessons is to support a competition-free environment where every level of player can feel comfortable, have fun, and make fast and steady progress. Students are also encouraged to participate in all-ages jam sessions, and at our recitals. I work from my home studio on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Centrally located in La Mesa, my studio is just a few minutes east of Qualcomm Stadium. Plenty of free parking, and parents are encouraged to sit in during lessons. On Thursdays, I'm in my La Jolla studio on Girard at La Jolla Music. My own teaching experience includes private post-secondary, SDSU’s College of Extended Studies, and I’ve facilitated and run woodwind master classes at Grossmont and Valhalla High Schools.