Occoquan, VA Music Performance Lessons

to sing in Little Shop of Horrors and to sing with a women's choir. While studying at the University of Colorado Boulder I began to come into my own and started to let my large sound free. (Which for me was a process. Getting your voice where you want it and to where it is capable is work. But, it is fun work and you're always happy when you have these great moments where you get to where you were hoping you could and that your teacher said you would go at some point.) It was there, at CU Boulder that I got the opportunity to start singing in operas. While in Boulder I sang in The Magic Flute, Sarah McKinnon and as a soloist or recitalist.

Also, while there I worked as an actress in a theater company called the Interactive Theater Project for three years. I thought that by getting involved in that that I would be able to act more effectively while singing. It was fun just doing something where you're just working with the spoken word. I had a wonderful time with them and learned a lot about character work and what it takes to connect to the words in an effective way.

In the past few years, I have been a soloist and recitalist in the Washington,DC area and has sang opera in Pennsylvania with Center Stage Opera. Last year, I sang with Center Stage Opera in the role of Bertha. I had the opportunity to sing and to act at the Kennedy Center a few years ago. Also during that time, I
sang in Aleko, the Die Zauberflöte as the Queen of the Night, Serena in Porgy and Bess, and
sang in Ragtime and sang the role of the Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast.

I am currently working as a soloist, a children's choir director, a chorus member and preparing for a recital and auditions in October. I look forward to what the rest of the year will bring.

*** Lesson Details ***
If you're a beginner, I will help you to understand what you need to get through the vocal line with breath and intonation. We will begin by doing vocal exercises and learn a lot about breathing for singing. I want to help you to make more beautiful tones. I will also slowly begin teaching you how to read sheet music and to help you be a more effective listener when it comes to music. I can also help you to become a better communicator as a singer.

For acting, I will help you to learn how to develop characters and bring the writer's words to life. We will begin by seeing what sort of subjects or genres interest you and what you are doing with those words now, and how you can delve deeper into making the world of the characters something more flushed out.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Inside my home studio I have: music, a music stand, chairs, WiFi, a computer, a laptop, a keyboard, a microphone, a metronome, a microphone, an amp/large speaker, and a sofa.

*** Specialties ***
For voice I would say that my focus is on classical voice. I also sing jazz, gospel and musical theater. For acting I have done both improvisational and regular scripted plays.

I have not taught students with special needs, but as someone with a twin sister with special needs, I am open to teaching students with special needs.

is unique and individualized to each student. I set personalized goals to make every lesson a success, and I push my students to get the most out of themselves just like I do myself. I'm always enthusiastic and humor driven to create a personable learning environment for students of any age. Music is my life, and I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity to share my greatest passion with the hope that my students, too, will fall in love with music!

*** Lesson Details ***
My lesson environment is laid back and stress-free. I like my students to feel inspired and encouraged as they begin or continue their music education. I introduce fun and innovative ways to build students' musicianship and creativity while retaining classical methods to develop strong technique and proper performance and practice habits.

For beginners, we'll be exploring the basics of either piano, or voice, while focusing on proper technique, basic theory, and a solid skill set. Within 3-6 months, my students are able to read music and understand the language of it.

For intermediate-advanced, we'll focus on building musicianship and skill sets by furthering studies in music theory, varying styles of repertoire, proper techniques that will greatly improve your piano and/or voice abilities, songwriting, improvisation, and live performance skills.

I ask that my students come prepared to every lesson with the motivation and commitment to learn something new each week! Lessons are a fun and creative way to discover yourself as an artist and a person, so let's get started!!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Kawai CN25 Upright Electric Piano, 13" MacBook Pro and iPad mini (Apple), A-Audio Elite HD Headsphones, BeatsStudio Studio Headphones (beats by dr. dre) and G900DX Studio Headphones (Gear One).

of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, The Voice Workshop, and the Loudoun Fairfax Music Fellowship.

wed by my teaching methods:

My teaching methods fall into these four categories: (D.A.D.E.)
• Discovery- Gathering relevant and resourceful information of voice functionality.
• Application- Putting technical skills to use and knowledge of when to use them.
• Development- Process learning- Changes cause/effects and as a result, progress, production, and promise. “Trust the process.”
• Execute- To bring forth, carry out, and perform!

Process teaching and learning is a specific teaching style that not only empowers the students to feel confident about their craft, it also gives the students useful skills that can be applied to REAL "time-life" scenarios. This reinforcement confirms that the students have indeed learned what they've hired me for and more.

By signing up for voice lessons with Jackson, you will become a V.I.P. member. What is a VIP member? V.I.P. members have the inside opportunities to learn “singer secrets!” (Vowels, Interpretations and Pept-talk).
• Vowels- Two different approaches: Spoken and Sung
• Interpretation- A stylistic approach that best explains or makes sense of. Your explanation for your creativeness.
• P.E.P.T.-Talk (Details in your lesson)

Note:
1. The most important thing for singers/musicians/language students is that they train their ears. Why? Because 90% of what you'll learn is by what you recall from hearing/listening.
2. ENVIRONMENT- is key to your learning. It's important for you to surround yourself around the very things that you're learning.

Once you sign up, you’ll receive a questionnaire. The information you provide is vital because it shapes and designs your learning curriculum.

Bio: From Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Born October 15th, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Notable instruments are the piano and percussion. Jackson is one of Washington, DC’s prominent male vocalists. His voice is recognized as; beautiful light lyrical-pure tone, fine diction, long phrasing and an extended high range. He is also known for his work within the concert/recital repertoires around the Washington, DC Metropolitan areas and performances with the Symphonic Orchestra of Northern Virginia, Jeff Dokken, conductor.

Jackson credits himself as a Pop Inspirational singer. “Music to touch, move, and inspire.”- Jackson C.
Jackson has experience working with youth and adults in churches, and privately. He has taught music and accompanied the production "KIDS" at the Kelsie Collie Children's Musical Experience.
His music education studies hail from; University of the District of Columbia,- Washington, DC, Oberlin Conservatory under Richard Miller,- Oberlin, OH, and Shenandoah University Conservatory under Dr. Kathryn Green,- Winchester, VA with an emphasis in Voice Pedagogy (CCM) Contemporary Commercial Music. His professional music career began (Spring 2009) in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Jackson is fortunate to have had a career built on “word of mouth” via his fans and supporters. Often, he is called upon to sing for; weddings, funerals, private parties, churches, recitals etc. Words and phrases that best describe Jackson's vocal performances are: (G.R.I.P.) Graceful, Refreshing, Inspiring, and Powerful.

*** Specialties ***
Pop, Inspirational, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues (R&B), Classical, Contemporary Jazz, some musical theater.

"Trust the process! Everything in life began and ends with a process."- B. Jackson Caesar

Languages: (English & Spanish)
My interest in the Hispanic language, its apparatus, style/approach, and culture as it pertains to the ever growing population and bilingualism around the Americas. My desire is to engage the students in the discovery and appreciation of the lingual- romantic tongues.

Spanish:
Countries visited; Mexico and Peru.
I can guarantee that within a few months you'll feel confident and sure that you're conversation- ready to Speak Spanish. Therefore, if you're preparing a trip to a Spanish speaking country, you’ll find Peruvian Castellano pronunciation straightforward and as good as any other, with few of the dropped letters or peculiarities found in some other countries.

English (As a second language)
I enjoy helping others learn the complexities of the English language. English is indeed a hard tongue to grasp however; it’s not difficult once you understand its secrets. (Phonetic learning)

Acting Coach: I advocate a dynamic variety of approaches to your learning styles and trends. My interest is in the study of voice production; functionality, style/approach, health, and stage presence and thus, my students are empowered with useful tools to reach their goals, confront and overcome common oppositions.

Public Speaking: Like that of the other subjects, my primary focus is to give you fundamental skills of interpretation. There are seven interpretation techniques that are used to empower and influence not only the speaker, but even your audience. The seven interpretative techniques can be applied to these six types of speeches: Narrative, Descriptive, Expository, Persuasive, Informative, and Social groups. You will also learn stage presence, and effective leadership skills. By the end of this course, you’ll not only have the confidence, you’ll have the command and compassion to lead.

ks better than the spoken word because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective."

In some instances, music works better than the spoken word because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective. Although many musicians agree that music is a "language" it is rarely treated as such.

Many of us treat it as something that can only be learned by following a strict regiment under the tutelage of a skilled teacher. This approach has been followed for hundreds of years with proven success... But it takes a long time. Too long.

Think about the first language you learned as a child. More importantly, think about how you learned it.

"You were allowed to make mistakes."

You were a baby when you first started speaking and even though you spoke the language incorrectly you were allowed to make mistakes - and the more mistakes you made, the more your parents smiled!

Learning to speak was not something you were sent somewhere to do only a few times a week. The majority of people you spoke to were not beginners, they were already proficient speakers. Imagine your parents forcing to only speak to other babies until you were good enough to speak to them! You'd probably be an adult before you could carry on a proper conversation.

To use a musical term, as a baby you were allowed to "jam" with professionals.

If we approach music in the same natural way we approached our first language, we would learn to speak it in the same short time it took to speak our first language.
Proof of this can be seen in almost any family where a child grows up with other musicians in the family.

Here are a few keys to follow in learning guitar or bass:

In the beginning we embrace mistakes instead of correcting them. Like a child playing air guitar there are no wrong notes.

Allow young musicians to play and perform with accomplished musicians on a daily basis.

Encourage young musicians to play more than they practice. The more they play, the more they will practice on their own.

Music comes from the musician, not the instrument.
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2) RockSmith 2014 becomes your personal accomplished musician or band for you to play in a daily basis as it monitors how you play, dynamically adjusts difficulty to your skill level, then slowly introduces more notes and phrases until you're playing your favorite songs note-for-note. Lead Rhythm and bass lines.

Rocksmith 2014 teaches you fast and effectively by letting you plug any real guitar or bass directly into your Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, Windows PC or Mac.

The Rocksmith Method will first make sure you can PLAY the instrument.
You will play your favorite songs.
You will learn a new technique every month.
Rocksmith is designed to match the way your guitar is laid out, so there's no need to interpret tablature or learn sheet music to get started.
Have strings on your guitar? You'll see strings on the screen....

You'll need a game console, a screen and a electric guitar or bass. It's non negotiable.

If you don't have it. I will provide you with a loaner system until you catch up.

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3) A dedicated and passionate Teacher to tie everything together and keep you on track.

The early you start, the better. Kids age 6 or up are my best customers. They don't have adjust to anything other than to get their little fingers around a guitar appropriate to their size.
For young adults and people that tried play the guitar the old fashion way, here's my advise:

You will need to take a step back... or maybe two steps. Let me show you a better way.

These 3 things changes everything in how to learn or teach guitar. This is just to start the journey. I won't even mention custom songs or our musician club for you to perform your songs.

"If music is a language. You should never stop talking."

Remember that a language works the best when we have something interesting to say.
Many music teachers never find out what their students have to say. We only tell them what they are supposed to say.
A child speaks a language for years before they even learn the alphabet.
Too many rules at the onset will actually slow them down.
In my eyes the approach to music should be the same.

After all, music is a language too.

Let's Play & Grow Together.

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Private guitar and bass lessons are designed for students to progress at their own pace. Private lessons will follow the same RockSmith Journey structure. In a private guitar or bass lesson, the teacher has the opportunity to help the student individually for the entire lesson time, and structures each lesson personally for the student depending on their skill level and goals.

The Essentials/Techniques Plus:

Tuning
Strapping up
How to hold a pick
Plucking strings
Accents
Slides
Chords
Power chords
Double stops
Barre chords
Arpeggios
Notes Chords Scales

Shifting
Fretting
Sustains
Palm mutes
Slides
Bends
Tremelos
Hammer-ons
Pull-offs
Natural harmonics
Strumming patterns
Unpitched slides
Fret hand mutes
Improvising and jamming
Vibrato
Scales and modes
Changing strings

Additional Bass Techniques:

Fifths
Roots
Slapping
Popping

Advanced Players:

Double stop, Oblique, and Compound Bends
Two hand tapping
Articulation and phrasing
Pinch harmonics
Extended harmonies
Hybrid techniques
Advanced chords

yboard harmonies.
In 2000, I worked for the Jewish Primary Day School (Grades K – 6), where I introduced the conceptual structure of music, focusing on melody, rhythm, and harmony and their expressive and stylistic organization. Program objectives included: 1) ability to listen with discrimination, 2) ability to sing on pitch within a limited range, 3) ability to play simple rhythm and melodic instruments, 4) ability to interpret music through body movements, impersonations, and dramatizations, and 5) ability to associate symbols of musical notation with musical concepts.

Today, I perform professionally and provide private online and offline piano instruction for children and adults.

tudents, and tailor the lesson plan for the student's growth and practice.

udent's goals and interests. With younger students, Rachel communicates regularly with parents so they can work together to get the most out of lessons!

nd learn some amazing things. I also teach video editing and production and have filmed and edited many videos that are used today in HR training