I am a professional composer, cellist, and educator providing lessons in cello, composition, music theory, beginning violin, beginning piano, and English as a second language (please scroll down for more information on ESL lessons). I have been teaching since 2002. I am a member of the Music Teachers Association of California and as such my cello and composition students are eligible to pursue the certificate of merit. I teach in Tustin near Prospect and 17th St. Please check out my profile below and let me know if you have any questions. Call or email me anytime!
INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS - Cello, beginning violin, viola, and piano.
I have an MFA in composition from California Institute of the Arts, and a BM summa cum laude in composition from California State University, Los Angeles. In my instrumental lessons, I focus on good technique while learning fun and interesting pieces. I have a strong foundation in classical music plus extensive experience in many other styles, including Hindustani music, Chinese music, West African music, Indonesian gamelan music, Native American music, fiddling and folk music, pop/rock, jazz and blues, and improvisation. I draw on techniques from various genres to create a well-rounded musician. Students also learn basic music theory and ear training.
COMPOSITION AND MUSIC THEORY LESSONS
I have an MFA in composition from California Institute of the Arts, and a BM summa cum laude in composition from California State University, Los Angeles. I have studied with composers Anne LeBaron, Wolfgang von Schweinitz, and Dr. John Kennedy. While my main compositional interests are classical, microtonal, avant-garde, opera, electro-acoustic, performance art, music for dance, and world music, I have also studied jazz and blues, commercial/popular music and film scoring. I am a versatile composer capable of writing and teaching in many styles. I also work with my students on music theory and ear training, orchestration, instrumentation, and form. I am currently the Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Composers Collective, a 501(c )3 non-profit organization (lacomposerscollective dot org).
ENGLISH LESSONS
As a teacher of English, I have taught privately, in public schools, and at Berlitz Languages, working with students from all over the world. At Berlitz, I worked mainly with business people and their families to improve their professional and conversational English. I also worked at ELS to prepare college students to attain the level of English necessary to attend American universities. I have a BA in Translation and Interpretation Studies and Spanish, and a Certificate in Latin American Studies. While I teach using full immersion methods, I do speak Spanish and Italian as second languages. I currently teach privately, helping students improve their grammar, reading, writing, conversational English, and accent elimination (a particular specialty of mine), from beginner through advanced levels, adults and children alike. We will tailor the lesson to suit your needs!
