I have 20+ years’ experience as a professional composer, and have written works for chorus, orchestra, film and the musical stage. My training includes a Master of Music in Composition from the San Francisco Conservatory and three years of composition and choral conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. The study of musicianship through singing has been key to my training, and I believe strongly that the ability to sight sing and score read has made me a better composer. My students also benefit from this training.
Areas of Instruction
- Ear Training
Ear training will be beneficial to actors, singers, songwriters, garage band musicians or anyone interested in improving their musical skills. These includes sight singing, dictation (melodic, harmonic and rhythmic), memorization skills, etc. I use techniques associated with the Kodály Method, which entails incrementally studying one interval at a time and in small groups, learning to sing them accurately and to recognize them. A variety of exercises are used to strengthen sight reading and memorization skills. At a more advanced level, students become accustomed to singing one part while playing the other, identifying intervals and chords and taking multi-part dictation. All of these skills will inform and improve every aspect of your music making. - Composition
Whether you are interested in writing pop songs or orchestral pieces, I help you to master the building blocks of composition: form, harmony, melody, counterpoint, etc. Depending on my assessment of your goals and existing skills, I may advocate focusing on counterpoint or sight singing, as well as your own work. I consider mastering these skills to be a prerequisite for composing any kind of music.My particular strengths are text setting and writing for the voice, as well as various aspects of music for the stage. Students interested in these areas are especially welcome.
I prefer to work with students who are serious, goal-oriented and willing to make a commitment. Particularly in the case of sight singing students, it’s important to know that acquiring this skill is a slow-moving process and you need to be in it for the long haul. I teach in my home in Oakland’s Glenview district.
The first lesson is a free consultation where we establish your goals, and determine whether I’m an appropriate teacher for you.
Contact me to discuss your interests and goals.
