Naylor Music Studio
"There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is."
~William Merrill
Saxophone
I begin teaching saxophone as early as ages 10-11 (or those beginning in 5th grade) on up to adults and take them up through an intermediate level. For beginners, I pretty much use the standard method books which aid in building technique, good tone, and a solid musical ear. As they advance along, I introduce small etude studies and a beginning solo repertoire book to help them gain experience in the performance arena as well as begin to introduce them to other genres of music. For my intermediate students, I have them tackle more in-depth etudes, scales, and begin to dig deeper into a diversity of solo repertoire ranging from classical, jazz, pop, latin, etc... Depending on what the student’s musical interests are, I will guide them in whichever direction they would like to take. Much like I do for my students who play violin/viola, if they are old enough I will have them compete at various competitions throughout the year such as Solo & Ensemble, All-State, Honor Band, etc...
Violin/Viola
I usually begin teaching violin or viola from the ages of 4 years all the way up to adults. For beginners, I usually start them with the Suzuki Method, though I am open to suggestions if another method may work best. I prefer the Suzuki Method as it begins teaching the student to use their ear by listening more in depth to the music and provides a greater focus on the technical setup of the instrument. A technical foundation is key to performing at one’s absolute best. I try to focus on making sure my students are solid in their playing technique as that will allow them to play more freely and easily no matter what they perform. By doing more in depth listening, the ability to process what is heard becomes easier the student to retain and makes it easier for them to repeat back what is heard. They not only hear the melody but all the harmony that surrounds the melodious line; they hear how their solo line is supposed to go and how it fits in with the rest of the music. Along with playing, I incorporate theory into their lessons by using flash cards and when appropriate introducing them to a basic music elements book to help aid in their theory training. For fun, too, I try to add a piece from different genres of music at times so that they begin to develop a well-rounded base in their repertoire of music.
For my intermediate and advanced level students, I primarily focus teaching them classical repertoire. However, if their interests dictate to go more in the direction of Bluegrass, Jazz, etc... I will work with them in those areas. I use etudes and scales to further build their technique and expand their horizons to the many different solo works and chamber music there is to offer. If old enough to compete, I will have them do various competitions as well such as: Solo & Ensemble, All-State, and other various orchestra festivals and competitions held throughout the year.