Personal Statement

I am a graduate of music education with a minor in jazz studies from West Chester University. My major instrument is the saxophone, but I am also proficient on the clarinet, flute, and piano. I have a special interest in the jazz idiom, and I have studied it extensively both in and out of school. I have toured with a conceptual jazz quartet as well as played in multiple big bands including The Statesmen Jazz Ensemble, The Criterion Band, and the Red Land High School Jazz Band. Besides jazz, I also have directed my high school concert band for a semester, and I have been in marching bands for seven years both as a section leader and an officer.
Currently, I am a substitute teacher for numerous school districts around the area including West Shore, Dallastown, Cumberland Valley, Red Lion, and Central Dauphin. In the spring of 2009, I served a long term assignment at Red Land and Cedar Cliff high schools as the orchestra director. I am also certified Level I in the Orff instructional methodology. Orff-Schulwerk is a well known method in music education and is used primarily in elementary general music level. It encourages music comprehension, improvisation, and both instrumental and vocal practice and incorporates many different methodologies in order to provide every student with the best possible chance to learn.
Lastly, I seek to deliver quality instruction to my students through engaging learning strategies that promote meaningful learning. I value the emotional integrity of each student, and I aim to instill character qualities that will help them to grow into a successful person. My colleagues have viewed me as hardworking, enthusiastic, diligent, caring, and willing to go the extra mile to meet the needs of each student.

Hourly - $30.00
Half hour - $20.00