Personal Statement

I am a Professor at Berklee College of Music, an MIT Affiliated Artis, a Harvard University MLSP Instructor and a Rico Endorsed Artist. In addition, I teach online and privately in the Newton and Boston areas.

I teach all aspects of woodwind technique – from beginner to professional, young and old and all styles of improvisation (including bop, modal, blues, fusion, smooth jazz, Latin, and classical).

For improvisation, I feel it’s important to get a solid foundation of chords and scales and then to build from there. While this information is being absorbed, I teach you how to improvise using a unique system of written lines and customized play-along CD’s.

For intermediate to advanced students, I stress various exercises which enable you to play improvisational techniques (chord tone soloing, bop scales, approaches notes, 3217/3517 lines and pentatonics, for example) over chord changes, with rhythmic accuracy and without getting lost. These exercises take the mystery out of improvisation by giving you concrete, logical and systematic approaches to improvising.

Learning tunes, transcribed solos, ear training, vocabulary, instrumental technique and theory are also emphasized. And, of course, I enjoy simply playing tunes and improvising with my students!

Education / Training

M.M. from New England Conservatory of Music and a B.M. from Berklee College of Music, as well as, additional undergraduate studies at The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, Manhattan School of Music and Bennington College.

Studies in saxophone, improvisation, composition, clarinet, flute and drums with Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Viola, George Garzone, Rick Margitza, Charlie Banocas, Andy Snitzer, John Mehegan, Jack Berky, George Russell, John La Porta, Arnie Lawrence, Jimmy Guiffre, Bob Moses, Bill Dixon, Barry Harris, Leon Russianoff, Ignatius Gennusa, Henry Brandt, Matt Marvuglio and Milford Graves.

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