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Historically informed performance practice is for me not about following the rules. It is about learning the language of the music we play, as well as we can. We can read all the treatises, know all the current research, understand harmony, and practice our instruments. This is all extremely important. However, it is the foundation for what comes next. It is our job as musicians, no matter in which style, which tradition, on whatever instrument, to work the sounds we create in a way that creates meaning for our audiences. We need to interpret the rhetoric of the music we play. The cornerstone of my teaching is to learn the tools to create the greatest impact for our listeners.

I do not believe there is only one truth in music, and there can be multiple legitimate interpretations to the same piece of music. My goal is to help my students find their own voice and mode of expression, within the framework of what we know as the Western classical music tradition, and further nested in the early music tradition.

My goal is never perfection, I believe the false lure of perfection can damage musical expression, but rather help my students balance feeling good enough as a performer with finding ways to improve. Our field has become quite toxic in expecting perfection, something that doesn’t exist, especially in such a subjective field as music.

I focus on building musical interpretation through knowledge, craft, and rhetoric. Paramount is learning how to interpret the information on the page and to know the places where we can make our own creative decisions.

Technique is approached in a way as to serve the musical expression. I focus a lot on the use of the body, through body awareness and proper form. The historical instruments and the bodies that play them have a much closer connection to each other in the creation of sound than the modern bassoon.

Lessons are offered in-person or online. Let me know via the contact page if you would be interested.