Jazz, Blues, Pop, Classical and Rock Music Lessons
The live interaction between teacher and student is invaluable and incomparable for learning your instrument and for your music education. I do not offer lessons on YouTube. In person is the best way to learn.
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The lessons are given weekly
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You may sign up for 1/2 hour, 3/4 hour or 1 hour lessons
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There is no semester or year long contract to sign. Lessons are on a month-to-month basis.
Piano Lessons
It has been said that being able to play the piano is right up there with being able to read. Piano lessons for children make a great, positive impact on the child. And I offer piano lessons for adults, who can range from total beginner to an accomplished pianist. I take on a piano student once they are five years old. Piano-playing fundamentals are taught with repertoire in a variety of styles. I'll play duets with the student which makes the lessons extra fun and challenging! Certain select pieces I'll have the student memorize so they'll have the freedom to perform them in any situation, for example in a family gathering where there's a keyboard or piano. When the student reaches an intermediate level, I am open to incorporating songs and styles the student wants to learn, including classical, rock, blues, jazz, ragtime and gospel. I go the extra mile to supplement the lessons with music that interests and engages the student, child, teen or adult.
Harmonica - the easiest instrument to tote, but maybe not to toot!
Harmonica students have traditionally been middle-schoolers to folks in their 70's. Instruction is on the 10-hole diatonic (not chromatic) harmonica, your basic "harp" as we call it. Instruction starts with learning to play simple folk tunes by reading a simple tablature, not notes on a staff. The goal is to have the student progress to solely playing by ear. I can teach you to play the blues (cross-harp) and/or folk tunes and popular standards (straight harp). For blues harp students I use recordings by blues harmonica masters plus a method I created called "The Sternberg Blues Harmonica Method." That manual takes the student from easy blues playing to more and more difficult pieces. It is accompanied by recordings of everything in the manual.
Saxophone Lessons
Students range in age from 4th graders to adults. My instruction supplements the child's school band program. Band class cannot give the student enough one-on-one teaching for the student to excel on the saxophone or flute. For you adults, did you play the sax in middle &/or high school and haven't picked it up since? Have you wanted to learn to play like Charlie Parker, David Sanborn or Eric Merienthal? I teach proper embouchure throughout the lessons to eventually achieve an excellent tone. I encourage the band student to bring to the lesson difficult pieces the band class is working on. I steer adult students to the music they've only dreamed of playing. Advanced students will learn all 12 major scales and arpeggios. Further progress can be made with minor and blues scales, especially for improvising.
Advanced Students
There are two situations: 1)a student has completed with me or another instructor the full series of instruction books and has "graduated," or 2)a new student comes to me with a completed background on their instrument. In either case, the response is the same. I research and obtain materials that match the student's interest and become the student's lesson repertoire. I can accommodate students that want to learn music theory and who want to learn to improvise. I own a home recording studio and can record songs and projects students are interested in having and distributing to family and friends. Several years ago I engineered 2 albums for a talented high school piano student which he and his family distributed; the albums are wonderful keepsakes. I listen to the needs and desires of the advanced student and respond accordingly, always being flexible and resourceful.