FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I generally charge $60/hour for private lessons. I am willing to work with students who can't afford this. I also offer a bulk lesson discount for paying for four lessons in advance. It would be $215 for four lessons vs. $240 which it would be when paying for each individually. I prefer the four lessons to be within one month, however I'm fair & flexible if you can't make it to the lesson in a particular week.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I've recently started offering a 30 minute consultation at my studio, where the potential student and I can meet, get to know each other and allows me to find out more about their goals, musical tastes, etc. They also leave with some solid things to work on at home before we begin the first lesson. For beginners, I can even offer advice on choosing a good bass/amp to buy which I often do. As we begin lessons, one of the first things I like to determine is how the student learns best and adjust my method from there. There are some core things I include when teaching anyone such as technique, music theory (to the extent they desire) and ear training, however I tailor each lesson based on all of these things I have already learned from and about the student. For instance, I often utilize lots of musical and historical examples of the concepts I am presenting.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I started with the Yamaha Piano Method at six years old and studied classical piano for seven years, and began studying the bass around age 13. I have a degree in bass performance from Berklee College of Music, and I have studied with some amazing teachers, including Lincoln Goines, Bruce Gertz, Oscar Stagnaro, Ed Tomassi, Dave Clark, John Funkhouser, Jim Stinnett and a one-week intensive study with Brazilian visiting-artist Filo Machado, among others. I have played professionally for 15 years in most styles and settings, and I have taught both privately and also for Wellesley Public Schools outside of Boston as their primary upright and electric bass teacher. I have also been playing guitar for over 20 years and available to teach this as well.