Namleen Kaur - Teacher #3452

Instruments:
- Trumpet

Services:
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

As a trumpet teacher with a background in orchestral music and a diverse international experience, my teaching philosophy revolves around nurturing musical growth and inspiring a lifelong passion for music in my students. I believe that every student has unique talents, aspirations, and learning styles, and it is my role to create a supportive and engaging environment that fosters their musical development.

I firmly believe in the value of student-centered learning. By actively involving my students in their own learning process, I empower them to take ownership of their musical journey. I encourage their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, allowing them to explore different musical styles, techniques, and repertoire that resonate with their interests and aspirations.

Students of any age can enjoy learning music and experience joy in developing new skills on their instrument.

Musical Education

I have Master of Music degrees from Sibelius Academy in Finland and Roosevelt University in Chicago, where I studied as a Fulbright Scholar. I have complemented my orchestral studies at the Gothenburg University´s School of Music and Drama in Sweden.
I studied piano since the age of 6, started in a choir at the age of 8, and began playing the trumpet at the age of 11. The musical training I got while growing up in Finland was very thorough and vigorous and gave me the foundation for the rest of my musical journey. At the age of 22, before finishing my Bachelor´s degree, I won the audition at the Finnish Guards Band, the top 1 military orchestra in Finland. I spent 8 years working there as a full-time trumpet player, while at the same time attending Sibelius Academy. Those years were crucial in my development into a confident and fearless player and led me to leave my career in the military to pursue further studies in the US. In Chicago, I studied with Channing Philbrick from the Lyric Opera of Chicago and with Mark Ridenour from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Most of my other teachers in chamber music, orchestra repertoire, and audition classes were from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During that time I learned valuable lessons in orchestra audition preparation and developed a solid foundation for my trumpet playing, based largely on Vincent Cichowicz´s techniques that my teacher Channing, who was Cichowicz´s student, had acquired.

Awards and Distinctions

ASLA Fulbright Scholarship 2009-2011

Special Skills and Training

I was exposed to music from early childhood, and the soul connection I have with music comes from those happy days spent at my grandparents´ house, where music was played and sang every day. Throughout my youth I explored different types of music making from chamber choirs to big bands, funk bands and symphony orchestras. I have been lucky to have performed under many world- reknown conductors such as Sir Colin Davis, Alondra de La Parra, Osmo Vänskä, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstam. During my study years at the Sibelius Academy in Finland (2003-2012), I participated in several masterclasses by amazing trumpet players, including Christopher Martin (NYPhil), Joe Burgstaller, Luis Gonzales Marti (Spain), Pacho Flores (Venezuela), Reinhold Friedrich (Germany), James Watson (UK), Markus Stockhausen (Cologne, Germany), Bo Nilsson (Malmö, Sweden). Orchestra playing skills were highly emphasized in my studies at both Sibelius Academy and Roosevelt University of Chicago. With mock auditions and orchestra repertoire classes, I became specialized in symphony orchestra playing and repertoire. In addition to my orchestra playing career, I have enjoyed teaching at a music school in Sweden. Seeing children and youth express their happiness while mastering a new skills, and being able to play with their more advanced peers gives me a lot of joy as an educator. Playing together is an important part of my music lessons, and since I learned piano from childhood, I regularly accompany my students during lessons. Being a musician doesn´t rule out other interests, and I have also trained as an yoga and meditation teacher. I try to apply some mindfulness into my music lessons as well. On top of these two interests, I am a mother for 7 year old twins, so I am very connected to the world of budding musicians!

Rates

30 Minutes: $39.00
45 Minutes: $49.00
60 Minutes: $59.00

There is a one-time registration fee of 25 $ charged with the first lessons. All Taxes are included in prices, if applicable

NOTE: Your Credit card will be charged ONLY when the first lesson is set up and confirmed with the teacher

Policies


1. Cancellation Policy

Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.

2. Cessation (quitting) Policy

A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.

3. Illness Policy

Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.

BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.

No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.

4. Rescheduling Policy

Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.

Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy

Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.

It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.

5. Evaluation Period

There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).