Kirby - Teacher #4015

Instruments:
- Guitar
- Piano
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Violin

Services:
- Ear Training
- Music Appreciation
- Music Theory (Advanced)
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)
- Solfege

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

Music is integral to the human spirit. Humanity lives, breathes, cries, smiles, laughs, and finds joy in music. From the physical to the emotional and the psychological, music education serves only to benefit whoever is fortunate enough to experience it. To me, it is an incredibly rewarding moment to create something beautiful with my musical instrument.

As an extension to this internal joy, I aim to share the love for my craft to my students. I believe students of any age have the inherit right to a safe space for learning, music making, joy finding, and “aha” moments if you will. I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to provide that support, respect, and safe environment for more humans to enjoy music as I do.

Musical Education

I am thrilled to share my musical journey with you! My adventure started at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. I was fortunate enough to find outlets for multiple passions including saxophone (primarily), violin, and collaborative piano.

My passion for music enticed towards Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Here, I earned a Master's degree in Music Performance. As a graduate student, I had the privilege of teaching a woodwind methods course in addition to continuing my studies on the saxophone and violin. I also began to established myself as a professional collaborative pianist.

Currently, I am pursuing my doctoral studies at McGill University, where I enjoy playing saxophone with the University Contemporary Music Ensemble. I am lucky in that I also have the opportunity to explore the curious role emotional regulation has in music performance for the research component of my studies at McGill. I'm grateful for the guidance I've received from my principal teachers, Dr. Gail Levinsky, Dr. John Sampen, and Mrs. Marie-Chantal Leclair.

I'm eager to connect with students who share my love for music! If you are seeking to grow your skills and explore your musical passions, I would be honoured to embark on a musical journey together!

Awards and Distinctions

— Susquehanna University Annual Concerto Competition Winner (2019, Saxophone)
— Susquehanna University Performance Grant (Collaborative Piano)
— Graduate Teaching Assistantship (Bowling Green State University)
— Research Assistantship (Linda Bouchard Multimedia Works)
— Research Assistantship (ACTOR, via FRQSC Grant, Quasar Saxophone Quartet)
— Schulich Scholarship/McGill University Graduate Excllence Fellowship
— Dorothy MacKenzie Price International Fund
— MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music Grant
— Pro Musica Grant
— Former Civic Youth Ensemble Mentor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)

Special Skills and Training

Throughout my 16 years of musical experience, I have had the undying support from my entire family. No one else in my family is musical-inclined, so it honestly made such a difference to have that support from them even when they could not fully appreciate quite exactly what got me excited with competitions, auditions, the repertoire I was playing, and so forth. I have also won a concerto competition (2019), attended several extracurricular activities, and performed internationally on multiple occasions. Below is a list of these activities/international experiences: 1. Performed with Council Rock High School South Symphony Orchestra in Greece 2. Performed with Council Rock High School South Marching Band in Italy 3. Studied abroad to Japan for saxophone (Susquehanna University) 4. Cortona Session for New Music (Cortona, Italy) 5. Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute (Maine, U.S.) 6. Performed at the International Navy Band Saxophone Symposium (Fairfax, U.S.) 7. Performed at multiple North American Saxophone Alliance Conference (U.S.) I owe my success to my primary teachers, my colleagues, and the deep friendships I have built throughout my studies. Without their support, curiosity, and camaraderie, I would not be where I am now in my studies. I hope to meet students at every step of their musical journey, so that I may share all these experiences and invigorate their abilities as 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).

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