My Philosophy of Music Ed
So here’s the deal. Music is my life, and I love sharing it with people; whether as a soloist, clinician or teacher.  Music is more to me than notes on a page, scales to be learned, etudes to be checked off, or levels and competitions to surpass.  Music is about the effective expression of things impossible to communicate any other way.  
With that said...you have to have a certain level of mastery over the language you speak to effectively communicate those things.  Scales, etudes, and competitions can be useful to attain those levels.  You can’t mumble your way through a conversation and expect anyone to listen to you.  The same goes for your musical conversations.  You can’t expect to miss notes, play sloppy, with poor time, intonation or clarity and have anyone want to listen to what you say.  The great orators of past and present have an ability to speak clearly, cleanly and easily; manipulating the language to communicate.  The great musicians of past and present have the same mastery over their instruments.  
The reason, then, that we practice for perfection is not so that we can play all the notes perfectly (although that clarity is nice)...but rather, so that we can have the mastery over the language to manipulate it to say what we want to say, and how we want to say it.  Once we are able to really nail it, can we start to actively express ourselves.  This is my goal every time I play.
I approach lessons with the three “T’s” in mind.  Tone Tuning Technique  (I believe that this comes from Emery Remmington’s approach)  Every lesson begins with breathing, and then a move into tone, which leads to everything else.  Once we have established a beautiful tone, we spend less time there, and more time with the next “T’s”.  It may seem tedious at times, but I believe it to be a good approach.
Well, this has gone on too long, so I will end.  Practice time for me, is a time of exploration, experimentation, and fun.  I hope that I can impart that love of playing to my students, who can then infect all those around them with this love of music.
The Educator
  1. •Besson Performing Artist and Clinician for Buffet Crampon USA, 2007-Present
  2. •Private Lesson Instructor/clinician, Seattle, WA 2007-Present
  3. •Chamber Musician/Clinician-The United States Air Force Band, 2003-2006
  4. •Private Lessons Instructor/Clinician-Greater Washington D.C., 2003-2006
  5. •Graduate Teaching Assistant, Euphonium-The University of North Texas, 2000-2001
  6. •Private Lessons instructor Greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, 1999-2000
  7. •Bachelor of Music Education from Central Washington University 1999
Experience and Education
Click here (lessonflyer.pdf) to download a pdf version of Danny’s lesson flyer.