1st lesson free
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Dennis
- Rate $51
- Response 1h
$51/h
Contact
1st lesson free
- Saxophone
- Bassoon
- Clairon
- Didgeridoo
One-on-One or Group Jam? I’ve Got You | 8 Years of Boosting Tone, Style & Confidence with structured lessons in breathing mechanics, stylistic ornamentation, and ensemble playing skills for all levels
- Saxophone
- Bassoon
- Clairon
- Didgeridoo
Lesson location
About Dennis
Teaching saxophone is ultimately about helping students integrate technical skill and creative voice into a cohesive musical identity. I begin by establishing a robust technical framework—focused breathing, embouchure precision, finger coordination, tone consistency, and rhythmic clarity—building habits that support sustainable and nuanced playing. To foster expressive musicianship, I embed improvisation and ear training into the curriculum. From simple scales and melodic responses to more advanced motif development, students practice improvising within supportive frameworks, gradually developing their individual phrasing and stylistic vocabulary. Music theory is applied directly through repertoire and improvisation—students analyze harmonic structures, modal usage, and rhythmic devices as they learn real music, giving context to every technical concept. Repertoire selection is student-centric, spanning jazz standards, pop tunes, classical works, blues exercises, and original compositions, keeping motivation high. Goal setting is collaborative and evolving: from mastering a recital piece to recording an improvisational solo, aligning with each stage of progress. One of the most fulfilling teaching experiences was seeing a student, previously nervous about improvisation, confidently improvise an entire piece at a community performance. That breakthrough reminded me why the balance of technical teaching and creative freedom is so powerful. My mission is to mentor saxophonists who are technically adept, artistically expressive, and deeply invested in their musical growth.
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About the lesson
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- +2
levels :
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Proficient
Children
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
My saxophone instruction is built on the idea that music is an embodied experience—meaningful, emotional, and deeply personal. That’s why I don’t teach technique in isolation; I teach it through the lens of musical connection.
We start with the essentials—embouchure, breath support, long tones, articulation—but immediately apply them to expressive playing. For beginners, I use blues licks and simple melodies to make tone development exciting. For more experienced players, we dive into real-world application: improvising over ii-V-I’s, analyzing modal jazz forms, or composing over a rhythmic vamp.
I emphasize listening just as much as playing. Students learn to transcribe solos by ear, compare different artists’ interpretations, and develop their own concept of sound. I bring in recordings, use real-time notation tools, and even simulate gig scenarios to help students adapt to various musical settings. We work on playing with backing tracks and click tracks, recording and critiquing solos, and developing stage presence.
One advanced student came to me wanting to break out of “scale mode”—playing by rules and boxes—and by focusing on motif development, intervallic phrasing, and rhythmic contrast, they unlocked a whole new level of improvisational freedom. I believe saxophone should feel like a natural extension of one’s voice. Every note you play should feel like it’s saying something real—and my job is to help you figure out what that “something” is and how to say it clearly, with nuance, passion, and control.
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Rates
Rate
- $51
Pack rates
- 5 h: $255
- 10 h: $510
online
- $51/h
free lessons
This first lesson offered with Dennis will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.
- 1hrs
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