Teaching Philosophy
01
Musicianship First
I teach the basics of flute playing including how to produce a beautiful tone, how to play with good posture, how to play rhythms and articulations correctly, how to sight read and how to play standard flute repertoire. Beyond this, I believe students who have a firm grasp of how music theory, music history and musical style can play with greater musical understanding and expression. This kind of musical training also increases students’ capacity to enjoy music as listeners because they have expanded musical understanding.
04
Mentorship
After working closely with my students, we invariably develop a special bond of trust and respect. My flute teachers throughout the years have greatly influenced my personal development, so I approach the mentorship of my students with the kind of care that will help them grow throughout many aspects of their lives.
02
Room for Improvement
Even today, I play the same scales and exercises I played as a child. This is one of the reasons music is so fascinating; there are always new discoveries for the creative mind. For all levels of student, I hold them to the highest standard and teach them to constantly be looking for places to improve. This helps students develop pride and confidence in their playing as well as respect for the music.
03
Rigorous Fun
There’s no doubt that becoming proficient at playing the flute takes time and effort, but my goal is to teach students how to use their practice as periods of discovery so it can be rewarding rather than just drudgery. My students look forward to their lessons because they know they will be coming into a supportive environment where learning is exciting.
05
Testimonial
I began flute lessons with Laura Strickland in October 2014, and I highly recommend her as a flute teacher. Since I started lessons, I have surprised myself at the amount of progress I have been able to make in such a short time. It’s true that I do practice a lot, but I also am very pleased with the quality of teaching that I get from Laura. I learn something new in every lesson.
I believe Laura has all the skills that are required to be a good teacher:
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She knows the material (both flute playing techniques and music theory)
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She can convey the concepts in ways that are easily understandable
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She makes lessons interesting and fun
If you’re looking for a teacher, for yourself or your child, who will make learning music enjoyable and will help you or your child make fast progress, I would definitely recommend taking lessons with Laura.
– Martin H. Zais, DDS