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Chris
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Since June 2025
Instructor since June 2025
Woodwind Performance, Improvisation, Jazz Composition, and Music Theory with Chris
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From 131.66 C$ /h
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Chris is a New York City-based multi-instrumentalist. A passionate composer and improviser, he has performed as a leader and sideman throughout New York, Boston, Colorado and abroad over the past 15 years. Chris attended the Manhattan School of Music (MM ‘25) and the New England Conservatory of Music (BM ‘23). He has taught privately and within public schools over the past eight years, and loves to help students cultivate their passion for music and instrumental performance. Students can choose to focus entirely on their instrument (saxophone, clarinet, and flute), or can specifically study improvisation, jazz composition, music theory, and ear training.

While primarily a jazz musician, Chris is trained in a wide variety of musics including classical, which he diligently studied on the clarinet; popular music and R&B; and world musics, including Brazilian (Choro/Bossa/Samba), Latin-American (Bomba/Timba/Rumba), and West-African styles (Agbekor/Gahu).

Some of Chris's many accomplishments include being recognized as a YoungArts Jazz Performance winner for four years in a row; performing abroad in Europe with the inaugural NYO Jazz Band, receiving a Community Performances and Partnerships Ensemble Fellowship at New England Conservatory, and also receiving the George Whitefield Chadwick Medal of musical and academic performance.

Chris emphasizes a teaching approach that prioritizes connecting with the student and engaging them in what they’re specifically interested in, while also covering the fundamentals essential to developing ones skills on their instrument or in their field of study. He offers lessons in person, primarily at students's personal residences, and also online via Zoom, Google Meet, or FaceTime (although in person is highly recommended).
Extra information
Students must have access to their own instruments and have a practice space.
Location
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At student's location :
  • Around Astoria, NY, United States
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At teacher's location :
  • West h Street, New York, NY, USA
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Online from United States
About Me
Chris was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. At a young age, Chris was exposed to music and the arts through his parents, who encouraged him to explore all creative outlets. After years of piano lessons and singing in choirs, it was listening to Coltrane and Sonny Rollins recordings that inspired Chris to pursue playing saxophone and jazz music.

At age 9, Chris began his studies on the clarinet, learning both classical and jazz styles, which naturally led him to the saxophone and later the flute. Chris began studying at the Denver School of the Arts in 2014, where he graduated in 2019. Additionally, he participated in the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts for six years, a program to which he attests much of his musical growth. Through dedication and hard work, Chris received statewide and national musical acclaim early on—Colorado All State Jazz Band, the Telluride Jazz All Stars, National YoungArts awards, Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, the Vail Jazz Workshop, and NYO Jazz were just a few of his accomplishments in high school. In 2017, Chris began to work in music education at the private level and through outreach with Ashley Elementary School, which led him to foster a love for teaching. Chris began studying at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2019, where he graduated in 2023 with his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance (Academic Honors, Phi Kappa Lambda Nominee, George Whitefield Chadwick Medal recipient). In May 2025, Chris graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with his Master of Music degree in Jazz Performance. Chris currently teaches saxophone, clarinet, flute, improvisation, composition, and music theory/ear training at all levels.

Chris has performed alongside and worked with many notable musicians, including Sean Jones, Dianne Reeves, Wycliffe Gordon, Paul Romaine, Shane Endsley, Greg Gisbert, Ethan Iverson, Dave Holland, Maria Schneider, Tim Hagans, John Benitez, and Luisito Quintero. Though Chris currently lives in New York City, he often performs throughout the Denver-Metro area with groups of his own and as a sideman. Chris is a founding member of Splifftet, a Denver-based collective that has been playing together for the past seven years; and Things of This Nature, a New-York based chordless quartet which formed at the Manhattan School of Music. At MSM, Chris studied with Mark Shim and Dayna Stephens. At the New England Conservatory of Music, Chris studied with a number of influential teachers: Frank Carlberg, Jason Moran, Joe Morris, Jerry Leake, Melissa Aldana, and Miguel Zenón, among many others. Chris is passionate about composing and exploring creative approaches to improvisation. When he is not busy with his musical career, Chris loves to spend time outside hiking, running, and skiing, and frequently participates in SGI-USA activities.
Education
Bachelor of Music: New England Conservatory of Music | Jazz Performance, Saxophone | May 2023
Master of Music: Manhattan School of Music | Jazz Performance, Saxophone | May 2025
Experience / Qualifications
TEACHING EXPERIENCE (Over 8 years)
Private Lessons:
- Saxophone (alto, tenor, bari, soprano), clarinet, and flute (jazz and classical); improvisation, composition, and music theory/ear training. In person and via Zoom | September 2017 – present

NYO Jazz Saxophone Audition Adjudicator:
- Adjudicating high school auditions on alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone (including doubles) | January 2025 – present

Manhattan School of Music WHEELS Afterschool Outreach Program:
- Individual and group lessons separated by instrument (clarinet, alto saxophone) | December 2024 – March 2025

Carnegie Hall LinkUp Program – The Orchestra Swings:
- Outreach performances at Carnegie Hall for NYCPS | teaching fundamentals of jazz music | May – June 2024

Manhattan School of Music Community Impact (CCRCI) Performances:
- Spring 2024 | saxophone, clarinet, improvisation

Community Performance and Partnerships Fellowship Ensemble (NEC):
- Outreach-based performances at community centers and elementary/middle schools in the Boston area, aimed at connecting with the audience through music | January 2022 – May 2022

University of Montana Jazz Festival Masterclass:
- Masterclass on woodwind doubling presented via Zoom to the saxophone studio of University of Montana | 19 March 2021

NYO-U Mini-Masterclass:
- Ear Training for Improvisation | July 2018

Ashley Elementary School Afterschool Arts Outreach:
- Individual and group lessons separated by instrument (clarinet, flute, alto saxophone) | September 2017 – May 2019 | Denver, CO
Age
Children (7-12 years old)
Teenagers (13-17 years old)
Adults (18-64 years old)
Seniors (65+ years old)
Student level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Duration
30 minutes
45 minutes
60 minutes
90 minutes
The class is taught in
English
Skills
Availability of a typical week
(GMT -05:00)
New York
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At teacher's location and via webcam
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At student's home
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
00-04
04-08
08-12
12-16
16-20
20-24
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If you want to learn to play the clarinet, flute or saxophone - and more so if your daughter or son does - the most promising way is to find a good teacher and take lessons.
Learning to play a musical instrument like the clarinet, flute or saxophone is more than an intellectual process, that you may manage by abstract learning. Very much alike when learning to play the instruments there are a lot of things (how to sit, hold the instrument, your embouchure, how to breathe and move relaxed, how to control a tone) to train simultaneously and these things ought to be checked.
The beginning can be difficult, and you can do a lot of things really wrong (and get used to that). Especially for the first hours it is worth to have a good teacher.
I am looking forward to teaching you music!
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Hello! My name is Alberto. I am a clarinet player who graduated from Codarts University of the Arts (Rotterdam). I am specialized in Classical Music, though I can teach also Jazz in a beginner to intermediate level.

I have always had a deep interest in chamber music, teaching and improvisation and I would like to be able to show you this passion.
The focus of my lessons is to show the possibilities of music, adapting to the student needs, going from clarinet technique to theory, other styles of music such us Klezmer, Jazz, basic piano, as well as learning how to play the bass clarinet.
But the most important thing is to find a path for each student, so do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and feel free to share your thoughts, I can adapt to your personal goals!
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If you want to go to a conservatory, I can also help you with my experience preparing for the auditions.

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Contact Chris
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Private lessons
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Similar classes
arrow icon previousarrow icon next
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Alex
I teach the clarinet, flute and saxophone for more than 30 years and proudly can say that I helped to improve and gave a new professional path to the hundreds of students in US and overseas. I am holding a Master’s degree from St. Petersburg State Conservatory (Russia), where I studied clarinet and saxophone. St. Petersburg State Conservatory, where I picked up saxophone in addition to studying clarinet. Simultaneously, I worked as a principal clarinetist at the St.Peterburg Symphony Orchestra. Not long after, I won second place in the All-Union USSR Clarinet Competition. Upon graduating from the Conservatory, I worked as the principal clarinetist in Kiev’s State Opera House and soon after was offered a position as a clarinet and saxophone professor at my alma mater, Kiev State R.M. Gliere Higher College of Music.

If you want to learn to play the clarinet, flute or saxophone - and more so if your daughter or son does - the most promising way is to find a good teacher and take lessons.
Learning to play a musical instrument like the clarinet, flute or saxophone is more than an intellectual process, that you may manage by abstract learning. Very much alike when learning to play the instruments there are a lot of things (how to sit, hold the instrument, your embouchure, how to breathe and move relaxed, how to control a tone) to train simultaneously and these things ought to be checked.
The beginning can be difficult, and you can do a lot of things really wrong (and get used to that). Especially for the first hours it is worth to have a good teacher.
I am looking forward to teaching you music!
verified badge
Alberto
Hello! My name is Alberto. I am a clarinet player who graduated from Codarts University of the Arts (Rotterdam). I am specialized in Classical Music, though I can teach also Jazz in a beginner to intermediate level.

I have always had a deep interest in chamber music, teaching and improvisation and I would like to be able to show you this passion.
The focus of my lessons is to show the possibilities of music, adapting to the student needs, going from clarinet technique to theory, other styles of music such us Klezmer, Jazz, basic piano, as well as learning how to play the bass clarinet.
But the most important thing is to find a path for each student, so do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and feel free to share your thoughts, I can adapt to your personal goals!
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If you want to go to a conservatory, I can also help you with my experience preparing for the auditions.

If you want to improve your skills as a musician and have fun with your instrument, this is probably the place for you. Do you want to prepare an audition, to be more flexible playing chamber music, or just having fun playing a jazz standard?

I would like to offer to share my knowledge and help you with any questions and concerns you may have about classical music and other styles.
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Glenda
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I have more than 10 years of experience as a clarinet teacher with students from an early age and with no previous musical knowledge. I also give musical initiation classes to children from 4 years old, for them I like fun classes where they learn by playing, dancing and singing.
verified badge
Elia
I am a compassionate and enthusiastic teacher dedicated to helping my students reach for the stars! One of my defining characteristics is my genuine interest in the longterm happiness and progression of my students. I am committed to providing students with a safe and positive environment where they feel supported throughout their musical journeys. I absolutely love finding ways in which I can personalize my lessons to best fit each student. Music education is not one size fits all and I want to honor the different ways students learn. I gain so much happiness knowing that my lessons fit the needs of my students.

I am dedicated to nurturing a love for music in each student. I aim to positively enhance the student's strength, dexterity, and technique while building a lasting interest in music. In early lessons, I focus on developing an understanding of the student's goals and personal interests. I guide students to create sustainable practice routines, reinforcing the importance of discipline, responsibility and hard work. I emphasize building a strong foundation early on so that future musical progress is always supported by a strong core of musical knowledge. Typical lessons involve scales, sight reading, and a piece that the student chooses.

My goal as a teacher is specifically designed to help you achieve your goals as an artist and a musician.
verified badge
Nathan
As a teacher, I always try to focus on what the student is passionate about, while keeping in mind their weaknesses or aversions. When I was a student, the most profound growth I experienced was when I was fully engaged in the act of music making. I want to guide my students along a path to fall in love with music, whatever form that may come in. I know this will be much more valuable than any technique or song I could ever teach them. While I know this is the goal, I am also aware that this won’t happen with every student. Often this process happens further down the line. In those cases I just want them to get the most they can out of music, and enjoy the process of growing as a musician and a person.

It is very important to me to teach music to a diverse community of students. This is how I grew up learning music, and it truly is a way of bringing communities together. It has also been my privilege as a teacher to serve many underprivileged communities (as a part of Oakland Summer music, and Oakland Public Conservatory), as I believe everyone deserves access to quality music education.

In my private or group lessons, I like to first gauge the students’ listening habits and any music they are listening to. In my experience with younger students, many of them have yet to start listening to music on their own. I try to provide them a space to just listen to music. This way we can work on their technique through music they already enjoy. I will often have them learn songs by ear while also working on some fundamentals such as scales or tonging. We would also work on whatever weaknesses the student may have in their own public music programs or in their other music making. Often that is reading, ear training, or general lack of knowledge. I am always happy to work on these things in a patient but challenging manner. While improvement is the goal, I know first hand that failure is an important and essential part of the learning process.
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