TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Our approach to music instruction is twofold. Improvisational instruction and theoretical instruction.

Improvisation means to create or play music spontaneously. When students are taught how to improvise in music they are primarily using their right brain. This side of music will inspire creativity and light up the imagination. It’s the space songs are written in and where ideas flow. From there, what’s cool is that for many students, the natural extension of improv is composing. Students who learn to improvise will often find themselves eventually writing music!

Theoretical instruction or instruction in music theory is studying the architecture behind music. When we listen to music it drifts into our ears without us having to think much in order to enjoy it but behind those beautiful sounds is the structure, the blueprint and the how. When students learn the theory of music they are primarily using their left brain. This dimension of music instruction includes note-reading, knowledge of chord structure and recognition of timbre, dynamics, intervals, scales, melody, accompaniment and harmony.

Improvisation is the ethos of music. Theory is the logos. While instruction in theory ensures students learn how to read music and understand the way it works, instruction in improvisation ensures they are learning to interpret and play music with feeling and imagination. We believe that both are necessary in the education of a well-rounded musician.

We also love to introduce diverse genres of music into our students' repertoire.  We are all about a strong classical tradition of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart but we also believe that jazz, pop, film scores and music from around the world are important in shaping a musician.

Every student has different goals and while we love giving a broad taste of music we also love to jump into the specific interests of each student. We foster ownership and confidence in letting even our youngest students play a role in choosing the music they play.

Ultimately, our goal for our students is to give them a positive and enriching connection with music. We hope is that our students and their families are inspired by the education and community they are invited into at Jacaranda Music Studios. We want to educate and excite, not only the whole person but the whole family!

wishing you all the best in your musical adventures,

David & Grace Vera
Founders of Jacaranda Music Studios