Let's learn together!
I have been extremely lucky to have studied with the most gracious musicians, and I believe it is my responsibility to pass down their tradition of compassionate, healthy, and productive learning.
I offer in-person lessons at my studio in La Crescenta-Glendale, as well as online lessons (for intermediate to advanced students; beginners are only taught in-person). I am also available to travel for at-home lessons.
Lesson Structure
Here is a general overview of how I conduct my lessons and what I provide for students.
Resources
I create a private webpage for each of my students where they can reference all the information they need for productive lessons. This includes a cumulative archive of all lesson summaries, regularly updated short- and long-term goals, and practice insights from my own experiences as a student and teacher.
Lesson Breakdown
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Warm-up/Body Awareness
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Scales/Technical Exercises
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Etude Work
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Repertoire/Excerpt Work
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Duet Reading
Personalization
My goal is to help you nurture an ongoing, healthy relationship with music. I believe that we find the most success in a low-stress, but high-awareness, environment. I recognize that sometimes goals between student and teacher can differ, and I am always ready to discuss possible futures you see in flute playing and music as a whole.
Teaching Philosophy
Whether performing or teaching, I place great importance on the balance between physical and mental direction. The playing of any instrument would be impossible if not for the physical actions that allow us to do so. As my own teacher would often remind me, our instruments give us the opportunity to express from a place of confidence and generosity, rather than fear. Accessing this confidence and generosity stems from a healthy relationship and knowledge of how our body interacts with our instrument, and I believe that this physical freedom is pivotal not only in avoiding injury but in getting the most out of our music-making experience.
I often incorporate Alexander Technique principles into my teaching so that my students can reflect on how we should treat our bodies during performance. Accordingly, I prioritze posture and our physical set-up, while also attending to the usual suspects: music theory, aural skills, historical context, finger technique, tone production, vibrato, phrasing, articulation, and breathing. I also teach my students to implement practicing techniques that are grounded in professional research, as I've taken classes with psychologist Noa Kageyama and am a big fan of Molly Gebrian's work. These techniques are logical, a boon to critical thinking, and are easily adaptable, even to non-music pursuits.
My hope for my students is that they learn to find joy in the process of musical discovery and discover ways to apply their musical findings to all aspects of life (and vice versa!). I believe that all performances are just snapshots of our personal musical journeys, and lessons are workshops in cultivating and sharing healthy habits.
A little bit more about me!
(As if this whole website wasn't enough...)
The Camellia Trio
CMU Commencement, May 2025
Since I began my flute journey here in Southern California, I have first-hand experience with how the instrumental programs work here, as well as nearby youth orchestras. I grew up participating in regional/state-wide honor ensembles and nearby competitions, which I am happy to help my students prepare for.
For interested students, I know what it takes to find success with pursuing music in college and beyond. As a conservatory-trained classical flutist, I've been accepted to highly regarded flute programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, such as the following:
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Carnegie Mellon University School of Music
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Cleveland Institute of Music
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Guildhall School of Music & Drama
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New England Conservatory of Music
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Oberlin Conservatory of Music
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UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Music
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USC Thornton School of Music
Of course, a life with flute does not AT ALL necessitate playing the instrument professionally; no matter how you want to fill your life with music, I am here to support those goals whole-heartedly.
F.A.Q.
What is your teaching background?
While at Oberlin for undergrad, I was a Secondary Lesson Teacher, teaching non-major flute students enrolled at the college. After moving to Pittsburgh for my graduate degree, I was on the substitute teaching staff at the Steranka Flute Studio LLC, where I taught a variety of students from eight year-old beginners to university professors! I've also taught in group settings as part of the River City School of Brass, UCLA Lab School, and Glendale Youth Orchestra. As a CMU graduate student, I helped develop an interactive teaching concert at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh as part of the Azure Family Concert Series. And throughout all this, I have continued to teach privately.
How long are lessons?
Lessons will be in either 30-, 45-, or 60-minute slots, once a week. The length will be decided at the consultation lesson based on age, prior experience, and skill level. Generally, beginners and younger students will start off with the 30-minute increments and gradually increase with skill level and experience. For students looking to audition for competitions, honor ensembles, or music schools, lessons may sometimes require 90-minute slots or two meetings per week to sufficiently cover all repertoire.
Do you offer lessons at students' homes?
I am currently available to travel pending my schedule and other students' lessons. At-home lessons that are within 5 miles of my home address are not subject to a travel fee! I do charge for homes that are 5+ miles away from me. Please contact me for a detailed breakdown of these costs.
What is a 'consultation lesson'?
Before we commit to anything long-term, I like to have a 30-minute 'consultation lesson' free-of-charge so we can learn more about each other! This lesson will most likely be more talk-heavy than anything else; parents are welcome/encouraged to attend this first lesson. I'll clarify what you're looking to get our of your flute lessons so I can plan accordingly and do my best to answer any questions you may have.
What if I can't afford lessons?
I've experienced first-hand how financially taxing music studies can be - having worked 3-4 part-time jobs during college, seasonal jobs through the summers, and taking years off to work before graduate school to save up enough for application fees and tuition. For those experiencing financial hardship, I do my best to provide sliding scale rates for lesson fees.
Schedule a consultation lesson today!
Information regarding studio policy, rates, and location will be supplied as requested.
(English | 한국어)