MichaelV.

Experience teaching teaching modern music software like Cubase, Logic Pro, Ableton, and Pro Tools, alongside notation tools like Dorico and Sibelius

As a working multi-instrumentalist and session musician, I pull back the curtain on jazz harmony and improvisation. Instead of treating complex chords and scales like rigid rules, I teach students how to use them as a fun, creative language to confidently jam, create, and express themselves!"

take classical music tradition and turn it into a fascinating creative toolkit. Instead of treating harmony and counterpoint like dry, historical rules, I show students how to use these time-tested structures to deeply understand their favorite songs and artists.

I'm so bad at these questions! If I had to pick, I think it would be a lot of fun to work on a record with Tori Kelly. She just has such a unique and interesting voice! If I were to just jam out with a musician, I would probably have to say Stevie Wonder.

Another really tough question! If I had to pinpoint just one person, it would have to be Koji Kondo.

an teach you how to seamlessly bridge the gap between classical foundation and modern commercial styles. Whether we are tackling trumpet, trombone, or piano, my studio experience allows me to show you exactly how to pivot from rigid classical precision to jazz improvisation, pop phrasing, or epic film score aesthetics. You won't just learn how to read the notes on the page, you’ll learn how to arrange, adapt, and speak the language of modern music, if you choose to do so!

Like many in the United States, I started in late elementary school. I did not take music or my instrument too seriously until high school, when I enrolled in private lessons and started practicing smarter and harder. Over the years as I've picked up more instruments, all of the hours of learning and practice start to roll over and apply to each other. Learning electric bass is much different from Trumpet, technically speaking, but having a strong foundation with efficient practice and a background of music theory helps escalate the learning experience.

Without a doubt, it is consistency. While cramming the night before a test might get you a passing grade, it will never build the long-term growth you need to thrive as a musician. There are only so many hours in a day, but there are so many hours in a lifetime. Life gets incredibly busy, but dedicating just 20 to 30 minutes of consistent, targeted practice every day makes a massive difference in developing real, lifelong confidence on your instrument.

In all honesty, my instruments are probably like any other. There is nothing particularly magical about them that elicits a better sound or performance. I clean them and take care of them often and I put time into getting to know their quirks. To me, that will always be more important that a gimmick or special feature.

I'd have to say flying to Europe to record an original four movement symphony with the FAMES Recording Orchestra. This experience was so fulfilling and I learned a ton from the entire process.

Nature is something that has been and always will be very important to me. I love all types of animals (even insects), forests, oceans, lakes, etc. Friends and family are important of course! Above all I just love "experiences', anything that gets me to try something new and break the paradigm.

Classical/Contemporary Orchestral, Film & Media Music, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Hip-Hop, Dance/EDM, Reggaeton, Rnb/Soul, Funk

I truly welcome all ages, but I especially love teaching ages 10 and up. At this stage, we can dive deeper into music theory and explore their distinct musical tastes, using their personal favorite genres to make foundational concepts come alive!

I’ve been fortunate to contribute to massive global franchises including Marvel’s Ironheart, Star Wars Outlaws, and Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, to name a few. I also collaborated on Mega Ran’s Grammy-nominated children's album, Buddy’s Magic Tree House!

Outside of composing, producing, and educating, I develop my own artist project as a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. Stepping into the driver’s seat to call the shots brings incredible creative freedom, but it also grants me an immersive appreciation and unique patience for the industry process. This firsthand experience beautifully translates into the lesson room, giving me a deeper empathy for the unique musical journeys of the studios, labels, parents, and students I collaborate with.

I am particually proud of my work on Marvel’s Ironheart and collaborating on Mega Ran’s Grammy-nominated album, Buddy’s Magic Tree House. Growing up during the golden age of Marvel and fantasizing about sneaking into the Grammys as a teenager, being invited to the awards ceremony and walking onto the studio lot every day felt like a dream come true. These milestones remind me that with curiosity and dedication, the musical goals we imagine really can become reality.

I am very invested in martial arts, I'm currently studying MMA in Koreatown. Hiking, exploring, and traveling are some of my favorite pass times as well!

• Advanced: Trumpet (all styles) - Jazz piano • Upper Intermediate: Classical piano • Beginner: French Horn, Trombone, Tuba, & Euphonium