Keith Northover, Clarinets
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Welcome to my Clarinet Studio

Teaching Philosophy

Music is a universal aesthetic and artistic experience that can be shared by all. As a “music teacher”, it is to not only my duty to instruct and help one manipulate a medium to create but also to share my love of music to help create the same love and inspiration in another. 

As a woodwind performer and instructor, I have the knowledge and experience to show and help one develop his potential skill, technique, and musicianship.

A painter has his brush just as my students and I have the clarinet and saxophone.  They are the means and medium that allows me to demonstrate my musicianship.  It is through knowledge and acquisition of skills with the love of making music that helps one become a musician.  To succeed in finding the musical voice inside, one must have a command of the basic building blocks and fundamentals of the instrument including working on rhythm, tone, articulation, phrasing, and intonation.  They must be studied thoroughly and mastered, as a master musician has no deficiencies getting in the way of making music.  Although every musician has followed an outlined path to develop these skills, each student will have their own method in achieving them.  It is my goal to help each student find his unique way, and provide a sense of consistency over time that will produce the desired result.

Along with the study of basic fundamentals, each etude, solo, chamber, and orchestral work mastered will help the student not only learn the instrument and develop a musical soul, but will help one learn how to learn.  A holistic approach will also be used involving the student learning not just the physical instrument but also the history, the theory, listening to recordings and understanding the pedagogical workings so that he fully understands the music one is making.  The student will be his best teacher as I cannot be there physically with the student every moment of every day, but with my guidance and teachings I can be there always in spirit.  I can only hope to give the student the tools, will-power, and motivation to improve and to be his own best and worst critic in attempt that teacher and student become one. 

As a teacher I will maintain a positive and encouraging environment and I expect my students to remain open of constructive and optimistic feedback.  I as “teacher” am here to provide the beginnings to a life long love of music but the student has to have the motivation and the personal investment to make the journey on the quest for musical growth.  Just as my teachers and their teachers have done so before me, I offer my students all of my knowledge and resources to help each individual student to grow his inner musician.  


Lessons

I offer lessons:
  • that are fun and educational
  • that are unique and individualized
  • on all clarinets (Eb, Bb, Alto, Bass, and Contra) and all saxes
  • to all ages and ability levels
  • privately and in groups
  • for chamber music coachings and sectionals

What we do and learn in a lesson:
  • learn fundamentals
  • play duets
  • learn some history and theory
  • breathe
  • have fun
  • be creative 
  • become expressive
  • define one's inner musicality

My students:
  • are actively involved in performing solo and ensembles
  • have succeeded in solo and ensemble performances
  • have participated in regional and all state bands (MD, FL, IN)



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© 2020 Keith Northover | Site Updated Feb 10, 2020