I teach violin, guitar, and voice, to anyone who is open to my style of teaching (see below) and my rates (see below-er).

I want to teach music how I experience it, which is (at it's best) a spontaneous and beautiful form of self expression. For this reason, I will emphasize improvisation, searching for, and listening to music you like, and playing with others, as much as "practising". For me, music is a mirror through which we can see our own personal growth, and learn about ourselves, celebrate our uniqueness, as well as being really really fun, and a way to make people happy and bring people together.

I make my living as a freelance violinist, ever since I quite my job as a full time biologist, after hearing Cuban music coming out of a restaurant on 1st Avenue in 2003. (well, that started the career shift at least.) I've toured internationally and also play frequently in the New York City area. I primarily play Cuban music, South American music, and Gypsy Jazz. I have also recorded and produced three albums of my own music, as a singer/songwriter/guitarist. For more information you can follow the links above, or google me.

For one year, 2005-2006, I taught music to 5th grade students at KIPP Infinity Charter School in West Harlem. We studied music theory using my own worksheets and I also directed them as a choir. At the end of the school year, we performed in collaboration with another KIPP school at the Rose Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center. It was the hardest job I've ever had, and also one of the most gratifying. I have also taught violin to 5th grade students at the Town School on New York's upper east side. I haven't yet taught music privately, but I have tutored extensively in other subjects over the last 5 years, and my favorite way of teaching is one-on-one. I look forward to teaching my first and strongest passion.

I charge a lot of money. 80 dollars if you come to me (washington heights). 100 dollars if I come to you (anywhere in manhattan) This isn't because I'm a jerk. It's because I at this point in my life, I want to do things that cost money (like travel to brazil, and bulgaria, and make another record), and because I think that what I have to offer as a teacher is valuable. If you can't afford that, call me and we'll have one lesson, and then after that we can re-consider the cost. Lessons might be as short as an hour but if we go over, I won't charge more. It means I'm having a good time and I want to be there.