Welcome to the French Horn Studio!
A very young student in Germantown, Tennessee!
Whether you are just a beginner or are coming back after years without playing, I would be honored to guide your growth as a musician. I have prepared students for college auditions and coached winners for solo competitions. Most of all, I endeavor to impart lasting practice skills, deeper self-awareness, and great excitement about music and performing! Lessons are taught in Eugene, Oregon during the school year and in Portland, Oregon in the summer.
Ready to sign up for lessons? Email me at StarLG@gmail.com.
mY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:
Fundamentals are the key to success:
Coaching an amateur wind quintet at the MacPhail Music Center in Minneapolis, MN while on tour with the City of Tomorrow.
Understanding and integrating basic principles of brass playing (including air-support, embouchure, and articulation) are the primary goals of most exercises.
Lessons should be fun and full of experimentation:
During lessons, there will be times when we improvise, try to make different noises on our instruments, and try out new ways of solving problems.
Music can be understood instinctually and intellectually:
Both are important to being a musician. During lessons we will improve the instinctual understanding of music by singing, listening, and exploring options of musical expression. Intellectual understanding will be deepened through study of music theory, composition, and historical performance-practice.
If you are interested in a trial horn lesson or have other questions, please feel free to email me at starlg@gmail.com. Below, you can read testimonials of past and current students and parents.
Testimonials From Students and Parents
"Leander has given me French Horn lessons for a year and a half and I have experienced nothing but growth and tremendous success. I was in sixth grade when I first began lessons. My band grades were awful and I felt like a failure. Soon after my lessons began there was a noticeable difference in my playing. Leander has shown me how to do things I didn’t think were possible! He is thoughtful, patient, and supportive. He helps me with the music from school and gives additional music for me to work on by myself. He has set me on the path to be self-sufficient. He cares enough to ask about my day and encourages me when I feel like giving up. Now I can proudly say I am making an A in band and it is all because of Leander." -- Gabi, middle school student
After the Winter Studio Recital, November 2017.
"Leander was our son's first horn teacher. He was effortlessly patient and encouraging. He helped K. a lot with learning how to practice. He set up the lessons so there was always something really fun to do - a time to play with the horn and experiment with different sounds. He is a great role model for a young musician, combining a deep integrity and commitment to the instrument with a sense of playfulness and enjoyment. I would highly recommend him to other students and their families." -- Lisa, parent
"Coming back to playing the French horn after a 15 year break was very intimidating to me. However, I found Leander very patient and knowledgeable about teaching the horn. He provided me with lessons that were challenging and fun. I looked forward to my weekly lessons and really wanted to practice. His warm-up exercises were quick and the duets we did at the end of each lesson provided that added twist to the normal playing of the weekly work. I would recommend Leander to others and if I can get my own son or daughter to take up the French horn, I would be pleased if Leander was around to teach them also." --Jim, adult student
French horn students at Young Musicians & Artists summer camp.
"Leander took my 6th grader from absolute beginner to competent horn and trumpet player in less than a year, and makes sure to make lessons enjoyable, not intimidating. He has a way of being fun and low-key while sneakily teaching music theory, breathwork, and sight reading, and my daughter looks forward to her weekly lessons and (usually) practices happily. And of course he plays beautifully and brings his experience as a professional into every lesson. I’d recommend him wholeheartedly to young musicians, college students, and adults of all levels." --Jennifer, parent
Resources for Students