Hi! I’m Sarah, co-founder of Sand Dollar Music Studio, and if there’s one thing I’m passionate about, it’s my studio! Why? I’m glad you asked!

 

 

I’ve got a passion to create, perform, to make great music and spark joy in others, and that means YOU!

 

I want to empower you to become the best flutist that you can be. Because each person is different, that empowerment looks different for every student and I count it a privilege to help you find your unique gifts and goals.

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I’m all about providing an environment where my students can feel free to express themselves. There are no wrong answers. There are no inhibitions. I provide a safe place for my students to explore and experiment with their flute and be who they want to be. I have found that musical issues like performance anxiety or a pinched and closed tone is because of insecurity in other areas of life.

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While I’m NOT a therapist, I try to find the underlying issues of the problem which may not be related to the flute at all! And then provide direction from there.

 

We collaborate together to learn how to unleash your desired tone, discover your body map, establish hand and body position, and release tension while playing. I use manipulatives like

*giant dice*

*plastic cups*

*stretchy bands*

*a yoga ball*

*Mr. Skeleton* 

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to provide a creative way to instill the concepts we are working on in lessons.

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I offer customized teaching. Goals are different for each student and I have a goal sheet that every student fills out so I know what they hope to achieve through lessons. This tells me what to focus on. If this means that we don’t touch a baroque or classical piece, that’s ok! Bring on the 21st century extended technique or jazz piece and we’ll work on what you love!

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-Does marching band kill your shoulders?

-Do you feel numbing or tingling pain in your  hands?

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Let’s fix it or even better, prevent it! Because I struggled with injury in my past, I am committed to injury prevention. I draw on tried and true body awareness techniques from the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, and Lea Pearson’s Body Mapping for Flutists. We may just need to correct your hand position or stand in a way that alleviates pressure on the hips. Or we may get to use my yoga ball and work on your “body map” and focus on breathing and where the breath comes from. The possibilities are endless and the best part is that these techniques work!

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Each and every student in my studio will experience support and collaboration from their peers as they participate in

monthly studio classes, workshops, and as we reach out to the community through studio performances. Sometimes we have themed recitals (Halloween-dress up anyone?!) and I offer workshops like mock auditions for band placements and Honor Band. Because Sand Dollar is a collaborative studio (voice and flute) students learn right away the importance of collaboration. Both in the studio as they work with me to establish goals and customized teaching AND with the other flutists and vocalists as we perform and reach out to our community through the gift of music.

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My studio is where you get the confidence to create, the skills to succeed, the power to perform. This is the no-judgment, all-joy zone where you kick it into high gear and level up as a, musician, collaborator, and human. (Because studying music is never just about the music, is it?)

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I teach to the whole person, and you will experience growth in your personal life as your musical life lessons carry through to other areas like academics, your social life, and your community.

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While I  challenge and have high expectation of my students, I never force or belittle my students. I meet you where you’re at. We establish your goals, we find your strength and weaknesses, we develop a growth plan, and then watch the flute flourishing begin!

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Above all...we have FUN and we make music FUN!

 

Drawing upon my fifteen years as a classroom music teacher, I use concepts from Orff and Kodály  to incorporate what I call “creative play” into my private studio. Students will experience fun rhythm games, solfege activities, and creative movement to help retain the concepts on which we will be focusing. As the students grow and mature, I introduce extended techniques like beat boxing, singing while playing, and multiphonics that students enjoy and walk away excited to incorporate into their playing.

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Every student is expected to provide their own flute and books/material needed for lessons.