Anj Vancura

Student favorite
Flute, Trombone, Audio Recording and Music Production, French Horn, Composition, Music Theory, Clarinet, Euphonium, New Age Piano, Oboe, Piano, Piano Composition, Pop Piano, Saxophone, Trumpet
5.0
(2 reviews)
75+ lessons booked on Lessonface

Lesson Fees
from $33.00 / 30 Minutes

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About

I'm an active Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist (check out my one-person, 100 piece wind orchestra video below!) and music educator. I've been directing and teaching music for 14 years, and have my B.Mus. from the USC Thornton School of Music and my M.A. in Composition for Visual Media from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. I teach trombone (and other brass), piano, oboe (and other woodwinds), recording/production/audio engineering, and music theory/improvisation/composition.
[One person wind orchestra video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE1q-84RWtQ ]

IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE: Due to my increasing number of in-person students and commitments (and thus decreased online availability), I am now requesting all Lessonface students and families to reach out via message with their preferred times/days, and upon agreement on a mutually good time, I will send a Lessonface scheduling invite for the family to accept. I currently have lesson slots available Wednesday and Thursday afternoon/evenings, Saturday mornings, or Sunday early afternoons in Pacific Time.

In addition to teaching private lessons, my experience includes designing and leading a variety of workshops, classes, and programs, from Pre-K through the university level. I work with each student to build a foundation in solid technique, while incorporating creative activities and relevant pieces. I pride myself on being a friendly, patient teacher, and I'm flexible and adaptive to each student's interests, helping them to own their musical journey and meet their goals! I have been a performing member of groups from 100+ member wind ensembles and orchestras, to mid-size jazz groups and experimental improv ensembles, to worship bands & church music groups, prog/psych rock bands, and early music groups (specializing in sackbut -- the Renaissance ancestor of the trombone), and bring fresh insights drawn from this diversity of experience to each lesson.

My teaching experience includes positions on faculty at Cornerstone Music Conservatory in West Los Angeles and Hills Academy of Music, Art, and Dance in Torrance, CA; as an instructor at Gray School of Music in San Pedro; teaching a musicianship (sight singing and ear training) section at UCLA; and teaching general music and beginning winds classes at West Los Angeles-area schools as a contractor with Key to Joy.

I've performed at venues from the Walt Disney Concert Hall to the bluewhale jazz club in downtown Los Angeles, from Wanderlust Hollywood to the The Octopus Literary Salon in Oakland, and at countless private weddings, anniversaries, and other special events. As a sound engineer, I regularly mix concerts, theatre, and other events at the indoor and outdoor venues of the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Highlights of my performing career include opening for John Zorn and Secret Chiefs 3, a special performance with Ozomatli, and playing in Kenny Burrell's Ellingtonia Orchestra. I've also had several premieres of my own compositions with the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds (which I also was a performing member of), and I am co-artistic director of the Commercium Musicum renaissance winds.

I pride myself on being a flexible teacher, tailoring my lesson plans to each student's particular interests, strengths, and areas for improvement. I create balanced, engaging learning experiences that balance technical skill-building exercises with expressive and creative activities.

As I am both an instrumental performer and a composer, my students learn not only the nuts and bolts of playing their instrument, but also gain a deeper understanding of how music is constructed (and write some pieces and/or practice exercises of their own, if they are so inclined!).

I am classically trained and also play by ear and in improvisational styles professionally; whether reading sheet music seems an insurmountable task or you can't seem to find the next note in your favorite melody, lessons will help you bridge the gap and widen your musical world.

From orchestral to rock or even electronic music production, we can together create lessons that vibe with how you personally perceive, understand, and connect with the universal language of music.

B.Mus. Music Industry Magna Cum Laude (University of Southern California 2012) //
M.A. Composition for Visual Media (University of California, Los Angeles 2015) //
Certificate in Music Therapy and Sound Healing (LMU Extension 2020) //
Certifications in Dante (audio networking), Waves Soundgrid, L-Acoustics System Technician (ST) - K2 System (line array speaker system design and implementation)

Brass & Woodwinds - start with Rubank or A [New] Tune a Day method books supplemented with breathing and listening exercises; move on to more advanced instrument-specific technical & expressive etude books and instrumental solos as appropriate. Can also work with school band method books (i.e. Essential Elements, Standard of Excellence, Accent on Achievement, 21st Century Band Method, etc) to provide continuity between students' school assignments and private lessons.

Piano - recommend starting with the Piano Adventures series by Faber & Faber; additional options are My First Piano Adventures (more gradual/preschool-friendly) or Adult Piano Adventures (more accelerated course for teenage/adult learners).

Reviews of lessons with Anj Vancura

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