William Werthimer
About
I recently graduated from UCLA as a jazz trumpet performance major, and I double on piano. I play a variety of genres on both instruments including Jazz, Classical, Pop, Funk, Hip-Hop, Rock, Reggae, Afrobeat, Country and more. I have experience band leading, section playing, composing, arranging and recording.
Teaching Style
To me, music is all about fun! I like to help students find what they love about music and help them dive deep into that. I want to make students find their own drive to practice. When I started working on improvisation, I wanted to play all the time. That's when I started improving really fast. I have experienced working with students with many different interests, skill levels and learning styles and I think I'm pretty good at adapting.
Curriculum
My teaching method varies a lot from student to student. Coming from a jazz background, I often play back and forth with my students and teach from the oral tradition as well as using texts. I like to emphasize the artistic side and mood of the music. Technical material is there to help accomplish that, and I can help find whatever texts are appropriate for the student's level and interests.
Credentials & Affiliations
B.A. in Global Jazz Studies from UCLA