Learn from Great College Audition Prep Teachers

I have been fortunate to study with some of the best drummers around, including Jeff Ballard, Kendrick Scott, Dave Dicenso, John Ramsay, John Yarling, and more. I have also performed in several countries with my band and other projects. Countries include the US, Switzerland, England, France, Italy, India, and also Puerto Rico (part of the US, but still).

Ever since I heard my first performance of The Nutcracker at age 8, I knew I had to play flute. I attended some of the finest schools, including Interlochen Arts Academy and Peabody Conservatory, and studied with some of the greatest flutists and teachers. Through everything that life has thrown at me, music has been my constant.

I have been a private music teacher for over 10 years now, and have enjoyed it immensely! For 5 of those 10 years I worked at a music conservatory in New Jersey helping students to prepare for auditions, competitions, and exams. When COVID hit, I started teaching online and have realized that these lessons can be just as effective as in person!

Gavin Ard is a freelance trumpet player, teacher, and composer/arranger based in the NYC area. A recent graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance (SMTD), and holds two Master of Music Degrees; one in trumpet performance and the other in jazz composition/arranging.

Jeff Pifher is an award-winning instrumentalist, composer, and producer. Recently he has received wide recognition with the release of the self produced short documentary In the Same Direction: Jeff Pifher & Socrates' Trial (2020) which chronicles Jeff and his band's latest projects garnering 24 “Best Documentary” and “Best Music” awards from film festivals worldwide.

I am a classically trained percussionist with a Master of Music from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Music from Central Michigan University. My performance background includes regular appearances with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and the Michigan Sinfonietta Orchestra.

2021/2020 TENOR SAX LESSONFACE TEACHER OF THE YEAR! Erika Friedman holds education and performance degrees from Ithaca College (B.M. in Music Education and Saxophone Performance) and New Jersey City University (M.M. in Multiple Woodwind Performance). She has taught private music lessons to beginner and advanced students for over 15 years.

Oboist Nicholas Tisherman joined the Colorado Symphony as Second/Assistant Principal Oboe in September 2017. In addition to his appointment in Denver he has appeared as a guest with orchestras across the country, notably the Philadelphia Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

I am a doctoral candidate in Voice Performance and Pedagogy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and have over 20 years of teaching experience in voice, piano, and music theory. I’ve worked with students of all ages and levels—from young beginners to college-level musicians and adult learners.