Matt Burkett

I'm a professional freelance saxophonist and composer with 7 years teaching experience and  a virtual and in person studio in Inwood, NYC.  In my 14 years playing experience as a saxophonist, I've performed at venues such as Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, The Jazz Gallery, Smalls, and Carnegie Hall, with bands such as the Grammy nominated MSM Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra. I've had the good fortune to study the saxophone with such greats as Dave Liebman, Dayna Stevens, Rich Perry, and Vincent Herring.

I take great pride in tailoring lessons to meet my student's wants and interests with the saxophone, while still making sure that the fundamentals of the instrument are thoroughly understood. Ultimately, my goal is to give people the skills needed for them to teach themselves what they want to learn! I owe everything to teachers that inspired me when I was young. There's nothing like the feeling of doing the same for someone else! I love passing on what I know, and to learn from my student's unique viewpoints and experiences.

I think my two strongest traits as a teacher are my patience and flexibility. I believe that in general students learn more by exploring a question together rather than being fed a 'correct' answer. I love getting in the weeds of a problem and working through how to fix or improve at something. Sometimes, however, students need a guiding hand in helping them practice rather than someone to ask more questions; I take pride in knowing when to explore a question, and when to spend the time rigorously practicing to make sure concepts are internalized as well as understood. It's also important for students to be able to experience the enjoyment of playing music! So in addition to personalized practice guides after every lesson, I make sure students have access to skill level appropriate music to play.