Private Lessons
Dr. Snyder has experiencing teaching students from middle school, through high school, and at the college/university level. His students have been accepted into all state honor bands, local honor bands, and into university music programs.
Rates:
$40 per half hour
$70 per one hour
* Rates accurate as of 08/13/2024. Rates are subject to change.
Teaching Philosophy
As a music educator, I strive towards inclusivity, diversity, and equity for all students. I seek to provide a safe learning environment that promotes the uniqueness of each student. This is accomplished by providing a personalized approach to the instruction so that each student can realize their own individual potential and goals. This begins by recognizing each student’s learning style and adjusting my teaching techniques accordingly. My goal is for the student to become the best version of themselves while encouraging them to become well-rounded and productive individuals. My intent is for them to become an endorser of music and to be prepared for the challenges they will face in the practice room, concert hall, audition stage, and life outside of, and beyond, school. I hope to challenge them and cultivate in them a lifelong love of music.
Every horn student can succeed. This success may be found on personal level, a professional level, or both. It is my job to help them to set their goals high – as one would set a goal of a dream job. Whether they succeed in realizing that dream is irrelevant. What is relevant is that too many students set their expectations much lower, and then reach those meager goals. By reaching for the “dream job”, a student then has the chance to reach a goal higher than they initially think they can.
The horn can be thought of as an extension of your body. Playing it should feel as natural as breathing, no matter the students age or ability level. Despite claims that the horn is a “hard” instrument, I believe that it is only as hard as you make it. I believe that playing the horn, though it does take work, should be a fun and enjoyable experience. I encourage trying different things on their instrument to further develop the student’s love of music and encourage them to want to play even more.
My approach to teaching the horn is music first. The music, the sound, and how the music is expressed takes precedence because an individual with perfect technique performing music without soul is just playing notes. However, that is not to disregard technique. It is integral to being able to tell the story one wishes to tell through their performance. Without proper technique, expressing oneself becomes more difficult. Every student is different in the way they learn, as well as physically unique, and a result there is no one-size-fits-all answer to every question. Because of this, I find it is best to teach the student to be their own best teacher and to take ownership of their musical development. I do this by guiding the student to a solution rather than to simply give a direct answer. This helps to encourage a personal connection with the answers they find, which in turn allows for a greater understanding of those concepts they learned. In addition, I focus on relaxation of the body and efficient use of air. These are the fundamentals to creating the sound that the individual student wants; the sound they “hear” in their head. A sound that is personal and individual. If a player is physically tense, then their airstream, embouchure, and sound will also be tense.
Through the utilization of solo repertoire, various etudes, technical exercises, and the inclusiveness of non-standard repertoire, which I actively encourage, students will grow in their musicianship, technical ability, and begin to understand how to execute their own personal musical vision. By ensuring a well-rounded education, my hope is that students leave my studio equipped with the knowledge and resources to be successful in the future.