I offer private flute, recorder and bassoon lessons in English, Dutch or French. For very young children (~4-6 years) my Recorder&Rhythm course may be appropriate. This course is an 8 week introductory session to music performance where students learn to read music and play simple songs using the recorder as the basis. They also participate in rhythm games with percussion instruments designed to develop critical rhythmic and listening skills. My "Recorder Plus" Ensemble is also available for your school or community center. As its name implies this is a recorder group but includes many other musical activities and can be adapted for all ages and abilities.

Music Education

My musical training began with recorder lessons at age 8. I began playing bassoon in my high school band at age 12 and a few years later started flute as well. After high school I did two years music at Vanier College before going on to McGill University, Montreal studying with Richard Hoenich. I finished a Bachelor of Music, Distinction in Bassoon in 1982. My Master of Music was completed in 1985 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where I studied bassoon with Sherman Walt.
In 1992 I moved to The Netherlands to study perfomance of historical instruments at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. My teachers were Donna Agrell (historical bassoon) and Michael Barker (recorder). I completed the "Certificate" in 1994 and  the "Free Studies" diploma in 1996.
I have participated in many master classes, lessons and workshops with such well known modern bassoonists as Christopher Millard, David Carroll, Sol Schoenbach and Mordechai Rechtman, with historical bassoonists such as Michael McCraw, Philip Levin and Trudy van der Wulp and historical players of other instruments such as Jeannette van Wingerden (recorder), Eric Hoeprich (historical clarinet), Andrew Lawrence-King (harp) and Christina Mahler (cello).
I have completed the coursework for an elementary teaching degree at George Mason University, Virginia.

Teaching Philosophy

Many students come to me having already had music lessons in school and are therefore familiar with music notation. However, how does one translate what is written on the page into a musical performance? The reading of music is fairly simple (composers after all want you to easily be able to understand what they have composed!) but like a figure skating programme, a musical performance requires technical and artistic skills. This is very difficult to do in combination. Many students play the right notes while ignoring rhythm and musicality. They often think the faster, the better, but music is not a race! A "lullaby" for obvious reasons should not be played quickly nor should a piece entitled "The Tempest" be played timidly. In my lessons and ensembles I work on both technical and musical aspects. I endeavour to be strict about this and am therefore careful about my choices of music, taking into consideration the age and ability of each individual student. I use "classic" pieces and exercises to teach the basics, folk songs as they are simple, easily memorized and when familiar, students for once do not have to be concerned with rhythm, and "pop" music accompanied by cds which make everyone sound great and are therefore fun and motivational. Students are also encouraged to bring their own choices.