Ivy’s Teaching
About Ivy
Ivy is an experienced private teacher who has worked with bassoonists of all levels. She has served as the adjunct bassoon professor at both Butler University and Morehouse College, and has taught at numerous middle and high schools in both individual and group settings. Ivy offers 30 and 60 minute lessons, but recommends younger students start with a 30 minute lesson.
Lessons will cover:
Fundamentals (embouchure, breathing and support, and tone production) are practiced through long tones, scales and interval exercises. We will use fundamentals as a tool for learning music reading skills and music theory, as well as proper bassoon technique. This will be adjusted according to ability and experience of the student.
Etudes may be the etudes needed for All-District, All-Region or All-State bands and orchestras, or other etudes to help the student accomplish their musical goals on the bassoon. These will be assigned according to the needs of the student, and for beginners, will consist of short melodic exercises such as those from Weissenborn’s Bassoon Method Book, and Cheryl Huddleston’s Foundations for Success. Etudes for more advanced students will include the Weissenborn Advanced Studies, Milde Scale and Chord Studies, and Orefici Melodic Etudes.
Repertoire will be worked on as needed for solo and ensemble competitions, as well as for the student’s general enjoyment and musical enrichment. Solo repertoire as a component of lessons is flexible depending on the goals of the student. We will cover music assigned in band or orchestra classes, if this is wanted by the student or their band director.
Reeds Reed making and reed adjustment will be taught according to the need and level of the student. Reed making is an important component of bassoon instruction for more advanced students. Ivy uses a Herzberg shaper and a Popkin profiler to make her reeds.