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I am a professional composer and performer. As a composer, my stylistic leanings vary among late romanticism, impressionism, neoclassicism, as well as more experimental forms of music (12-tone, for instance). I specialize in solo, ensemble and chamber works, as well as orchestral and operatic.
I am knowledgeable in theory and harmony, voice-leading principles, and how these aspects of music have transformed across the scope of music history. I am highly adept at species counterpoint.
I love to teach by working with the pupil to deconstruct/decrypt standard repertoire works, and to attempt reconstruction with newly invented fore- and middle-ground material over the original harmonic structure.
The texts I prefer to use include:
Harmony and Voice-leading vols I & II, Aldwell and Schachter.
Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis, Forte.
Polyphonic Composition, Swindale.
Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, Slonimsky.
Instrumentation/Orchestration, Blatter.
Ideally, any prospective pupil will have access to their own copy of these, assuming they apply to the specific area of compositional interest.
As a performer I have decades of experience on guitar, contra and electric bass, cello and piano.
Study materials for instruments will be determined according to needs and competence level of the pupil.
Having experienced my own difficulties with sight-reading (due to vision issues), I am well-suited to help the student to overcome the same issue.
I believe strongly in a self-disciplined practice regimen and I can tell when a pupil is shirking this responsibility. I am easy-going and genial, but at the same time I have little patience for dilatoriness.
A practice principle which I always stress is that flow and rhythm are more important than note accuracy. Even the masters miss a note now and then, but you don't notice because they PLAY THROUGH!
Do your best and soon you won't need me. That is the best reward of all teaching.
Mark H.