Lessons, Workshops, and More
Jump to Contact page to book any of these offerings.
Private lessons:
VIOLIN: I am willing to teach all levels, all styles. I specialize in teaching classical and Klezmer violin. Students also have the option to learn to sing and play violin at the same time. I offer 24 years of playing experience, passed down from my own lessons with teachers such as Philipp Naegele (former faculty of Marlborough Music Festival) Eden MacAdam Somer, (New England Conservatory), and Carla Kihlstedt (New England Conservatory).
OBOE: For students who have some playing experience, I specialize in creating space for oboe players to explore non-classical styles such as jazz, blues, Klezmer and free improvisation, applying classical foundational techniques while also using gospel singers, sax and trumpet players as influences. My oboe teachers include John Ferrillo (Boston Symphony), Laura Ahlbeck (Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra), and Hankus Netsky (Klezmer Conservatory Band)
EAR TRAINING/PITCH CONFIDENCE: This can be a variety of levels, from learning to sing on key and play by ear, to in-depth study of music theory. My pedagogy has been developed from working as a Jazz Ear Training TA and studying Contemporary Improvisation at New England Conservatory, and working with choirs such as Boston Children’s Chorus. Students will work intensely with their voice, developing an innate sense of relative pitch that can free themselves from the constraints of the piano. Please note that these are not vocal technique lessons, and if your goal is to strengthen your singing voice, I will refer you to a vocal specialist.
SONGWRITING: I can help students with original songs and lyrics by expanding the way they are thinking about the content and providing musical models. No prior songwriting experience required.
IMPROVISATION: For the instrumentalist who wants to start improvising, we will play games, create prompts together, and remove the fear from the word “improvisation.”
Workshops:
HOW TO WRITE A PROTEST CHANT: Ever wonder why some protest chants get picked up by a crowd while others fall flat on their face? In this class we will look at the musical and lyrical structure of popular protest chants as well as examine some protest chants that don’t work. We will come up with theories as to why certain chants work, and then try our hand at writing our own chants!
COLLABORATIVE MUSIC AND STORYTELLING WORKSHOP: This workshop uses music, dance, visual art and poetry to help people develop their expressive voices, build trust with each other, practice listening, and create stories together. All activities are opt in/opt out. Option to pair it with a yoga+vocal technique integration workshop by Surefire Cure and a concert by Petting Kazoo. Open to all musical levels
COLLABORATIVE HEALING ARTS JAM: Similar to the collaborative music and storytelling workshop but with emphasis on the individual. Great adaptation for virtual programming.
ENSEMBLE COACHING: I would be absolutely delighted to coach your chamber ensemble, chorus, improvised music ensemble, Klezmer band, folk band, funk band, jazz combo, you name it!
Performing a gender lecture at the “Lost Marbles Salon”
Other Services
Studio Musician
Playing Oboe, Vocals, and/or violin. Oboe and backing vocals recording sample below.
Scoring and Transcribing
Need your favorite song written out as sheet music? Want to record a cover with unusual instrumentation? Got a song that you’ve written but need help making a chart that can be given to other musicians? I am available for all of your scoring and transcribing needs.
Vocal Arranging
I love to arrange music for vocal ensembles of any size with or without instrumental accompaniment. We will talk about who is in the ensemble, what kind of ranges they have, whether they prefer to learn by ear or by page, and how many parts are feasible to split into. Here’s a PDF of an SATB arrangement of my original song “The Human Portrait,” which was performed by Quorum Boston in 2018
Event Organizing
Whether it be a fundraiser, a curated concert, a craft fair, a series of education workshops, a pop-up open mic, I will work within your budget to help you create a spectacular event! Skills include securing a venue, booking artists and performers, helping you develop a feasible budget, and finding community partners who are invested in similar work.
Rafael Natan speaking to attendees of the 2nd Annual Queer Qarnival at Make Shift Boston. Photo by Deanna Nagle
