Ok, I'll preface this post with a little info on myself and my playing. I'm new here and don't want to sound too much like the teaching-beginner that I am.
I'm 32 and have been playing somewhat professionally for 12 years - shows, jazz gigs, lead & solo in big bands, cruise ships (lead and 2nd chair), plus a couple of years in the New Zealand Navy Band as well.
So, that all said and done, I'm back home in New Zealand now with a part-time position teaching 2 Trumpet players that are part way through a degree in performance music at a Jazz Conservatory.
I was lucky enough (when I was studying) to get lessons for year with a friend of mine taking a year off from his Masters at UNT. He was also one of Don Jacoby's last students, so I was in good hands. 5 years ago I was also lucky enough to visit and get a lesson with the much esteemed Mr William Adams. All the time in between, though, has had me mostly self-taught using several different methods.
So, I guess what I'm getting to is the fact that both my students have very different playing needs, but I only seem to be getting limited results with them both. Neither has really worked with long-tones before, and flexibilities were also a bit of a mystery. I've introduced both these concepts and tried my best to explain the concepts behind them, but it seems to me that they're not quite getting it.
Am I trying too hard? Am I expecting results too fast?
My teaching experience is very limited and I'm the first to admit I'm not 100% sure how to go. Tutor numbers are very limited here, and most of their ideas and methods are "not good" IMHO.
I know this is a very long-winded post, and regardless of comments/input I'm still going to go ahead and do what I'm doing to my utmost, but I figured a few outside pointers might spark something I can work with.
Many thanks.
Iain >-iii-
