Michael Kammers
Saxophone, Piano, Composition
Crown Heights
Music is life.
As a professional Saxophonist/Pianist/Composer/Bandleader and Educator, I concentrate my years of experience into a laid back, professional teaching style that is as effective as it is adaptable to each student's goals and learning style.
Once a rapport is established with the student and I have an understanding of the student's level, approach, goals and level of interest, we work together to craft a program of study that is clear, focused and effective for the individual.
Whether teaching Saxophone, Piano, or Theory, I generally try to break up my students' study into areas Tone/Time/Technique/Theory/Creativity with a focus on fundamentals. Again, this is all dependent on the student's needs and wants. I try avoiding a dogmatic approach and craft the approach to the student, not the other way around. This generally requires a fair amount of thought and engagement from the student.
Access to my VAST record collection, lots of teaching/reference materials at hand, piles of music, no fewer than 6 keyboards (including the Musitronic Learning Center that actually has 6 keyboards on one instrument), and a nice recording set up if we want to record anything. Super accessible via subway/bus.
MKGO BIG BAND CLINIC - Onondaga Community College, 2008
Get Started with BML to set up a lesson with Michael.
Everything.
As a saxophonist:
My peers, Albert Ayler, Stanley Turrentine, John Coltrane, Dewey Redman, Paul Gonsalves
As a composer:
Minimalism (Glass/Reich), 20th century Composers (Stravinski, Varese, Messiaen), The Viennese School (Schoenberg, Berg), Salsa/Mambo/Afro Cuban (Machito, Barreto, Puente, Palmieri), Funk/Soul/R+B/Blues (The J.B.s, Fela, Howlin' Wolf,etc), Metal (Meshuggah), West Africa (Yoruba), Classic Rock, Gamelan, Jazz (Ornette Coleman, Steve Coleman, Sun Ra, Ellington/Strayhorn), The Carribean, All musics of the African Diaspora...
