Private Lessons

I give private lessons online on composition, orchestration, film scoring and music notation software (Sibelius, MuseScore, Dorico and Lilypond) in both English and Spanish to students all over the world.

Lessons are booked through Lessonface and take place via its platform. Whether you're looking for serious music instruction, some advice on a project you're working on, or help in using some music notation program, I can certainly help.

Use the widget on the right to check availability and book a lesson. All monetary transactions are managed by Lessonface.

There are a variety of princes depending on your needs and discounts apply if you book multiple lessons in advance. Lessonface is a serious website and has cancellation and refund policies.

Description

Composition

Musical composition is similar to other human tasks in the sense that it is a self-taught skill that is acquired through a gradual process of assimilation within the musical environment in which a composer grows up. As a composition teacher, I don't teach my students to compose; instead, I provide them with the tools they need to take control of this self-acquired ability. These tools can come in the form of very specific techniques that they can apply to their compositions, but most of the time, they are developed as simple but effective ideas that emerge from the analysis of their works or the works of other composers.

Orchestration

The study of orchestration doesn't require any self-taught skills but it does demand a certain degree of prior contact with orchestral music. In fact, it would be very difficult for anyone to write effective orchestrations without having heard at least a good amount of symphonic works. In addition, orchestration can be learned through very concrete concepts and well-defined techniques. Orchestration classes are a mix of theory (instrumentation, orchestration models), history, analysis, and assignments.

Important Note About the Lessons

I don't teach songwriting or arrangement. My musical style and experience are within what is known as "contemporary classical music". I'm not specialized in teaching to write contemporary (popular) or jazz music or to write arrangements for bands. I like and value those genres, but they just aren't within my area of expertise.

Film Scoring

In addition to having written the soundtracks for eight Peruvian feature films and a Portuguese short film, I have been teaching film scoring for several years and some of my students have already received awards for their work. Lessons begin by covering some basic topics, such as narrative musical functions and uses of musical language in film music. Students are given assignments in the form of short videos for which they must write the music, following specific instructions. We also cover other related topics such as the film composition process and legal aspects.

Notation Software

I also have a lot of experience using music notation software. I was a Sibelius user for more than 20 years (since its first version for Windows) and in the last few years I switched to Dorico. I'm also very good at using MuseScore and can handle Lilypond at an intermediate level. If you need help learning how to use any of these programs, I can walk you through in a few lessons. I can also help you if you have problems with one of them or if you have difficulty entering a specific type of notation.

Requirements

I cannot teach any of the above subjects to beginning students without some basic musical knowledge. Trying it would be a waste of their time (as well as mine) and their money. Therefore, before booking a lesson, please check that you meet the following minimum criteria related to musical practice:

  1. A basic level of proficiency in playing an instrument, preferably (but not necessarily) the piano. (An understanding of musical phenomena cannot be acquired simply by studying music theory. One has to play music to be able to write it.)

  2. In the case of composition studies, a portfolio of compositions (any number of them of any size and instrumentation). These compositions could have been written empirically. (It's not necessary for the you to demonstrate formal academic training.)

  3. At least basic knowledge (but better if it's intermediate) of harmony (and its basic foundations, such as intervals, voice leading, etc.) and musical notation. Other disciplines, such as counterpoint and instrumentation, can be covered little by little in the lessons.

  4. At least basic knowledge about the use of some music notation software. I use Dorico, Sibelius, MuseScore and Lilypond, but it's possible to work with PDF files and audio mockups if the student uses some other software (like Finale).