What is the best option for selecting a saxophone teacher.? Would it be a university program student teacher or an established player teacher at the local music store? Or teacher at a college?

-Sam

My response:

That really depends on who the saxophone teachers are. Where someone teaches doesn’t necessarily have too much to do with how good they are.

Part of what you want to consider is if you want to sound like the teacher.

You also want to think about how much emphasis the teacher places on teaching vs performing.

Teaching and performing are different skills.

You could talk to their students and see how things are going. Also consider your own level of playing and much you will be able to figure out as you practice, etc.

Also, simply trying a lesson with someone will give you an idea of whether it will work well for you.

My first teacher was at my middle school, I took some private lessons with him as well.

My second teacher taught at a music store.

My third teacher was teaching at his home at first. Later on, he taught at a music store and at private studio space he got.

I took lessons with Kristen Strom at Santa Clara University.

And I have taken lessons with others, including currently with Gary Meek at a small music school here.

Where they taught was not really what was most important in my opinion.

If you have some thoughts to add, that would help!