Online & In Person Saxophone or Clarinet Lessons
TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS
"The aspect of Titus’ pedagogy which really sets him apart is how well he is able to help his students develop their own, unique sound. Many jazz saxophone teachers, focus heavily on standardized technical curriculum that prevent music students from finding their own voice. This can take the form of practicing “standard” licks and learning the “right” way to play over changes. Titus’s teaching is geared to help his students avoid this trap and develop a unique sound. This is not to say Titus does not teach the technical aspects of jazz saxophone, but he does so in a way that helps his students be creative. One way he does this is through “by ear” transcription in which I learned transcriptions from recordings, memorized them, and performed them in class. Titus was really good at helping me get closer to the sound of the saxophonist in the recording, reviewing not only the notes and rhythms I played but also helping me emulate the intonation, articulation, and phrasing that are the essence of jazz saxophone sound."
Dylan Hayton-Ruffner - Bowdoin College Alum
"Learning from Titus is an honor and a pleasure. Beyond his clear prowess as a jazz musician, Titus is a teacher with remarkable patience, attention, and a bubbling excitement and life that betrays his love for this music and his passion for sharing it with his students. Titus’s approach to jazz teaching is comprehensive and compelling. His focus on sound in particular has reengaged me with the instrument I’ve been playing for nine years. Working on my sound has been such a rewarding pursuit, and through focus on overtones, the altissimo range, and tone imagination, Titus has uncovered a huge opportunity for my growth as a musician. Every week, we are working to fill in an essential understanding, be it in music theory, jazz articulation, or even the way I visualize a chord in a tune. The content is well selected and Titus is a skilled educator all the way down to the little details. I find the best teachers are those that can pick up on my confusions and struggles in the short space of a lesson and easily untangle those problems with their expertise. Titus has a careful ear that enables him to give such satisfyingly effective instruction."
Olivia Cox-Brown University Student
"I studied saxophone with Titus for 6 years, and it was a formative experience in my development as a musician. Titus heavily emphasizes the concept of sound in his teaching, not only through tone but through melody, rhythm, and harmony as well. Frequently, exercises would include long tones, overtones, transcriptions, as well as scales, arpeggios, and improvisation over different sets of chord changes. Overall, he takes a very well rounded approach to teaching the saxophone; one that focused on the goal of making music and not just playing notes. After taking lessons with Titus, I have a greater appreciation for how to make the saxophone sound how I want it to, and a better understanding of both the theory and history of jazz music. I would highly recommend Titus as an instructor for anyone looking to improve as a musician."
Peter Theodores - High School Student now Brown University Student