"My teaching style is user-friendly and does not employ a hierarchy. In the first lesson, I like to say “I am not the teacher and you are not the student.” I explain that our relationship is one like architect and builder—neither can finish the building without the other. I believe that people have more capabilities than they think, and that playing an instrument has a lot to do with self-perception. I try to help students raise their skill levels along with their level of awareness about music in general. Sometimes I tell them things that they may not understand immediately, but over time, they eventually will. I do not do student recitals, and welcome all ages and abilities."