Flute students and parents:
Wonder why private lessons are so great?
Band class vs. private lessons
Band directors are fantastic, but they have to work with tons of kids playing over a dozen different instruments all at once! The bulk of class time is spent going over universal concepts that the whole group will benefit from, which means there’s very little time left over to focus on the idiosyncrasies of each instrument. That leaves a lot of huge gaps in knowledge that students are forced to figure out on their own.
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With lessons, students get to take a deep dive into all the mechanics of proper flute playing. This is especially important for flute players because the flute creates sound differently than every other instrument. The other wind instruments blow directly into a reed or mouthpiece, while the flute blows across the tone hole (the opening on the head joint). This makes it MUCH HARDER to get a consistent sound and develop good breath control.
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With an experienced flute teacher, students learn how to conquer these tricky aspects of the instrument (and many more), saving countless hours of guesswork and frustration for the student. And that’s not all! Lessons also allow students to learn about music theory, music history, and ear training. All while getting individual attention and feedback!
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It comes from learning how to approach challenges with
1) curiosity
2) patience
3) and the right tools to get the job done!
So how do I empower students?
By showing them how to break down even the most overwhelming challenges into tiny bite-sized pieces, and then we create an action plan!
For me, the most fulfilling part of teaching comes from watching a student realize they are capable of more than they thought,
especially when it’s something they used to believe was out of reach. And the best part? Once they experience this kind of success,
they start applying it everywhere!
Let's talk about what lessons with me are like:
My teaching philosophy centers on empowerment.
I believe that when students feel empowered, they gain the confidence and motivation to pursue big goals - not just in music, but in every area of life. And that kind of confidence doesn’t come from talent or luck,
Empowerment builds more than just wonderful flute playing - it builds resilience.
The best example of this in my flute journey came early, through my experience auditioning for All State. I auditioned five times - every year from 8th-12th grade. I was rejected four times in a row. After each of these disappointments, I would have awful, self-defeating thoughts creep in
Am I not good enough?
Will I never get in?
Is this a waste of time?
What kept me going?
My deep love of music, as well as all the support, guidance, and encouragement from my mentors!
I was motivated to work harder, smarter, and to believe in myself. My senior year, I made a very detailed, targeted, and realistic plan that I stuck to, day in and day out. The result of this devotion? I was placed as the piccolo player in the even more competitive All-State Orchestra!
That moment didn’t happen by chance.
It happened because I built confidence through consistent, small wins.
I started to believe that I could do it—because I had proven to myself that I could improve, step by step.
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Now, as a teacher, my job is to give my students the tools, structure, and support they need to achieve that same feeling of growth for themselves. During lessons, we spend time identifying:​
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what we want to improve
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how to improve it
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why we're using that approach
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With this framework, students will gradually become motivated, independent thinkers who can solve problems by themselves!
And here's me at All-State! Note: empowerment in my playing hadn't helped with my social awkwardness quite yet.
In our lessons, you'll learn how to:
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Play with a beautiful, flexible sound (that’s why you’re here, right?)
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Improve your breath control (ever gotten dizzy from playing the flute?)
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Get a clear response on every note (no more fuzzy low notes)
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Get comfortable with any rhythm - (off-beats? Not a problem)
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Develop smooth finger technique (“Flight of the Bumblebee” will be a breeze)
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Practice smarter, not harder, with the 21 practice room problem solvers
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Expand your dynamic range (because we’ve all had a band director yell “flutes, play LOUDER”)
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Create subtle tone colors that better express your artistry (It’s the difference between saying “I like pizza” and “I crave Hawaiian style pizza after a hot, humid day on the beach”)
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Use a singing vibrato (it’ll give your sound a magical shimmer)
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Control pitch the right way (there’s a better way than looking like a bobblehead while you roll your headjoint in and out)
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Create music from ink on a page (everyone is capable of it, but few pull it off. I’m going to teach you how it’s done)
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Sight read with confidence (there’s more to it than start and hope for the best)
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Effectively play with others (this makes it 1000% more fun for everyone)
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Give polished, self-assured solo performances (make sweaty, shaky hands a thing of the past)
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Efficiently prepare for auditions (I’ve learned tons of tricks over the years)
Which all leads to learning how to...
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Set goals that matter to you
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Make plans with clear steps forward
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Creatively solve problems
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Develop discipline, patience, and resilience
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Get the most out of limited time in the day
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Be a team player (even when you don’t like your team)
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Improve self-confidence
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Keep cool under pressure
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So, what does this look like on a week-to-week basis?
Lessons will typically be broken into four parts.
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The first is a series of breathing exercises to center ourselves and make sure the student is using their air as effectively as possible.
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The second is a targeted review of a specific sound fundamental, tailored to the student’s needs. This could be anything from tone development in the upper register, to controlling pitch during a decrescendo, to cleaning up articulation in the bottom register
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The third is a brief check up on a few scales and technical exercises.
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The fourth part will be committed to applying all of these concepts to the music the student is working on (solos, etudes, method books, band music, etc.).
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Each lesson will also have some combination of sight reading, chamber music (duets), music theory, ear training, and music history sprinkled in for the student’s long-term growth.
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Every student learns differently, so I’ve developed plenty of wacky ways to teach these concepts. Some of these strategies include: using an imaginary straw to explain breathing, making funny faces to learn how to control the embouchure, blowing bubbles to develop airspeed control, comparing rapid double tonguing to a fish flopping around on dry land, using paint to visualize the air stream, and so much more!
But wait, there's MORE!
When you join the Bradshaw Flute Studio, you’re signing up for a flute program not just lessons. This means extra perks that you won’t get anywhere else, like tons of performance opportunities, masterclasses with guest artists, special musical and social events, a community of flute friends, a special Friendship Bracelet merit system, and MORE. Check out the studio page to learn about these one of a kind opportunities.
So, what do I expect from my students in return?
Students should come to lessons with an open mind, a positive attitude, and a commitment to trying their best. This means developing a good daily practice routine and sticking to it! Some days are crazy, life happens, but practicing even 5 minutes is a step forward. Every day is a chance to learn! Come discover how much we can achieve together!
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