WOODWIND INSTRUCTION
With 26 years of private teaching experience, Ian offers individualized clarinet, saxophone, and flute instruction for students from beginner through advanced levels, as well as introductory lessons in oboe and bassoon. Lessons are available in person at his Berkley studio or virtually, serving musicians throughout Metro Detroit and beyond.
Whether you're just beginning your musical journey or are an experienced musician looking to refine your skills, lessons are tailored to your individual goals, experience, and musical interests.
Instruction emphasizes strong fundamentals, tone production, technical development, effective practice habits, and musical expression. Students also receive personalized guidance in preparing for auditions, Solo & Ensemble Festival, and other musical performances.
Clarinet Lessons
Individualized lessons emphasizing embouchure, tone production, finger technique, articulation, and musicianship for beginning through advanced clarinetists.
Saxophone Lessons
Comprehensive instruction in tone quality, technical development, articulation, and musical expression for beginning through advanced saxophonists.
Flute Lessons
Personalized instruction in tone development, breath control, technique, articulation, and musical interpretation for beginning through advanced students.
Private Lesson Offerings
Beginning Oboe & Bassoon
Introductory instruction focused on proper playing fundamentals, instrument technique, sound production, and developing strong musical foundations.
Audition & Festival Preparation
Focused preparation for school auditions, Solo & Ensemble Festival, chair placements, and other musical performances.
Adult & Returning Musicians
Personalized lessons for adults learning an instrument for the first time or returning to music after time away.
WOODWIND
REPAIR
With 13 years of hands-on instrument repair experience, Ian provides comprehensive repair services for flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon, serving musicians throughout Metro Detroit.
From routine maintenance and adjustments to complete overhauls, precision keywork, dent removal, soldering, and advanced mechanical restoration, Ian handles repairs of every complexity with a focus on craftsmanship, reliability, and exceptional playing condition.
As both a repair technician and professional woodwind musician, Ian approaches each instrument with a firsthand understanding of how it should feel, respond, and perform in the hands of the player.
Maintenance & Adjustments
Routine servicing, cleaning, lubrication, mechanical regulation, and preventative maintenance to keep instruments performing reliably.
Complete Overhauls
Comprehensive disassembly, cleaning, repadding, mechanical restoration, and precision adjustment to restore instruments to optimal playing condition.
Pad & Cork Replacement
Individual pad replacement, complete repadding, and replacement of worn corks, felts, and other regulating materials.
Repair Services
Keywork & Mechanical Repair
Precision key fitting, alignment, spring replacement, mechanism restoration, and correction of worn or damaged components.
Dent Removal & Metalwork
Professional dent removal, soldering, structural repairs, and restoration of damaged instrument bodies and keywork.
Diagnosis & Troubleshooting
Thorough evaluation and correction of air leaks, mechanical problems, and issues affecting tone, response, and playability.
PROFESSIONAL
PERFORMANCE
Ian provides professional woodwind performance services throughout Metro Detroit, with experience in orchestral and chamber music, musical theater, big bands, and a wide range of live musical engagements.
An accomplished multi-instrumentalist and woodwind doubler, Ian performs on clarinet, saxophone, flute, oboe, recorder, Irish flutes and whistles, and uilleann pipes. His versatility allows him to work across a wide range of musical settings as both a principal instrumentalist and ensemble musician.
Performance credits include productions at Meadow Brook Theatre, Nicely Theatre, and other Metro Detroit theaters, as well as horn section performances with the Temptations, the Four Tops, and Martha Reeves.
Musical Theater & Woodwind Doubling
Professional pit orchestra performance across multiple woodwind instruments for musical theater productions.
Orchestral & Chamber Music
Clarinet and woodwind performance for orchestras, chamber ensembles, and concert engagements.
PERFORMANCE SPECIALTIES
Big Band & Horn Sections
Saxophone and woodwind performance for big bands, horn sections, and live ensemble engagements.
Traditional Irish Music
Performance on Irish flute, whistles, and uilleann pipes for traditional music engagements.