I believe that you should never passively accept of all that I offer in our work together. You must try it for yourself first to see if it fits, and then modify it to make it yours.

I want you to be your own best teacher. I hope that you will also teach me a new thing or two (or three, or four, or five…).

Flowing communication between us is integral to reaching your highest potential in a lesson. Let’s have a continuous dialogue in which we reach solutions together.

Playing the flute and creating music from deep within one’s soul is a challenge. It also takes a lot of self-belief and courage. Every difficulty encountered is a valuable tool for your next big musical breakthrough. I may not have all the answers in every moment. I will guide you as you search. I hope that at times you will have the foresight and gumption to find the musical solution within yourself.

I will not curtail issues that need improvement or sugar-coat that which needs addressing in your playing because I truly believe in helping you to refine, and sculpt your art. I will offer constructive criticism and realistic expectations so that you achieve those aspiring musical goals. I will only be disappointed if you do not offer me your highest effort.

I will never intentionally criticize or make you feel inadequate for lack of comprehension of any concept. Instead, I will aim to change the method as to how I am communicating.

No matter which genre you play, I want you to accomplish high standards of music-making and to build a solid foundation to playing. This is why I use time-honoured methods of tone studies, scales, etudes, and finger technique. Yet equally, I use a variety of other teaching methods that are outside that ‘traditional’ box: improvisation, approaches from other musics, integrative bodywork and of course, my intuition as to what you need in the moment.

I believe that everyone has the potential to be musical and to create song. Flute playing is a celebration of your freedom, authenticity and personal expression– unique from anyone else’s on this earth. It’s an honour to walk with you in your musical journey.

I hope that you do not only consider yourself to be a ‘just’ a flute player, but part of a bigger global community of creative thinkers, thought-leaders and world changers.

–written by Dr. Jessica Marie Quiñones