The Teacher
My Approach
Playing the recorder is much more than mastering an instrument. Making music can be a deeply fulfilling and spiritual practice. It allows us to express ourselves, to reflect and to discover parts of ourselves and others that we did not know before.
I have several years of teaching experience with students of very different ages, backgrounds, and levels, from young children to advanced players and conservatory students, to adults who want to rediscover their musicality.
Because every person is different, my teaching is highly individual. Together, we develop a way of learning, playing, and practising that fits your musical personalty and the way your body and mind work.
Technique & Musicality - A Symbiosis
Technique is essential to playing the recorder, but I believe technique and musicality go hand in hand. The sound you imagine, the musical characters you want to create and the way you want to communicate through your recorder influence how you use your breath, your fingers, tongue – your whole body. There are fundamental principles that help us play the recorder freely and healthily. At the same time, every body and every mind is different. A technical approach that works perfectly for one person may not work for another.
For this reason, I work individually with each student to find exercises, practice strategies, routines, and technical solutions that support their playing and their musical intentions and feel good for them. The goal of technique is freedom, having the tools to express what you hear and imagine.
Learning how to Practice
The act of practising is something that must be discovered and developed. There is no such thing as the one and only practice routine that works for everyone. It means learning how to listen, how to identify problems, how to find solutions, how to structure your time and how to understand what your body and mind need in order to learn.
My aim is to help every student build a sustainable, healthy and fulfilling relationship with practising that helps them work effectively without losing curiosity or motivation.
If you are interested in starting recorder lessons or taking a trial lesson with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my email address hannah.erxleben2000@gmail.com, my phone number 004915759259299 or via the contact button on the top right corner of this website.