Meet Your Match: This Musician Could Be Your Next Music Teacher

One of the great privileges of creating a music teacher community like the ZOEN is getting to know a fascinatingly diverse group of people. Our goal is to match music students with the teacher who is a perfect fit for their needs and interests. With the wide variety of teachers we’ve attracted, we’re making great strides toward making that perfect fit possible. Here’s the scoop on just a handful of the music teachers that make up our community:

Jens Wendelboe (Trombone)

In addition to teaching for the ZOEN, Jens is presently the trombonist for Blood, Sweat and Tears. Yes, the Blood, Sweat and Tears. How did he get that gig? Well, being Donna Summer’s music director probably didn’t hurt. As a teacher, Jens’ philosophy is to help his students be self-motivated to continue to strive for personal excellence. His goal is to create the “magical moment” that generates confidence and inspires the student. Gotta love that.

Daniel Dorff

Daniel Dorff (Drums, Piano)

When he’s not home in Cincinnati OH, Dan is out on the road touring with the likes of Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Ben Sollee. He is a studio musician having played on over 25 major label records, the music director at his church, a jazz drum professor at Northern Kentucky University and a former member of the cast of STOMP. The beauty of teaching online for a working musician like Dan is that he can maintain his teaching practice from just about anywhere.

Rachael Shimano (Violin)

Even if you know almost nothing about learning the violin, you’ve probably heard mention of the Suzuki Method. Well, Rachael was one of Dr. Suzuki’s last students. She began learning the violin at the age of 2 in Matsumoto, Japan. Rachael loves working with young children (and their parents!) and has garnered great reviews in the ZOEN. It is her belief that “it is never too late and rarely too early to learn the violin!”

Cris Gale (Ocarina)

You’re probably wondering what an ocarina is. The ocarina belongs to a very old family of instruments - its the flute-like instrument that was featured in the Nintendo 64 video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There aren’t a whole lot of ocarina teachers out there, so that alone sets Cris apart. But get this, she’s also won an international star search competition in 2009 and has recorded with Grammy nominated composer Austin Wintory.

Johnny Conga (Latin Percussion)

A performing Latin drummer for more than 45 years, the short list of artists Johnny has performed with is impressive to say the least. The Jackson 5, Eddie Palmieri, Sergio Mendes, Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan...yep, he’s played with them. Johnny’s credentials as a music teacher are just as impressive. If you’ve always wanted to play the Congas, why not learn from the best? Book a lesson now.

These are just a few of the teachers who make up the ZOEN community. If you’re want to learn an instrument, take a free trial lesson with a teacher or two until you find that perfect fit. The key to long term success with music lessons is finding a teacher you really connect with!

See also:

[How To] Find the Right Music Teacher

3 New Features to Help You Find the Perfect Music Teacher