While my performance focus has been the flute for my entire adult life, my secondary interests in singing, church music, music theory, musical theater and music education have kept me active and engaged with my surrounding communities. Originally begun as a natural outcome of a freelance career, these collective experiences both led to my hire as the music program coordinator at Indiana University East, and have been honed and improved through my work there.
My teaching at IU East is best described as the work of a generalist. I teach courses for both music students and our general population, ranging from lessons and performance classes to directing the choir to music theory and history to topics like music appreciation, world music, even Hamilton, the Musical! I enjoy the process of guiding students to hearing music in a different, more engaging way, especially if it’s a style of music they might not have cared for before. For our music students, my greatest moments are the ones when I can see all the pieces of our puzzle of theoretical elements or historical context click into place in a student’s mind, the connections between that work and their personal goals as performers lock in.
As a researcher and creative artist, my work reflects the intersection of my performance training and my archival research into performance practice and reception history. I began this work in my graduate studies, creating concerts built around flute history from late-Victorian to early 20th century Britain. My most recent project, The Melba Project, branches off from that earlier work.
Read my article in the Flutist Quarterly
Private Teaching
All private lessons are once a week, typically 30-60 minutes depending on age/level, in my home in Richmond, Indiana.
My rates are competitive, and if you come to me, the first lesson is free! Please contact me for more information.
Flute Lessons
While I tailor flute lessons to each individual student, the overall structure to my lessons is the same:
- Technique: tone, finger dexterity and musicianship
- Performance: solo pieces
- Ensemble skills: duets or trios
Lessons start with tone exercises, scales, and studies that hone technique– the building blocks needed to make a strong flutist. Solo and ensemble pieces are then chosen to incorporate the skills being developed.
For beginning students also participating in a school band program, I adapt my lessons to their school’s curriculum, reducing confusion and creating consistency in these crucial early stages. Once a student reaches their second year of playing, they practice music for flute lessons separate from school requirements.
Since an important part of playing an instrument is the performance itself, all my students are encouraged to perform in an annual student recital held near the end of the school year. Students can also take advantage of other performance opportunities such as the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Festival. Advanced students are encouraged to audition for local youth ensembles.
Music Theory Lessons
In a nutshell, music theory is the study of how music is organized, how it is written down, and how it sounds to our ears. Lessons cover the basic elements of music: pitch, rhythm, meter, melody, harmony, and form. These components are practiced in both written and aural exercises.
For students with no music theory background wishing to take the AP Music Theory exam, at least 2 years of music theory lessons are recommended. Students with a strong music foundation and a diligent work ethic can possibly take the exam within one year of study.
Dr. Jessica Raposo 