William K. TakeLessons Instructor Music, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet New York, NY

William is an active performer/teacher in New York City.  He began his musical studies at a young age, playing a variety of instruments before settling in on the saxophone in junior high school.  Since then, he has played saxophone and other woodwinds in a vast number of musical settings and studied with some of the finest in the business.  

William grew up in Omaha, Nebraska before moving to Colorado and attending the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music where he studied woodwinds with members of the Colorado Symphony.  While at Lamont, he played clarinet in the wind ensemble and orchestra, saxophone in big bands and jazz combos, and attended countless clinics and master classes.  In 2002, his saxophone quartet claimed first prize in the Chamber Music Competition, and placed in the top five in 2001 and 2003.  After graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music in Multi-Woodwind Performance, he moved back to Omaha where he attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  During his stay in Omaha, he maintained a private lesson studio of 15-20 students, played in numerous local ensembles, finished his Master of Music Degree and won the 2005 Concerto Competition.  His winning the competition earned him an invitation to be a guest soloist with the Heartland Philharmonic.  In 2006, William was invited to play in the National Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall.  After playing at Carnegie Hall, William went home, packed his bags and moved to New York City where he now resides.  

William has studied Clarinet with Abigail Raymond (Colorado Symphony); Flute with Pamela Endsley (Colorado Symphony), Elizabeth Buck (Arizona State University) and Andrew Sterman (Philip Glass Ensemble); Saxophone with Arthur Bouton (University of Denver), Douglas Masek (UCLA), Branford Marsalis and Andrew Sterman. 

In my lessons, I introduce students to a world of musical, as well as personal accomplishment through step-by-step perseverance and dedication.  I provide positive leadership by maintaining clear, open communication with students and their parents.  I have developed effective methods of teaching music by first recognizing each student’s interests and curiosities, then revealing to them the ways in which music has in some way had influence upon those interests and curiosities, either from a historical perspective, or from a socio-cultural one.  I emphasize maximum sound production through relaxed, mindful playing.

I specialize in fundamental tone production with an emphasis on musicality and relaxed style.

Music, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet