Aviv Noam

Hallo, leuk dat je er bent! Ik ben Aviv Noam, professioneel saxofonist, componist-arrangeur en saxofoon- en muziekdocent woonachtig in Amsterdam. Plezier in het muziek maken en een positieve, soms grappige en flexibele leeromgeving staan bij mijn lessen centraal. Ik heb een grote passie voor het lesgeven en ben vastberaden om mijn kennis van saxofoonspelen en muziek maken door te geven. Ik wil de leerling graag begeleiden en voldoende kennis en vaardigheden meegeven om op een dag zijn/haar eigen docent te kunnen zijn.

Tijdens de lessen zal ik de leerling steeds beter leren kennen en kunnen we samen kijken wat de persoonlijke aandachtspunten zijn en hoe we het doel van de leerling kunnen bereiken. Mijn individuele manier van lesgeven is flexibel en ik zal per leerling kijken welke aanpak het beste werkt. Welke stijl van lesgeven ik ook toepas, het ontwikkelingsproces van het saxofoonspelen en muziekmaken zal centraal staan, niet de kortetermijn resultaten.

*Ik woon nu 6 jaar in Nederland en ik ben bezig met het leren van Nederlands. Op dit moment geef ik de lessen deels in het Nederlands, deels in het Engels. Binnenkort hoop ik de volledige lessen in het Nederlands te kunnen geven.

More about myself as a musician:

I play all Saxophone types, Flute and Bass Clarinet and use the instruments to play different styles of music. From Jazz, ,Blues, Improvised & avant-garde music to Funk, Pop and Hiphop music. Growing up I spent my childhood studying classical saxophone music for 10 years as well.

You can find videos of me playing different music styles in the links below :)

I performed in music venues and festivals such as: North Sea Jazz Festival, Bimhuis, TivoliVredenburg, AFAS Live, Paradiso Amsterdam, Melkweg, Jazz In Duketown and many others also abroad and received a few awards for my work as well. I did my higher education studies in Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

My goal as a saxophone teacher is to give you all the tools and knowledge so that you can spend as much time on just having fun falling in love with the instrument!

I believe that fun, inspiration and motivation all together are the best driving forces that get a student to fulfill their dreams in the long run. While of course we will tackle many technical matters that are a part of the nature of playing the instrument like breathing techniques, finger and lip synchronization and sound exercise, It is important for me to not keep the lessons too dry and always work on music that you love at the same time.

There are endless amount of topics you can learn, see the menu bellow for example

On the Menu:

• Basics (getting started with the instrument)
• Learning about breathing, posture, and playing by ear
• How to practice? or should I say, How to practice correctly!
• Learning songs from music sheet and sight-reading techniques 
• How to play and interact with other musicians? (also with other students)
• Advanced saxophone playing skills and techniques (fast playing skills, altissimo range, multiphonix etc)
• Improvisation!
• How can you express emotions through the instrument!
• How to become your own master, and one day leave my guidance behind :)

Important information:

• The lessons are for all levels
• The lessons are for all saxophone types (beginners usually start on Alto)
• I usually do not work with kids below 8 years old (but sometimes can make exceptions)
• We can work on music in any style, according to the student’s desire
• The lessons will balance technique and musicality mixed with music theory
• I have an instrument for a trial lessons, but after that the student needs his/her instrument (I can help you finding one)

More about me as a teacher:

I started to teach Saxophone professionally in the age of 19 and gained experience of working with different age groups and types of populations (in different social-musical projects) and in both private and group lesson environments.

 *Fun fact, I also grew up surfing, and worked as a surf instructor for 8 years until I moved to NL. Sometimes I use techniques I learned in surfing in teaching saxophone.

Although I cherish the activity of performing music and think that it is the most important aspect of the music-making world, I do think that understanding the elements within the music that you are performing can enrich your musicality and enhance your performance, making you a better musician.

This course is aimed to enrich you with knowledge about music theory wherever you might be in your musical journey, from a total beginner learning to read notes to a professional looking to advance his/her skills.

Examples to subjects we can work on:

• Ear Training & Solfege
• Reading notes
• Scales & chord theory 
• Rhythm !
• Analysis of your favorite music in Melodic, Harmonic and Rhythmic fashion
• Advance theoretical concepts and some non western approaches
• Applied theory (with instrument) and Improvisation

I do prepare students who want to take theoretical entrance exams to the conservatory.

Alongside playing, I spend a lot of time on composing music for different bands and projects. Playing music gives you lots of joy and immediate pleasure but composing brings another deep side to the equation. I would love to help you learn how to take your daily problems or greatest joys and turn them into inspiration that gives birth to new music. 

We will also look into your favorite songs and compositions of others and learn what they did that sounds good to us and what we might have done differently at times, and in that way, grow our own musical language.   

Alongside it, we will demystify the composing process by approaching it in different ways:

- Work on composition exercises, to get used to writing

- Learn different composition tools and techniques

- Look at your own ideas and see how we can develop and refine them

This class is for all levels! If there are any theory knowledge missing, we will cover it. Also a total beginner in music (with an open mind) can start expressing him/herself in sound. That being said, I am not a lyricist and cannot teach you how to write lyrics to songs although I work a lot with vocalists as well.

Although Saxophone is my main Instrument, I do also play flute and I had lessons with classical professional flutists during my studies in Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I also play flute in some orchestral/big band concerts at times.

Whether you are a beginner, a parent to a child that wants to play flute or thinking of an instrument that is lightweight for your child or you are a saxophonist that is tired of not getting called because of not applying to the “doubling” instrument criteria, I can help you get started!

I do not have an instrument to give on a trial lesson, but when planed in advance we can work a solution out. For the long run, the student should have his/her own instrument (I can help you find one).