One-On-One Teaching
Arthur has deep expertise in a variety of music education and pedagogical approaches, all of which he gladly shares with students of all ages and levels. These include instrumental studies on piano, vibraphone, marimba, and percussion. Arthur teaches classical and popular music styles, and is happy to shape the studies to support the student’s growth and interests. He also teaches composition, arranging, jazz theory, harmony, and improvisation. Arthur incorporates instruction on the Apple mac, an important tool for music learning, facilitating note-reading and strengthening the association between sound and melodic shape on the page.
Students are encouraged to participate in the Young Musicians Festival held at Fairfield University each March. Each June Arthur’s students perform at his annual recital in the Brubeck Room, Wilton Library.
For college submissions/applications, Arthur is happy to assist students in preparing audition recordings/videos. He advises on college selection processes and offers helpful feedback given his personal connections with hundreds of university music department heads in the USA and around the world.
Group Instruction
Arthur has had extensive experience in leading and teaching jazz and other ensembles and teaching group classes on music, theory, jazz and composition.
To offer an additional group teaching format and expand music into the community, he founded the Wilton Steel Community Band in 2010. Wilton Steel is designed to offer exciting and fun group instruction in Caribbean, Jazz, Pop and other forms of music through a community band experience. Younger members learn about responsibility and teamwork. All band members get an inside look at the music business through bookings and performances. Some members have embraced this and moved on to be bandleaders in their own right.
The band has featured members who range in ages from 10 through 80, and accepts new members with no prior musical experience. Members have shared: “This is the most fun I’ve had playing music in my entire life!”, “Performing in public has boosted my confidence and my love of music so much!” and much more.
Composition
Arthur has seen in 30 years of teaching that exposing students to composition has been instrumental in building student’s creativity, confidence, and self-esteem. Even six year-olds can write music! Starting in Spring ’19, all students will be offered the opportunity to compose and perform original music at their recital.