Testimonials

"I feel so lucky to have found Jill Dreeben as a flute teacher. She has a wealth of experience not only as a teacher, but also as a performing musician. She has taught me not just how to play an instrument, but how to play musically and with presence. Her approach is very holistic and balanced. She teaches with kindness, respect, and patience and at the same time observes, corrects and guides my playing. She especially notices things that I never would’ve noticed by myself and has helped me achieve a level of proficiency and beauty in my playing that I so much appreciate. Jill also connected a former student and I and with Jill generously giving of her time, we’ve been playing flute trios. Jill is one of the few great teachers that have truly enriched my life’s journey. " ~ Csilla Csank ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"Jill is an amazingly gifted flute teacher. She has studied extensively how our bodies interact with the instrument to produce sound and is skillful at translating this knowledge into practical solutions to the challenges that arise. She seems to have an endless repertoire of suggestions when I get stuck, and I find myself progressing more quickly than I ever expected. Her suggestions about phrasing and interpretation are equally on the mark. "I highly recommend her teaching to beginners and more advanced players alike." ~ Ariana Pancaldo ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"Taking lessons with Jill is both a musical learning experience and a life learning experience. There has never been a moment with her when I wasn’t learning something new. Kind and patient, Jill focuses on the idea that the music is already inside of me, and I just need to learn how to free it. "Additionally, working with the concept of Body Mapping helped me view flute playing in a completely new way. With Jill, I have not only gained this fresh perspective, but I have also earned a mentor and friend. Ultimately, Jill has taught me the lasting lesson that the greatest form of control can be letting go." ~ Merry Qian ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"(As a chamber instructor), Jill is sensitive, understanding and creative. Working with her has been rewarding and her methods have increased the value and pleasure of practice." ~ Shep Holcomb ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

“As an adult, I was hesitant to take lessons after many years of not playing. Jill allayed my fears and worked patiently with me on theory, technique, and just how to enjoy playing the flute again.” ~ Stephanie Franzosa ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"I took up the flute as an adult and had many different teachers over the first 20 or so years that I took lessons. While I enjoyed playing music with other people, I was never happy with the way I sounded. I figured that either I had limited abilities or I had chosen the wrong instrument. Then, I started lessons with Jill. Now, 4 ½ years later, I am making steady progress and I feel a lot better about my playing. "Jill has been a wonderful teacher for me. She sets high standards, but she has prodded me forwarded ever so gently, and she is supportive during setbacks. She is also the first teacher I ever had who could demystify the mechanics of producing a good sound. If ever there was a great example of the difference a teacher could make, this is it!" ~ Ellen Isenstein ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"....Thank you so much for these past 9 years teaching me. You taught me to truly enjoy playing music...." ~ A.F. ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

"I took flute lessons as a kid from 4th to 12th grade, did some folk jamming for a few years, then played less and less often over the next three decades. I started lessons with Jill last year so I could confidently jam with friends. Until my lessons with Jill I hadn't realized how little I'd learned as a kid about actually playing the flute: proper hand and finger positions, breathing, and how to use one's body to make playing easier. I wish I'd known all this years ago. "Jill offers me multiple creative suggestions on alternate ways to attack difficult passages, which helps me through my adult-sized "I should know how to do this!" frustration. We also play duets as part of my lessons, which gives me regular practice playing with someone. Finally, Jill is flexible in working around my travel schedule. My flute playing has improved drastically since I started lessons with Jill." ~ Dana Cooperson ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~