This page is primarily for info on Pat's work as a music teacher and clinician. For info on yoga teaching, click here. It's also under construction, and will be updated soon!

Pat Donaher has been teaching for almost 10 years in the Boston area, from the most basic to the conservatory level. He has also collaborated with longtime New England Conservatory professor Ran Blake, editing and contributing to his forthcoming book Primacy of the Ear. He offers lessons in saxophone, woodwinds, compostion and ear training, as well as ensemble coaching and workshops for all levels of students and ensembles. Pat's students have been recognized in competitions and district, state and regional festivals for outstanding performance. In addition, Pat has several compositions aimed at young jazz bands both large and small.

teaching philosophy * private music lessons * workshops * composition

Philosophy

"I believe it's critical to teach the whole student. Obviously, my job is to teach a student to play the saxophone better, to improvise better, to win auditions, etc. But I also know that only a very few students will pursue music beyond high school; I want to cultivate a lifelong love of and interest in music, and in the self-discovery it offers.

With younger students, I focus a lot early on good posture, good breathing and solid sound production- that's the foundation for everything, and the habits it fosters are useful far away from the horn. As students progress, I try to tailor the work to the student- I have benchmarks, but no formulas. Each student is wonderfully unique, and deserves instruction built for them."

Private lessons

Pat offers one-on-one instruction in the following areas:

• Saxophone, jazz and classical, at all levels
• Improvisation, all levels, all instruments.
• Beginner and intermediate flute and clarinet.
• Small group coaching, in classical, jazz and improvised music settings.
• Composition lessons, early and intermediate level students.

Workshops

Pat has designed and delivered several clinics and workshops aimed at high school and collegiate audiences. They include:

High school:

• Better breathing for wind players, incorporating his study of yogic breathing techniques (pranayama)
• Why improvisation? An improvisation workshop for a general music or non-jazz audience.
• Effective audution preparation.

College and University:

• Improvising seemlessly in odd meters.
• storyboarding as a tool for improvising, composing and reimagining music.

Pat has given workshops and/or clinics at schools including: New England Conservatory, South Shore Conservatory, Eastman, Duxbury High, Weymouth High, and Boston College High School.

Composition

more to come here...