Emily Gurwitz teaches select high school students privately and in masterclasses in preparation for solo music performances, flute competitions, and YOSA and college auditions. Mrs. Gurwitz received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Trinity University in San Antonio, and her Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her teaching philosophy is to empower students to teach themselves and to never set limits on what they can achieve. Mrs. Gurwitz takes an individualized approach to teaching music that encompasses additional characteristics such as study habits and organizational skills to help students reach their full potential. If a student has high aspirations on his/her instrument and is willing to practice consistently, much success is possible with proper instruction. Mrs. Gurwitz’s private flute and piccolo students have qualified for the Texas 6A/5A TMEA All-State Bands or Orchestras thirty-two times, having students place first chair flute in both divisions as well as first chair piccolo in 6A.
Often parents may wonder why a flute student needs private music lessons when they are already excelling in their high school concert band. It is important to remember that there are over 50 public high schools in the San Antonio area alone, so if a flute student is first chair at his/her school then there are over 49 other local flute students in the same position. The purpose of music lessons is not to make you the best flute student at your school, but to enable you to reach your full potential. Private music lessons are not the same as tutoring, where you are requesting assistance because you are behind or need help. Multiple students in the past have practiced diligently and failed to qualify for their District or Region Band, and then have gone on to qualify for Area or All-State Band with consistent lessons with Mrs. Gurwitz combined with hard work and dedication. If you are a dedicated flute student and are interested in private flute lessons, please contact Mrs. Gurwitz.
In addition to teaching private flute lessons to San Antonio high school students, Emily Gurwitz is available to assist band directors who wish to learn/improve their playing and technique in order to teach flute to their students. Also, she is available for masterclasses and clinics, including teaching Region band music at the middle school level and All-State band music at the high school level.
FACETIME and ZOOM LESSONS:
Mrs. Gurwitz is available to teach flute lessons via Facetime or Zoom. Although a live lesson is preferred, a Facetime/Zoom lesson can be useful, particularly if there are scheduling conflicts between the teacher and student. Lessons are one hour and are $60/hour. Students may pay through PayPal, Venmo, or can mail a check for the lesson.
~Students will contact Mrs. Gurwitz a week or more before the desired time for the Facetime/Zoom lesson.
~Students must provide their own tuners and metronomes.
~Students must pay for the service in advance of the lesson.
~Students must e-mail a PDF of the material they want help with after the lesson is scheduled.