This term generally refers to a one-time, shorter length (1-3 hours) format that can be some or all of the following: lecture, lecture-demonstration, interactive/participatory lecture, private lesson in front of a group/audience, audience Q & A.

Within an intense study/training curriculum, masterclasses provide an extremely important counterbalance to private lessons in that  those who are facing the same or similar sets of challenges and rewards are gathered together in a shared setting and given the opportunity to be exposed to students, teachers, techniques and perspectives that are outside of their daily practice, study and rehearsal spheres.

I have presented masterclasses at UCLA, CalArts, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and in other, less formal settings.  The content can range from specific predetermined topics to a customized or spontaneous agenda adapted to the class and its participants.  In addition to general masterclasses on any of the instruments or topics found in this website, a list of specialty masterclasses can be found here.