Private Lessons
A thriving private lessons program is critical to the success of Northwest Band students and the program at large. Private lessons are one on one lessons offered before, during, and after school. Unlike tutorials, private lessons are not just for those who may be struggling. Private lessons are for every band students, and all are encouraged to enroll. Due to time constraints and class size we are not able to give each student as much invidivual instruction as we would like. Private instructors are able to meet with your student and tailor a customized curriculum that meets student needs, and allows them to grow at their own rate. Students who may be struggling will receive additional support to help improve, and intermediate to advanced players will see their development accelerated dramatically outside of their normal class period.
Our private instructors are selected by the directors and have completed NISD required background checks. Private lesson staff are degreed educators and professional musicians who work closely with the directors to maximize each student's progress. Private lessons are $22 per half hour or $44 per hour, which is paid directly to the individual private teacher. Financial assistance may be available for families who qualify.
To enroll in private lessons email the private teacher directly.
Private Lesson Staff
Julie Convery has performed and taught in the Dallas area for over 25 years. She completed a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX and a Masters of Music Education specializing in flute pedagogy from the University of North Texas. She has been a private instructor and clinician in many school districts, including Lewisville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, and Northwest ISD. Her students routinely earn places in middle school and high school All-District, All-Region and All-State bands. Julie currently performs with the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rosewind Ensemble, and freelances throughout the Dallas area.
Melissa Bosma, Oboe
Melissa Bosma is the Oboe Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Bosma served as Lecturer of Oboe at Oklahoma State University. She also served as Adjunct Instructor of Oboe at Heidelberg University. Ms. Bosma has taught extensively in Texas, Michigan, and Oklahoma through her studio and master classes at many local middle and high schools. Passionate about sharing oboe pedagogy with other educators, Ms. Bosma has given presentations at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention and the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. Ms. Bosma is an active orchestral musician who has performed with groups such as the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Michigan Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Also an accomplished chamber musician, Ms. Bosma attended the Sarasota Music Festival and was a Fellow at Music Academy of the West where she was a featured soloist under the baton of Grammy-nominated conductor Nicholas McGegan. Melissa Bosma graduated with Master of Music degrees in both Oboe Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Southern Methodist University. Her primary teachers include Erin Hannigan and Nancy Ambrose King.
Tanner Deters is a DFW based jazz saxophonist and educator who brings over 10 years of saxophone experience to his performances and his students; as a performer he raps and plays saxophone, and as an educator he is passionate about guiding students to follow their own musical curiosities. During his time at the University of North Texas Tanner was a member of the Two O’Clock Lab Band. Outside of academia, he is the regular lead alto in Buddy’s Big Band, a big band performing monthly in Ft. Worth. He also plays saxophone and raps in the group Luna Sol, a Dallas based hip-hop/fusion group. Tanner has experience as a Saxophone Teaching Fellow at UNT, and he teaches jazz saxophone lessons at the beginner, the intermediate, and the collegiate level. In addition to lessons, Tanner also conducted and directed the Six O’Clock Lab Band, one of the 8 big bands at UNT. As a DFW area high school graduate, he has first-hand experience in the various TMEA activities that his students participate in, including the all-region/all-state and solo and ensemble processes. Tanner graduated from Southlake Carroll Senior High School in 2014. He proceeded to earn his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in 2018. Tanner graduated with a Master of Music in Jazz Performance at the University of North Texas studying under Brad Leali in Spring 2020.
Paul Zaborac is a versatile saxophonist known for his creativity as a performer. Well versed in jazz, classical, and contemporary music, he seamlessly bridges musical boundaries. As an entrepreneurial musician, he has organized and managed performance tours and produced or co-produced several albums including Actualize, Paul Zaborac Quartet:Live, Long Way Out, and Russian Romantic Music for Saxophone. He regularly features new compositions and arrangements in his performances and recordings. Presenting concerts throughout the United States, he has been invited to perform at multiple universities and national conferences, and has performed internationally in China, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, and Australia. He has appeared with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, the Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra, and the National Repertory Orchestra. Paul has been a visiting professor at the University of Denver and has coached chamber music at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is currently active as a teacher and performer in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Molly Smit is a graduate student at University of North Texas, pursuing a Master of Music in Bassoon Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Darrel Hale. Hailing from Southern California, Molly studied with Elliot Moreau of the Pacific Symphony. In 2019 Molly received a Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance with a minor in Music Education from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where she studied with Kathleen McLean. Also in 2019, Molly was a semifinalist in the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition. While at Indiana University, she had the privilege of recording two NAXOS albums under the baton of Arthur Fagen. She has also recorded two albums with the North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon. Despite not starting the bassoon until the age of 14, Miss Smit has had the fortune of performing for a multitude of esteemed bassoonists such as William Ludwig, Christopher Millard, Richard Hoenich, Bram VanSambeek, and Judith LeClair. As an educator, Molly is passionate about her students and strives to create a unique experience tailored to each student’s personal needs and musical aspirations. She has been teaching bassoon privately since 2015 to students aged 11 to 18, creating a positive atmosphere to foster students’ creative expression. When not in a practice room or slaving over reeds, Molly enjoys cooking, hiking, board games, and spending time with her friends and family, including her two kitties that serve as her reed making assistants.
Jacqueline Hritzo is an active trumpeter and arranger currently based in North Texas. She recently graduated from the University of North Texas where she studied for 4 years under Caleb Hudson. She has also studied under Adam Gordon (Baroque trumpet), Rob Singer, and Joseph Boga. After falling in love with the sound of the trumpet at age 3, Jacqueline began playing trumpet at age 5. Some of Jacqueline’s most formative experiences were during her time in Brass of Peace, a high-level brass ensemble for high schoolers in the Washington, DC metro area. Under the direction of Sylvia Alimena, Jacqueline learned valuable skills in collaboration, pedagogy, and technique. Brass of Peace’s rich chamber music environment cultivated Jacqueline’s enthusiasm for working with other musicians to make beautiful music. In addition to her chamber music experience, Jacqueline is an experienced orchestral player. She was a member of the University of North Texas Concert Orchestra for 2 years. She has also participated in the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute Orchestra. Jacqueline approaches performing, pedagogy, collaboration and arranging with the ideals of discovery and improvement. She is constantly trying to discover lesser known works and composers, which she enjoys highlighting through her arranging. Jacqueline uses her years of discovery, experience, and learning as the basis for teaching the next generation of musicians. She strives to impart practical and musical knowledge in a positive and constructive manner. Outside of performing and arranging, Jacqueline is an avid rock climber and birdwatcher, and greatly enjoys spending time outside. She has recently discovered an affinity for baking, and she hopes to continue learning about making tasty treats.
Ben Carroll is a hornist and music educator living in Dallas, Texas. Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin (BM and MM), Ben studied horn under the instruction of Patrick Hughes. Playing the horn has taken Ben around the world to include performances in Japan, China, Taiwan, and England. Mr. Carroll has also performed in the Cactus Pear Music Festival in Fredericksburg, Texas, and the Hot Springs Music Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. As a freelance musician, Ben has worked with numerous orchestras throughout the state of Texas including the Midland-Odessa Symphony, Central Texas Philharmonic, Brazos Valley Symphony, Mid-Texas Symphony, and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Ben is also a founding collective musician of the Austin based contemporary chamber ensemble, Density 512. As a music educator Ben runs his Horn Studio in Fort Worth, Texas that is comprised of students from 6th-12th grade. After three seasons soloing with the Santa Clara Vanguard A Corps and the international corps, Mr. Carroll now spends his summers teaching DCI brass. Currently Ben is teaching brass for the Santa Clara Vanguard, from Santa Clara, California.
Patrick Perry (he/him) is an educator, trombonist, musician, and overall helpful guy. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Pat started playing trombone in 6th grade inspired by Lanky Kong from Donkey Kong 64. From that moment on, the trombone has carried Pat across the country, from a Music Education degree from Texas Tech University, a Master’s degree in Pedagogy from Missouri State University, a job teaching elementary music, and even a summer of Drum Corps with the Blue Knights. Pat also has enjoyed a diverse career playing anything with a slide from sackbut to contrabass trombone, in settings varying from brass quintet and symphony orchestras, to renaissance chamber ensembles and jazz bands. Outside of music, Pat’s hobbies and interests center almost entirely around games. Sports, video games, board games, table top games, arcades, anything that can be won or lost. His favorite video game series of all time is Dark Souls, and his favorite athlete is Patty Mills. He was also in the Goin’ Band at Texas Tech while Patrick Mahomes was there.
Dr. Jonathan Watkins is currently Adjunct Instructor of Low Brass at Tarrant County College. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas, as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees from Florida State University in Euphonium Performance. In addition to his college teaching, Jonathan currently maintains a large private studio in the DFW area, where his students have auditioned into the all-region bands and received high marks at their solo and ensemble competitions. His current creative activities include performances with the New Acoustic Metal Experiment and as a guest artist and clinician.
Thomas Oakley is a tubist and saught after tuba instructor in the DFW area. In the summer of 2019 Mr. Oakley graduated with a Masters in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas, where he completed my studies with Donald C. Little, and Dr. Jeff Baker. Prior to his Master’s at UNT he lived in Laramie, WY, where he graduated with my Bachelor’s of Music Education and Music Performance from the University of Wyoming. During his time in Wyoming he spent several years playing in orchestras, bands, and had the pleasure of meeting many professional musicians through many travels across the United States. He currently teaches at several music programs in the DFW area, and is excited to have the opportunity to work with you for the 2021 – 2022 School year!
Tony Valdez is a Percussion Educator from the DFW Area. His marching career spanned four years, during which he performed with The Guardians (2016), Phantom Regiment (2017-2018), and ViP (2016-2019), working under phenomenal percussion educators such as Tyler Orbison and Rob Ferguson. Tony’s time with ViP earned him an Open Class gold medal in 2016 with the production “We The People," as well as 3 World Class semi-finals qualifications. Tony began garnering success in his percussion career by helping the Grapevine HS Drumline win their first championship in many years. Since then, he has worked throughout the metroplex with groups such as Coppell HS, Flower Mound HS, and The Colony HS taking on many key roles such as battery coordinator, designer, and percussion arranger and private lesson teacher. In 2020 Tony played a key role in designing The Colony HS Drumline's premiere indoor program in which they swept the WGI Scholastic A competition, landing first place. Tony graduated from The University of North Texas in 2023 with a Bachelors in Music. There he was able to study directly under master educators like Jose Aponte, Sandi Rennick, and Paul Rennick while also balancing his time as an educator and designer.