David Farley

Hello, my name is David Farley, and I am a jazz trombonist as well as composer/arranger and aspiring bandleader in the LA area. I’m currently finishing my undergraduate degree at CSU Northridge in jazz studies, and am looking into possibly getting my masters next year.

I can teach lessons including, but not limited to, basic brass or trombone technique, jazz vocabulary, improvisational skills, big band playing, and big band and combo composing/arranging. I can also assist with the musical portion of auditions for marching bands and drum corps, but can only give basic advise for visual. If you have other area's your looking to take lessons in, I can see if I can help you, and if I can't, I can probably point you to someone or something that can.

Although I primarily play trombone, I have experience with basically all tenor brass instruments (trombone, baritone, euphonium, bass trombone, valve trombone, bass trumpet, flugabone, and probably anything that takes a similar sized mouthpiece). I also have been playing piano since grade school, and have been arranging since I got into high school. I have brought arrangements into most jazz ensembles I have been a part of the past 3 years both in school and out, including combos ranging from 4-10 musicians, big bands, and trombone ensembles with and without rhythm section. I have also dabbled in arrangements for marching bands and wind ensembles.

I’ve been studying trombone for almost 15 years now, and have gotten to take lessons with amazing trombonists such as Scott Whitfield, Jon Hatamiya, and Ido Meshulam.  I have also gotten to perform and learn from guest artists such as Delfeyo Mersalis, John Daversa, Gordon Goodwin, Orrin Evans, Helen Sung, and Jane Monheit.

I have also gotten to learn arranging and composition techniques from Scott, Ido, Jon Hatamiya and John Daversa, as well as from Anthony Fung, Gary Fukushima, and Michael Mull.

I have led multiple bands that I have put together, including a normal jazz quartet and quintet, as well as a rhythm-sectionless trombone quintet with all original arrangements.

Outside of jazz, I have experience playing orchestral trombone, bass trombone, and euphonium, as well as marching band and drum corps, even being a euphonium soloist for the Blue Devil’s B corps in 2022.

I have experience in teaching high school students individually and in ensembles since I graduated high school, and have also spent many a year being a section leader in different bands. I have also taken leadership and teaching courses.

I think that it's important to balance learning fundamentals and basic skills with entertaining and practical lessons that target students interests.

If I had an hour lessons to talk about brass playing, I might spend 15 minutes on warmups, 30 minutes on technique, and 15 minutes on applying these techniques to the music that the student enjoys listening to (whether it be jazz, classical, rock, pop, or anything).

Similarly, if I were to assign a task for a young arranger, I might ask them to choose a song they love and arrange it in a different style.