Tim Grieme

Hello! Thanks for stopping by!

My name is Tim and I am a saxophone player currently based out of Nashville, Tennessee. I work as a freelance musician, playing around town with a variety of ensembles/groups, am a guest instructor for a local high school, and teach private lessons! Previously, I lived and grew up in the state of Michigan where I attended Grand Valley State University (GVSU) for my undergraduate degree and The University of Michigan (U of M) for my masters. I have received my bachelor's degree in classical saxophone performance and my masters degree in jazz/improvisation. 

As an educator I have had opportunities to teach in a variety of settings from private lessons to marching band sections and have served as a substitute music theory professor while attending U of M. I have had the privilege of working many marching band programs in Michigan such as Grandville, Troy, Forrest Hills, Holland, and Jenison High Schools. I also had a small private studio with students from those programs. I have assisted many students in successful chair placements, band auditions, performance evaluations, and competitions! 

As a performer, I have had opportunities to perform in a variety of ensembles from symphonic bands and wind ensembles, to jazz quartets and big band, as well as performing with singer/songwriters and rock bands alike! I have performed at a variety of venues both with school ensembles as well as my own projects; most notably Dizzy's Coca Cola Club and the Lincoln Center in NYC, Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, the Detroit Jazz Festival in Detroit, Rudy's Jazz Room in Tennessee, and more! While attending the University of Michigan, I had the privilege of performing with numerous guest musicians such as Kris Johnson, Caleb Wheeler Curtis, Kris Davis, Marshall Gilkes, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Randy Brecker. I also have experience recording in the studio. Most notably, I can be heard playing lead alto on Derek Brown's album, All Figured Out. 

My teaching style has been characterized as "calm" "patient" and "dynamic" by my students and their parents. I prioritize the needs and unique goals of each student and do my best to address those on a case-by-case basis, rather than a "one size fits all" approach. Lessons are structured in live one-on-one settings formats. I spend the majority of lessons going over assigned material with students, reviewing challenging spots and coming up with possible solutions to address any issues. I also give weekly assignments for the student to take home and work though on their own.

My goal for all of my students is to not need my help with their band class music! Instead, we are working on more advanced concepts to further develop their playing level and overall musical skills. With beginning students, we will cover topics addressed in band class as well as other general basic skills. As progress is made, I challenge my students and help them begin to develop a critical ear to asses their own playing. This may look like creating general awareness by asking what went well and what didn't go well in a run through, asking for a rating on a scale of 1-5 on a particular concept, etc. We also work on problem solving skills by exploring different techniques to address any short comings that we may find. In the beginning I will give solutions to students, however, as the student progresses, this may look like me asking the student how to improve the issue or asking the student to reverse rolls completely and pretend that they are the teacher.

My goal is that by helping my students and guiding them through the analysis and problem solving stages together, over time, they develop the ability to be self sufficient and can teach themselves their band music!