develop your craft through private lessons
Whether you're looking to unlock the fundamentals of jazz composition or learn how to write and arrange for ensembles of any size, private study is one of the most direct paths to real growth. As a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow, DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star, and active composer and arranger on the New York City jazz scene, I bring over 25 years of professional experience into every lesson — not just as a teacher, but as someone still doing the work at the highest level. My approach is practical, personalized, and built around where you are right now and where you want to go. Lessons are available online and in person.
Private lessons tailored to your goals — Composition, Arranging for small and large ensembles, and Improvisation.
$100/hr · Online · Zoom
What i teach
Composition
Whether you're writing your first piece or looking to deepen an already developing voice, we'll work on the fundamentals of musical structure, developing ideas from a small fragment into a fully realized work, and finding the compositional language that's uniquely yours. No two students are the same, and neither are the lessons.
From small combo to full big band, arranging is the art of making every instrument sound like it belongs exactly where you put it. We'll cover instrument ranges, transpositions, voicing techniques, and the practical knowledge you need to write idiomatically for any ensemble — with a particular focus on the craft of writing for large jazz ensembles.
Arranging
About your teacher
John Yao is a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition and a DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star. With over 25 years of experience as a professional composer, arranger, and performer on the New York City jazz scene, he is the leader of John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument and an adjunct professor at Queens College and Molloy University. He served on faculty at Berklee College of Music and has taught at Temple University, Manhattan School of Music, Boston University, and York College. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Indiana University and a Master of Music from Queens College. His most recent album Points in Time was an Editor's Pick and selected Best of 2025 by DownBeat Magazine.
Read my DownBeat article: Writing for Trombones
Learn more about John's work and background on his Bio page.
Not ready for private Lessons?
If you're looking to develop your composition and arranging skills at your own pace, my online course is coming soon. Get in touch to be notified when enrollment opens.
Let’s get started
Ready to take your composition or arranging to the next level? I'd love to hear about where you are and what you're working toward. Reach out and let's set up a time to talk.
Lesson details
Platform: Online via Zoom
Rate: $100 per hour
Lesson Length: 1-hour minimum
Frequency: Weekly, biweekly, or flexible — tailored to your schedule
Open To: Intermediate and above
First Lesson: Pay after — no upfront commitment required
Ongoing Students: Lessons are prepaid in packages of five
Cancellation Policy: 24-hour notice required
