“Musicians and other professional performers … hit hard by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic … are trying their hand at teaching online,” writes Anastasia Tsioulcas on Monday (4/6) at National Public Radio. “Bassist Steve Whipple has played with everyone from Lady Gaga to NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi…. He and a couple of friends set up a website called Maestro Match to pair up teachers with prospective students…. Within days, hundreds of musicians had signed up…. ‘Some of my heroes are signing up to teach,’ he says, noting that he has been ‘blown away’ by the likes of jazz trumpet virtuoso Ralph Alessi and renowned opera singer Isabel Leonard becoming part of his site. … Flutist and educator Barbara Siesel … has been teaching online for years…. Siesel says she’s learned that while there are some drawbacks to interacting with her students online, she’s mostly found the experience to be really positive…. Chris King … a trumpet player from Orlando, Florida … says, ‘It’s a flooded market with online teaching at the moment…. Whatever skill you have’ … whatever it takes to keep the money coming in.”
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