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Hello! My name is David and I have been either playing or teaching music for over 30 years. I started piano lessons at the age of six and quickly made a transition to clarinet when I was 9 and oboe when I was 10. I have been playing the oboe ever since so I have been playing this instrument for 27 years. Along the way I picked up many instruments to learn and experienced the wonder that each one can bring me. I learned the bassoon, English horn, clarinet, alto saxophone and trumpet before I went into college. At the university of Arizona, where I earned my bachelor's in music education, I learned the flute, violin, viola, cello, bass, French horn, baritone, Tuba, and percussion instruments as part of my degree and personal growth. While I was in high school and college, I tutored many students on an array of different instruments, everything from piano to tuba. I was hired right out of college in 2010 in Tucson, Arizona for my first music education job, an orchestra position that I remained in for 5 years. During that time, I taught hundreds of students string instruments like the violin, viola, cello and double bass, while also growing the orchestra program at the school substantially. I then got married in 2015 to my wonderful wife, Rebecca, who is also a music educator and we lived in Florida for a few years. During that time, I worked multiple jobs one of which was privately teaching students on a variety of instruments. My wife and I made the decision to move to Colorado in 2017 where I got a job teaching both band and orchestra at Elizabeth Middle School, where I still remain today. We now have two handsome boys, Ezra and Elijah, and we both thoroughly enjoy teaching music to young people wherever we can find them. I have always had a passion for teaching music to the next generation and there are few things that give me as much pleasure as when a young person decides to make music a part of their life.

Hello, my name is Julian Ruiz and I’m so excited to help you reach new musical heights! As a music education and clarinet performance graduate from CU Boulder, I find myself teaching music and playing it in equal amounts. I’m a licensed music educator and regularly substitute teach in various school districts. I also privately teach the clarinet and saxophone as well as assist with school music programs. A few examples of recognized groups that I’ve worked with are the Colorado Honor Band Association, Denver Young Artist Orchestra, and El Sistema Colorado. I regularly perform in a variety of settings such as orchestras, chamber groups, and solo. I participate in competitions such as the annual International Clarinet Association’s Young Artist Competition as well as performance festivals such as the Aria Summer Music Academy, Rocky Ridge Music Center, and more. I look forward to meeting you and can’t wait to get started!