I play several woodwind instruments and enjoy them all.  I have appeared as  clarinet soloist with the San Francisco Symphony and have also appeared at the  Monterey Jazz Festival with the saxophone.  I have played flute in many settings,  primarily in pit orchestras for shows.  I love the recorder, both as a pre-piano  instrument for young children and as a serious instrument. 

My students benefit from my diverse and broad understanding of music.  I have  spent my life amassing knowledge of the instrument they are trying to learn.  I make  lessons fun, and I achieve that from a professional performer’s point of view.  I most  often write out tunes and exercises that I have developed.  I strive to distill my many  years of performing experience into a form that a student can easily understand.  I  have found the personal touch of using my own materials aids learning  tremendously. 

I enjoy teaching all age levels and often transition from working with a 1st grader on  “Hot Cross Buns”, to helping a student audition for Juilliard or Berklee.  I enjoy the  full range of musical expression.  Currently, my youngest student is a 6-year old  recorder player and my oldest student is a 91-year old tenor saxophone player.   Many of my students have gone on to Marin Youth Orchestra, San Francisco Youth  Orchestra, California All-State Band, San Francisco Conservatory, California Jazz  Conservatory, Stanford Jazz Camp, Cazadero Music Camp, Interlochen Arts Camp,  among others. 

My approach to teaching is to rely on insights and materials that I have developed  over many years of performing and teaching.  I like to make things fun, but I also  strive to inspire and motivate my students to excel.  I play the instruments that I  teach on a high level.  I use demonstration to help students understand concepts,  and I encourage them to participate in ensembles to broaden their perspective and  grow.  It gives them something to practice for! 

I have a bachelor’s degree in music performance from University of North Texas,  one of the nation’s premier music schools.  I have been teaching private woodwind  lessons for over 45 years and have been a faculty member at San Domenico Music  Conservatory for 28 years.  I perform on all the instruments I teach at a professional  level in various ensembles around the Bay Area, the country, and the world.

Check out Steve's website here at www.bergwind.com 

Need help booking a lesson? Email lessons@bananas.com or call us at (415) 457-7600 x 104