Testimonials

  • “When my high school aged son, whose primary instrument is alto saxophone, was asked to play flute in the honors wind symphony, we started lessons with Sarah.  She worked with him in the Spring and Summer to bring him up to speed quickly on a new instrument.  He is now primary flute in his honors wind symphony.  He has also said that his saxophone playing has improved with his flute lessons.  He was excited to attend the NJ Flute Intensive with Sarah and her talented team this summer, and this took his flute performance to an even higher level.  His current band director has noticed and has praised his efforts. He was even awarded “Outstanding Woodwind Player Student of the Month” by MPAC! Thank you to Sarah for working so diligently with him to help him soar in his musical endeavors.”

    —Gina R.

  • “Outstanding teacher who is highly qualified, experienced and enthusiastic! Our motivated girl is always looking forward to her flute lesson, loves to practice every day thanks to Dr Sarah’s clear instructions and encouragement.

    I couldn’t recommend Dr Sarah more - for any level indeed!

    —Ilona H.

  • “Dr. Sarah has been extremely helpful in preparing me for District band auditions. I can say without a doubt she’s one of the best out there and truly loves what she does. She never fails to provide constructive feedback and support.”

    —Jez C.

  • “Sarah is an amazing teacher! She is very patient and kind and my daughter (age 10) felt comfortable working with her right away. At the same time Sarah pushes my daughter to be precise and correct. I am pleased to hear the progress my daughter is making just in a few weeks. I wholeheartedly recommend Sarah as an instructor for a beginning level flutist.”

    —Rachel G.

  • “Sarah helped my son prepare for his first band concert! He enjoyed her class, and she clearly cared about his success in the school band.”

    —Elizabeth P.

  • “My daughter has been enjoying learning the flute with her lessons with Ms Sarah. She looks forward to it every week and feels really comfortable learning something new with her. Ms Sarah has been flexible with us whenever we've encountered scheduling difficulites and has been great with communicating with us. I highly recommend this class!”

    —Sarah L. 

  • I started lessons after about a two year hiatus after graduation. I was so happy to find a flute teacher that is very local, and is a breath of fresh air. After the first lesson, the spark of playing the flute came back and I really haven’t stopped playing since. Ms Sarah Carrier is a phenomenal teacher who has a bucket load of patience and could not be more accommodating in every way. She notices the little things that make a HUGE difference while playing, whether it be a fingering issue, or embouchure- she sees it, and will correct it. In each lesson, there is always a bit of music theory learning going on, which we could all use more of. Please look no further for a flute teacher, if you’re reaching this- click that “Contact” button. You will not regret it!!!!

    — Conor G.

  • Sarah is a thorough professional. Undoubtedly, she is a very good flute teacher but more importantly, she is a very patient and kind teacher. Our son is on the spectrum and she is very patient with him. No matter what the level of your student, I have full confidence in recommending Sarah!

    — Geeta A.

  • I have taken weekly online lessons with Sarah for seven months and have benefitted tremendously. She consistently gives me new challenges and offers clear instruction to improve both technical skills and such techniques as phrasing and dynamics. She makes lessons so productive and enjoyable that I approach each one with eager anticipation and come away energized and excited to push myself harder.

    — Esther M.

  • Absolutely recommend!! Our 9yr old was just starting with flute at her school. The class progressed quickly and she struggled with finger placement and other basics. Within a few virtual lessons, Sarah was able to get her caught up (and beyond) and build confidence. Our daughter needs focus and accountability, which Sarah has required of her. She is extremely patient and works on specific struggle points while teaching new skills. She is professional, dependable, communicative with feedback, and has a positive and encouraging attitude.

    Jennifer G.

  • Sarah is wonderful. I’m so thankful that someone of her caliber is teaching me and has me feeling good about learning ability. Sarah is fun spirited, kind and excellent at her craft. I’m looking forward to every class with her as well as practicing on my own. Thank you Sarah!

    Mary R.

  • Madeleine started taking lessons as a beginner and she has learned a ton very fast. Sarah is patient, kind, respectful and motivates Madeleine to keep growing as a flutist. We are lucky that we found Sarah and recommend her fully!

    Sarah S.

  • After hitting a wall trying to learn to play the flute from online videos, I met Sarah. She’s a terrific teacher — attentive to both small details (quirks in my hand position and embouchure) and the bigger picture (breathing, cleanliness of my notes, etc). She’s teaching me from a book whose lessons are designed to teach strong fundamentals but are also fun to play. I’m an adult beginner. But I see that she has the personality to teach students of any age and ability. Already she has me playing in the third octave C, something I found impossible before she began working with me.

    Dara P.

  • Sarah was my flute teacher for several years. Her expertise is outstanding, as is her insight, warmth, and ability to guide all aspects of playing and performing. She has an amazing grasp of a wide variety of musical styles, and her ability to communicate how to make music come alive is superb. She provides a great balance between challenging a student and playing for joy.

    Kell J.

  • Sarah is a superb musician and excellent teacher. She’s personable, and really cares about her students’ progress.

    Jonathan E.

  • “I feel so lucky to have found Sarah! My daughter has been taking lessons with her for over a year and it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. Sarah not only teaches the fundamentals, but injects creativity and modern techniques into each lesson. She also goes above and beyond to give her students a perspective of the musicians world—arranging recitals and inviting students to flute events and performances around the city.”

    Jane R.

  • “I would highly recommend Sarah as a private flute teacher. My nine-year-old daughter has attention difficulties and Sarah has been wonderfully patient with her. C. has made remarkable progress in less than a year. Sarah emphasizes proper technique and learning (for example, with a new piece my daughter has a tendency to work on the fingerings and ignore the rhythms, and Sarah has encouraged her to focus on both at once) and breathing. Beyond actual lesson instruction time, Sarah also gave us advice in purchasing our first flute, made musical flashcards for C. to study, and e-mailed us some videos of herself playing the book’s musical pieces so we would know what they should sound like for our practice sessions. Sarah is also prompt, reliable and flexible in rescheduling lessons. A very good teacher and a fine player herself!”

    Elizabeth G.

  • “I found Sarah. I’ve had many music teachers since I was very young (I’m 38), and know what a rare thing it is to find someone like Sarah. I used to be an active amateur musician when younger, but got caught up in a busy career for too many years. Just recently, my business partner bought me a Western classical flute as a gift; and, after 5 lessons with Sarah, my love and passion for music is fully re-invigorated. I really like that as a teacher, she seems to understand the importance of balancing skill improvement with positive feedback from working on really beautiful pieces. She’s also patient (that’s a big plus), and exceptionally knowledgeable. I also haven’t gotten bored once while playing the exercises that she’s recommended (which to me is a sign of experience in how well a teacher can tailor material/homework to their student). In short, thanks to having found Sarah, music is back in my life to stay - my emotions and creative brain are on fire, and I feel like I’m learning very quickly.”

    Chris D.

  • “Dear Sarah, Thank you for being such a kind and thorough flute instructor. Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten a perfect score on my NYSSMA score sheet! Once again, thank you. From your student, Shaminta”

    Shaminta S.

  • “Such a good class, my daughter loved it and learned so much. If you are looking for a good flute teacher she is perfect.”

    —Rocio G.