# CERTIFIED TUNELARK INSTRUCTOR ## Russell H. ### oboe Russell teaches video chat lessons from his studio in Cincinnati. **Oboist Russell Hoffman** has performed with many leading orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, Pittsburgh Symphony, and New York City Ballet, and currently holds the position of associate principal oboe and English horn with Symphony in C in New Jersey. He holds degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, where he studied with Richard Woodhams and Nathan Hughes. He previously studied with Richard Dallessio in Juilliard Pre-College. In recent summers he has performed at the Aspen, Lucerne, Sarasota, Spoleto, Tanglewood and Verbier festivals, the Music Academy of the West, and the National Orchestral Institute. As a teacher, Russell has served as teaching assistant at Juilliard Pre-College and taken courses in pedagogy. He enjoys giving students the tools to become their own best teachers and to grow their capabilities on the oboe and nurture their love of music. ### Russell is a Certified Tunelark Oboe Instructor Russell has been background-checked and vetted by Tunelark’s admissions team. ## Videos from Russell ### [Teacher Profile - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUsQ9R73F6o) ## What Russell's students are saying > “I always looked forward to our weekly lessons, and learned many techniques and practice methods to become a better oboist. Russell is a very patient and supportive teacher who always points out the things that I should work on.” ~ Queenie C ## Book a trial lesson with Russell Trial lessons are $25 off, and you can book one for yourself or for a child. ## About Tunelark: A diverse community of exceptional teachers. Tunelark connects students with world-class educators for 1-on-1 virtual lessons. Teachers in our community have been hand-picked from a large pool of applicants, and every teacher has been vetted and background-checked. The instructors you’ll choose from range from young beginner student specialists to Juilliard grads and Carnegie Hall performers. They all have two things in common: They are experienced music educators, and they are talented musicians in their own right. Our vision is to help our students connect with their intrinsic love of music and follow their curiosity to grow as musicians and people. ### The power of 1-on-1 lessons Nothing beats learning directly from an expert musician. The right teacher can inspire us, guide us, and answer our endless questions as we reach forward to master musical skills. ### The convenience of home Learning from home via Zoom is relaxing and extremely convenient. Scheduling lessons is easy and flexible. Learn from the comfort of your at-home practice environment. ### Virtual lessons: effective & fun 1-on-1 video chat lessons have been [proven to be extremely effective](/content/blog/online-music-lessons/evidence-based-benefits-of-online-music-education/index.html). Communicating via video chat requires more focus which leads to better results. ## What Tunelark students are saying > Alex is terrific! My daughter is learning new skills and better yet, she’s practicing on her own without me even asking! I say that’s the best sign of all. Alex is super engaged and makes sure to offer up songs to learn that Leah is interested in. > It’s been awesome! Seth is a great teacher and skilled musician. I’ve learned so much in the sessions and it’s been really therapeutic getting more into musical expression and learning! This was such a great choice to do this for myself. I’m very appreciative. > We are very happy and grateful for Berit, my daughter’s teacher. She is just PERFECT for her, and she is helping her a lot and bringing the best out of her. Sara managed to be accepted at the Musical Lyceum in Italy where we live, based on an audition for which Berit also helped her. > My lessons with Shai are so enjoyable. She is a wonderful musician but importantly a highly skilled teacher as well. She has me exploring new musical concepts each week and is able to convey complex ideas via Zoom very effectively. I’m learning so many new things about playing the piano more musically and creatively. Shai is a treasure. > My daughter Lucy is taking violin with Pricila and it’s been a perfect match. Lucy loves her and looks forward to lessons every week. Pricila is flexible with scheduling and is always on time. I can hear Lucy’s improvement, but for me, the important thing is that she enjoys it. Lucy is a serious swimmer, so her time is limited. Virtual lessons work so well for her schedule. I’m really happy with Tunelark and highly recommend it. > We love James! James is so encouraging and warm, and has a million workarounds for when a concept or technique is difficult for my 6 year old to grasp. They have been very positive, encouraging, and full of energy. Lucas has been asking for more lessons. > Rebecca has been a far better instructor than I could have ever wanted! She is exactly the kind of a teacher I was looking for and I have learned much, much more from her in just a few months than I have from my other teachers in the past over multiple years! > Jacob has been absolutely amazing, and I’m thrilled with the progress I’ve made. He’s definitely the right teacher for me. ## Gamified learning in-between lessons Tunelark students get free, instructor-guided access to 150+ skill-building games used by classroom and lesson educators across the United States. ## Common questions ### How do virtual (video chat) lessons work? ### Are virtual music lessons effective? ### Do virtual lessons work for kids? ### How much do lessons cost? ### How often to take lessons? ### What’s your teaching philosophy? ### How do I find my teacher & get started? ## Have a question? Feel free to text, call, or email. A matching expert from our team will be happy to answer any questions or guide you in selecting an instructor.