Cello Lessons in Philadelphia, PA

Instruments: Guitar Voice Cello Synthesizer Banjo Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
In the early years of my music career, I experienced many omens of encouragement and positivity from my peers, mentors, and family. Having such a buoyant support system has enabled me confidence in myself as human being and musician to succeed and exceed expectation by remaining humble & versatile in my field(s) of work. In middle school, my conductor left an indelible impact on my musical ambitions. While rehearsing Danse Macabre, a renowned Halloween dance, I was caught noodling (improvising) in the key of the song. I was bored with the arrangement; my brain began to analyze contrapuntal harmony & syncopated rhythms to compliment the theme. My conductor stopped rehearsal to call me out...I was nervous! Incredibly, Mr. Simon went on to say "This kid...right here...he may not even be playing the sheet music...and while I'm angry at him for wandering away from the piece...he has more talent than everyone in this room combined...Jack...you'll be a rockstar someday, but for now, let's focus on Danse Macabre and nail it for the concert" As an 8th grader, equally timid as I was emotionally pubescent, it was a surreal moment that inspired me to tackle head-on my pursuit of music with diligence, creativity, and exuberant confidence.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
To practice is to appreciate! When you make the conscious decision to practice your instrument, you must realize that your time allocation should be primarily focused on FORM not FLASHINESS. The little things we tend to overlook, like how one holds their instrument, switching hand positions, and nuances of that nature are critical to a progressive practice session. Bad habits tend to snowball over time, so my best advice is to practice material you are familiar with and (or) comfortable with in a formulaic fashion. Start by playing a given 4 bar passage at a slower tempo than suggested. Gradually increase the tempo as you vamp up the tempo. It is also important to remain hydrated and stretch before, during, and after playing. Your guitar is a lot like your body- it won't work with you if you don't honor and respect it!

When will I start to see results?
Oftentimes, we have tunnel vision on our end goals and can lose sight of the task at hand. A student will see results when they: A) Practice & Prepare B) Ask relevant questions C) Develop a style and their own expressive form in performance What do YOU desire to achieve? Retaining musical knowledge and skill is a testament to how much effort YOU put in to make it happen. The tired rhetoric of "practice, practice, practice" simply isn't enough! I advise my students to periodically self-check, before, after, and while practicing: 1) Am I playing in tune (no fret-buzzing/unwritten accidentals) and in time (in sync with the metronome)? 2) Am I observing dynamics to expressively and musically interpret the music I am working on? 3) Am I making notes on my tablature/sheet music? Annotate hints, tips, reminders, and notes to self!

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