Guitar Lessons in San Rafael, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Organ

My experience dates back to when I was excepted into OSA High school, where I auditioned into the school for saxophone and piano officially graduating in 2008. I started working as a music instructor at the age of 14 for the East Oakland Youth Development Center (E.o.y.d.c), summer cultural enrichment program (S.C.E.P.),  teaching classes for students from the age of 6 to 18 about music theory, history, instrument technique, and how to play an assorted of instruments. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar

I'm a multi-instrumentalist, improvisor, composer and educator who takes great joy in teaching and sharing music with people of all ages. I've been deeply fortunate to have studied closely with multiple master musicians of various traditions. Perhaps the teacher who has had the deepest impact on my teaching methods is W.A. Mathieu, former arranger and bandmember of the Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton orchestras. I studied with Mathieu for three years. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Double Bass

I have for the past twenty-two years been working as a Music Educator, Administrator, Jazz composer and performer. The last eleven of those years have been in the San Francisco Bay area at Oakland School for the Arts, teaching and leading large jazz ensembles, orchestra, small groups and music theory classes for grades 6-12. As Chairman of the Instrumental Music Department, I was responsible for teaching and developing music curricula, developing new programs, recruiting and auditioning new students, presenting and speaking with incoming parent groups, writing and developing the school A-G requirements, and meeting with community schools and faculty to create meaningful collaborations. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Viola Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I began teaching private lessons part-timewhen I was still in high school on Long Island. I have taught in elementary day care in the early 1990's and taught in public schools elementary general music and chorus, beginning instrumental music at the elementary level, as well as middle school orchestra in the San Lorenzo Unified School District. After a vocal chord injury, I left the public schools to create my indie record label, produce new projects and allow healing. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students I prefer to use Mathew Hinsley's method "Guitar for Young People". All of the peers that I grew to admire growing up with guitar used this method and became very good very quickly. Once the student has outgrown this method of introducing guitar I like to dive into what interests them, any style of music, and anything that will push their passion for learning guitar. The first and foremost thing for students is allowing them to grow with the guitar, and anything that might help with that is something I'll do. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Synthesizer Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I believe that encouragement, practical positivity, different learning styles and realistic short term long term challenges can aid in you or your child's musical success. I emphasize developing positive down to earth relationships with my students so that they feel like they can be themselves and learn in a safe environment. Developing relationships also aids in understanding what you or your child's learning style is and in creating realistic short term and long term goals lesson plans. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I think of two things as being central to my teaching style: Fun, and Growth. I think too many music lessons dry out the material, and suck the fun out of something that should be inherently joyful! I try to make every music lesson interesting, and keep my students engaged by giving them material that gets them hyped. Second, I think music is a great chance for people to experience the joy in Growth. Read More