Music Lessons in Denver, CO

Wyatt S

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
My favorite genre of music to play is hands down metal. It’s what I grew up on, and it is what has guided me to learn the technical side of music and playing the guitar.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I started to play piano in addition to the guitar when I went to college, because they required it of us. I also learned how to sing while I was there.

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
The defining moment to become a professional musician came to me when I was in high school. It was something that I knew that I had wanted to do from first hearing the Lacrimosa to Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor my freshman year.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
My dream piece to perform was La Catedral by Augustin Barrios Mangore, and I actually got the opportunity to in my junior college jury. I would have to say this piece purely because of the beauty, and the way that space is conserved within the music.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I weren’t a musician I would most likely be an architect. The way that buildings are built and how they look has always intrigued me.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Arpeggiation, and how to manipulate it. Even the masters still sometimes struggle with the harder chord shapes, so it is something to definitely be considered.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
A normal practice session consists of warm-ups of different technical exercises, depending on the style and level of student, then it goes on to learning actual music.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a music degree in Classical Composition. I chose that degree so I would be able to know how to manipulate sound in a way that I could express myself to the world, and so I would have a very good understanding of what different music events were, and why they sounded the way they did.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my symphonic writing. It was an out of body experience getting to sit in the audience while an orchestra was playing my music.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I chose my primary instrument back when I was little because I was obsessed with heavy metal. So playing the guitar really stuck with me, and it seemed to come very naturally so that helped guide my passion for the instrument.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I did, my guitar teacher from High-School. He instilled a passion for learning and teaching music by giving me the opportunity to perform in front of crowds as a solo artist, and with a quartet that I had formed.

When will I start to see results?
You will start to see results after the first couple of lessons. Once I get to know a student, and their learning style, I can give them tips on how to practice that will help give a noticeable end game result.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If your child starts to show a passion for learning music, or even listening to it intently, then they are ready for lessons. I wouldn’t force any child into doing anything they didn’t want to do, so that passion significantly helps.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Focus and discipline are important. My advice to help with that is to create a warm-up routine, and do it every single time before you start to practice your pieces. It will help to memorize music faster, and helps with different technical practices of learning an instrument.

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