Benjamin D  
Instruments: Piano, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Keyboard
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Soul

I began teaching in my sophomore year of high school. I was asked to be a student teacher at the summer camps hosted at the School of Rock Chicago. I learned a great deal as I taught rock songs to kids of all ages, prepared them to record original music, and helped direct their performance. I fell in love with the process of engaging a student’s learning style and figuring out how to relate to each student as an individual. My senior year of high school I received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, and I volunteered for City Music, where I helped prepare kids for their college auditions. This is how I developed a love for preparing students specifically for college auditions/music conservatories. Since graduating from Berklee I have begun teaching locally in Chicago, preparing students for auditions at music conservatories, as well as teaching theory, ear training and other skills needed for musicianship at the professional level.

As an educator it is my goal for students to be able to communicate through the language of music. Whether the student is a beginner or advanced, the first thing they will be taught is to listen and respond. I’ve always believed that the best way to learn music is as if you are learning a foreign language. When learning a language, one is given a small amount of vocabulary, they learn what it means, and practice using it in conversations. With a beginner in music it is the same thing. We want to give students small amounts of vocabulary, have them learn what it means, and then immediately use it in conversation. Overall, learning how to play, read, or write music takes the time and patience that any other language requires.