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Rosalia Ablan Memorial Prize in Guitar (Cleveland Institute of Music, 2008 and 2009)
I am a dedicated and experienced guitar teacher with an excellent understanding of the learning process, who loves working with students to help them reach their goals. I earned a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota. I have performed across the US, Europe, and China, as a chamber musician, soloist, and member of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet. Classical guitar is my main area of expertise, but I also love teaching and playing many other styles of music.
I have been teaching guitar for over 15 years, and have taught students of all ages and ability levels, including at many music schools and at the college levelat Century College in Minnesota. As a guest teacher, I have given many masterclasses both in the United States and Europe. While I primarily perform as a classical guitarist, I have extensive experience both teaching and playing other styles, including rock, folk, jazz, blues and pop. My experience as a teacher of a wide variety of students informs my approach, and I enjoy working with students to find the approaches, methods, and music that works for them. I welcome students of any age, ability level, and style!
The methods and approaches I use depend greatly on the student and their needs. The most important thing for me is to find repertoire that addresses the student’s needs and interests. For classical guitar students, there are a variety of methods that I regularly utilize (Julio Sagreras, The Royal Conservatory Series, Suzuki Guitar Method, Charles Duncan), and often supplement with other pieces/etudes. For other styles, I build lessons around playing music that the student is interested in, and include technical and musical exercises when needed. I also like making my own exercises that I can design for the students needs. Lessons will be planned around your interests, goals, and needs!
I love teaching guitar because nurturing someone’s passion for music is a rewarding experience. In my lessons I work to identify a student’s strengths, needs, learning style, and interests, and tailor lessons to each individual. I think students develop best when they’re working on things they’re excited about. I also think it’s important to help students with musical ideas, so they can become expressive musicians as well as skilled guitarists. Each student is different, so I believe that flexibility is important so every student can reach their goals in music.