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BM, Columbia College Chicago, Contemporary Urban and Popular Music
2016 - Spoke and Performed at TEDx Columbia College 2017 - Released debut EP "Comme Je Trouve" on Spotify and Apple Music 2014/Present - Performed professionally at several venues in the Chicago area including the following: Uncommonground, Beat Kitchen, The Fox Hole, Elbo Room, Emporium Chicago, PRYSM Nightclub, Stellar Wine Company, Martyrs', The Metro, Rhyme or Reason, The Gwen Hotel and The Gala.
My name is Leah and I am a passionate musician, creator and people person. I am originally from Dayton Ohio and I have lived in Chicago for four years. I recently graduated from Columbia College Chicago where I earned my Bachelors of Music degree in Contemporary, Urban and Popular Music with a jazz guitar focus. I have been playing guitar for eleven years. I started teaching myself pop music, studied classical guitar in high school, then transitioned to jazz guitar when I moved to Chicago. I am also an avid singer-songwriter and I have played several venues in the Chicago area. I released my debut record in 2017 called "Comme Je Trouve" and it is currently available on all streaming platforms. (Spotify, Apple Music)
As a child of parents who have been/currently are teachers, I understand the utter importance of a good teacher. Personally, I believe the teacher/student relationship can be incredibly impactful and inspiring. I was always very inspired by my favorite teachers and I do not believe I would have progressed as a musician/human without the lessons I learned from my teachers over the years. I love watching the lightbulb go off in my students' heads and encouraging them when they're struggling or when they nail a concept. I definitely do have a passion for teaching!
I will typically use the first lesson as an initial assessment of the student's personality and his/her skills. I ask the student what they would like to learn with the understanding that I will provide some of my own technical and theoretical knowledge. I like to create general lesson plans before each meeting so that I have some kind of outline to follow. I try to adhere to the student's progress timeline with the understanding that they need to be pushed a little out of their comfort zone if they want to see improvements.
The great thing about private one-on-one lessons is the individualized pace and learning style. I like to understand the most effective ways my student learns. Some students need to be immersing themselves in exercises that allow them to create and experience the music through a personal lens. Some students prefer to hone in on the technical work and theory. Both are important skills for a well-rounded player but depending on the student's personality they may be more inclined toward one or the other. So I introduce a span of topics into lessons while adhering to the student's preferred learning style.