Pete O  

4.8

  4.8 (25)

Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Funk, Reggae, Soul, Punk

I have been teaching in the areas of greater New York City and Long Island for the last 12 years. Making a student's musical aspirations has always been a great source of joy for me. Mainly, I focus on building a student's repertoire of his or her favorite music, so that practice can be a source of expression and actualization instead of obligation and drudgery. Once the student has started exploring their musical preferences, we can continue developing perfect technique, as well as practical improvisation and theory. For NYSSMA and Auditions, students will not only get the preparation they require, but also the poise and confidence to perform with excellence for their peers, adjudicators, etc. I often invite my more adventurous students to perform at shows in and around New York with me as well.

Often I do use Mel Bay or Hal Leonard books to get a student started reading, but try to shift to popular music as soon as possible to keep the repertoire interesting and relevant for the student, as well has their families and peers. As the student develops, students will learn to expand on these ideas with theory based improvisation to "make the song their own." For More Advanced students, we can work from the Real or Fake Books, or the Ireel App to increase improvisational experience and confidence.