Rory K  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Musical Theater, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, New Age, Punk

I began teaching classical guitar while earning my Bachelor's of Music degree at Western Washington University from 2003 to 2007. My focus was on performance and music instruction, so it seemed the next step for me was to pursue a career in music education. After college, I started with a small client base, which has steadily increased over the years. I provide music lessons & instruction, performing arts education, and tutoring. My students can expect to be instructed in music reading, learning interpretative styles, fretboard theory and guitar technique. Whether the student desires to learn classical or contemporary styles of music, goals will be met through the traditional, one-on-one teaching style. Students can also expect me to be friendly, prepared, and motivated to have a great lesson every time, and I expect the same from my students! I encourage them to find joy in what they do, to take pride in their skill and strive to develop and strong sense of ownership in their art from which flows a stronger sense of individuality and personal confidence. When students show interest in pushing themselves, nothing could make me happier than to indulge them.

With new students, my first goal is to surmise what they have learned thus far. I then "fill in the gaps" to get them up to speed, which depending on their skill level, can take one lesson or many lessons. For younger students who need more inspiration to be able to do that sort of catch-up work, I attempt to balance the fun with the learning. Learning instrument technique can be tedious, so I do my best to help my students be aware of their weaknesses and play to their strengths, to work smarter, not always harder. Depending on my initial interaction with the student, I determine whether a series of method books (think Mel Bay) or a more intensive study book (think Noad, Solo Guitar Playing), or the non-book path is appropriate.