Tom G  
Instruments: Guitar, Drums, Synthesizer, Music, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Country, R&B, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Latin Jazz, Soul, Marching Band

I've taught music for many years in different capacities, from private drum and guitar lessons to co-directing a high school marching band. I've worked with individuals and groups of all ages (you're never too young or too old to start playing!). I'm also a former high school special education and creative writing teacher (K-12 public school systems in Louisiana and Tennessee). I hold a B.A. in Music from New York University, where I focused on theory, composition, and jazz guitar performance. I'm also certified in audio engineering and music production (Garnish School of Music Production, SAE Institute), so if you want to know about the recording process, DJing, or electronic music-making, I'm your guy! Currently, I'm training to become a nationally-accredited music therapist at Loyola University of New Orleans. También hablo español! Viví 5 años en México y amo todo tipo de música latinoamericana como la salsa, la cumbia y rock en español.

My lessons are safe spaces, judgment free zones, and, most of all, a time to have fun. As a teacher, I always encourage my students to explore the wide world of music and find the artists and styles that really motivate them. I mix technical skill development (I've accumulated a number of exercise books and worksheets over the years) with playing along to the music you love—because that's how I learned! I'm a trained jazz musician, so my approach to teaching, playing and making music has always been based on improvisation and self-discovery. I believe in learning the rules of theory and technique, but I also believe rules are made to be broken—some of the best music was created by musicians breaking the rules!