John G
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Musical Theater, Funk, Flamenco, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Punk, Avant-garde
John G
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Musical Theater, Funk, Flamenco, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
In Your Home
My Studio
Ages Taught: 5-80
ABOUT
Degrees / Training / Special Info:
BM, Northwestern University, Guitar Performance BA, Northwestern University, Cognitive Science, MA, DePaul, Human Computer Interaction
Awards:
2008-2014: Bienen School of Music Scholarship
2013, 2014: Performed with the Northwestern Contemporary Music Ensemble
Overview:
I'm a graduate of Northwestern's Bienen School of Music and have been playing and performing music since childhood. I hold two degrees, one in Music Performance for Classical Guitar, and the other in Cognitive Science; both affect my teaching method--in different ways, of course! I think one of the most important things when starting out as a musician is to have the intent and drive to practice (encouragement counts for quite a bit too!). My style of tutelage differs from many other teachers in that I place as much emphasis improvisation as on fundamental techniques. Etudes are fun and all (really, they are), but nothing beats having the ability to ... This, of course, entails important theory elements and special techniques, when needed. I have taught students since high school, and all throughout college was a guitar teacher; even TAing for special guitar courses over the summer. I have experience playing a wide range of music, from contemporary classical music to metal and nearly everything in between. I have over four years of piano and can teach that as well, but would only feel comfortable doing so as a supplement to guitar students.
EXPERIENCE
I have been teaching music to students since I was in high school. Having taken years of music lessons since childhood, I went on to teach in ...In college we were required to take a pedagogy course specifically on the best ways to teach students, and as a result can have a somewhat structured method. For most students, I find that it's best to teach the theory behind the music at the same time as they're learning the basics; I feel this keeps students from just playing whenever they want and actually causes them to focus on the music more seriously.
METHODS USED
I have developed a semi-structured method for beginning students, taking material from different books and then combining them. For advanced students, I trust they know more about what and how they want to learn than I, and can certainly help them work out their kinks!
Regardless, I feel it's vital that students are exposed to a variety of different musical styles. Focusing solely on one hampers creativity, pigeon-holes you as a musician, and, at least in my travels, makes you an EXTREMELY boring individual. Aside from whatever primary genre they (or their parents) care to learn, students under my tutelage should expect to learn bits and pieces of everything; jazz, bluegrass, classical, metal, and anything else that I feel can create a 'musician-of-all-genres,' so to speak.
One note: for parents interested in having their child learn classical guitar, I feel it's good to have the kid learn at least some other genres prior to moving onto classical. This is mostly for the sake of the child; most kids find other genres far more compelling (if they truly want to learn classical, however, I'm more than happy--and able--to provide).
LESSON STYLE
I'm of the opinion that what interest's the student most is what they'll be most likely to practice, so, to an extent, any student of mine can expect at least some amount of time working on whatever they enjoy the most. At the end of the day though, practice isn't all fun, and getting students to realize that is one of the hardest parts of starting an instrument.
This applies ever more so with beginning students who have never played the instrument before--They can't practice the fun stuff when they can't even hold the instrument right! So I want my students to come away not only with an understanding of how to play, not only with knowledge of what they're hearing and even how they're hearing it, but importantly, an enjoyment of the instrument and a respect for it's difficulties.
More concretely, students should expect to receive handouts and homework for each lesson, as well as recommendations for music apps they can use. As alluded to earlier, we'll work out of some books, but I just copy and print the pages we need so there's no need to spend extra cash.
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PHOTOS & VIDEOS
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